Modern Fireplace Design Ideas – According to LiLu
Modern Fireplace Design Ideas
Living in a modern home has great appeal. Clean-lined and simple the modern home has a Zen vibe that is calming. Even in a modern home, however, our clients want their homes to be warm and welcoming. We think one of the most effective ways to add warmth to a modern interior is to incorporating welcoming modern fireplace design ideas into the home. Maybe even two or three modern fireplaces!
The elements of a modern fireplace
When we design any space, we think carefully about each element of the room and make many decisions that go into each element. The key is once we have a concept in place each decision that we make must support the concept.
Modern fireplace design ideas have the same elements of any fireplace the key to designing a modern look is selecting the modern version of each element. Fire, the surround, the mantel, the hearth are the basic elements in any fireplace.
The Modern Look of Fire
The fire. Today most homeowners are opting for the ease of living that a gas fireplace insert brings into their lives. Flip a switch and you have a fire. Using the technology available today you can create linear or spiral fire patterns that add a “wow factor” to your modern fireplace. The custom fireplace inserts designed by Hearth and Home Technologies have our designer hearts going pitter-pat.
The Surround
From tile to metal to stone a modern fireplace design ideas must include a modern surround. For a fireplace to add warmth to a modern home, I believe having a material around the fireplace that hints at fireplaces from traditional homes is a must. To give your fireplace warmth use a non-combustible material for the surround in a modern way. Some of our favorites are dimensional tile, carved stone, stone slabs, and metal panels.
See more on how a modern surround material can completely change the look of a fireplace in this recent fireplace remodel project.
Mantels for Modern Fireplace Design
For many, the fireplace mantel is a sentimental must. Even in a modern home people might like to place family photos, special mementos, or objects of art that hold a special place in their lives. Some may even like to add seasonal but modern décor to keep their homes fresh. The key is to create a mantel that is out of a modern material, pared-back design, or is simple but impactful.
In this modern condominium, we used stainless steel to create a slim-lined modern mantel that helps define the space and separate the fireplace from the television above. We also used a thin stone veneer wallpaper to evoke the warmth of stone within the dimension of the fireplace which was abutted to a door in the original design.
Here we’ve used back-painted glass to create a mantel for a true modern fireplace design. Don’t let your imagination limit you to traditional materials and play with dimension to create a modern look.
Sometimes we skip the mantel. It’s true, in some cases we decide that the monolithic appeal of a surround material makes a singular statement that gives a space a strong focal point that is so beautiful that interrupting it with a mantel isn’t a good strategy. Each design is unique and making the choice to go sans mantel is a valid one.
Hearth
Most modern fireplace inserts do not require a hearth by code, but I just can’t shake the idea that an insert without a hearth looks so much like an appliance it just doesn’t have the same warm appeal of a traditional fireplace.
Sitting next to a fire and enjoying its warmth is a universal human experience that goes back millennia. Adding a hearth to a modern fireplace design gives it a cozy appeal but you don’t need to sacrifice the modern look. Flush hearths are simple and subtle and raised hearths can be slabs of simple stone to support the aesthetic.
8 May, 2021 at 6:36 am
These fireplace designs are gorgeous, Lisa! What a focal point and showstopper they would be in any modern home design!
8 May, 2021 at 7:31 am
Love these ideas – and that L-shaped one? So bold and so cool!
8 May, 2021 at 7:59 am
Whoa! These are some very interesting fireplaces indeed! I’ve never seen anything like the first one. Great inspiration and I’ll be saving it for future reference.
8 May, 2021 at 6:19 pm
Wow! These are showstoppers for sure! That L shaped one is fascinating . Great tips on doing a modern fireplace well!
8 May, 2021 at 7:44 pm
Wow, I love some of these designs, especially the one with the fire climbing up the pole in the middle. Great tips!!
9 May, 2021 at 8:50 am
So many amazing ideas!! We use our fireplace almost daily (September through April here in NJ!)
10 May, 2021 at 7:41 pm
So many inspiring fireplace designs – thank you!
10 November, 2021 at 10:20 am
Thanks for the guidance. It helped me in choosing the right modern fireplace. Keep sharing!