Fireplace Design Ideas for Residential Homes | Morgante Wilson Architects

Fred Wilson, AIA

Fred Wilson, AIA
Founding Partner at Award Winning Chicago Architects, Morgante Wilson

Dec 10, 2019 - 5 min read

Fireplace Design Ideas for Residential Homes | Morgante Wilson Architects

A roaring fireplace is one of the best ways we know to cozy a room, not to mention your mood. Picture this: you’re finally home after a long day at work. You’re tired. The wind is howling outside, and you’re chilly. You want nothing more than to warm yourself by a crackling fire, wine glass in hand, dog at your feet, book on your lap (okay, Netflix on your screen). Is there anything better? We don’t think so (well, a trip to Hawaii might be better, but you can see where I’m going here) – which is why fireplaces are important elements in so many of the rooms we design. Here are a few of our favorite fireplace designs, and what makes each one special:

In this formal living room, the fireplace design, ceiling trim and wall paneling all share the same traditional detailing. Repeating architectural cues this way creates a pleasing, cohesive sense of design that works especially well in smaller spaces.

If one fireplace is good, two fireplaces are better! This grand dining room – which seats 18 without batting an eye – can pull it off, thanks to its large scale. Note how the twin theme announces itself first in the double fireplaces, then in the dual mirrors and sconces above them, and finally, in the pair of elegant antique chandeliers suspended above the table. For an interesting counterpoint, the room’s dining chairs are deliberately mismatched, which creates just the right amount of decorative tension.

This room shows you a different way to achieve decorative tension courtesy of a fireplace. Here, furnishings are contemporary, clean-lined and minimal – which is why we chose to leave the historic fireplace, with its deeply-toned wood mantle and carved detail, intact. It anchors the room’s otherwise airy feel, while honoring the home’s past at the same time.

Perfect for its heart-of-the-city location, the fireplace in this urban family room is sleek and sophisticated. Shimmering tiles stand in for a mantle, which is flanked on either side by large wood panels installed on a concealed sliding track. Sure, built-in bookcases would have looked great here too, but these clients needed storage, and so we chose to build closets behind those wood panels instead.

Of course, fireplaces aren’t just for the inside of the house! Check out this unique circular exterior fireplace. Notice how the brick pattern changes direction; it radiates out at the upper right, while at the left, the bricks are turned on their side. This subtle shift creates super-interesting texture, making an unexpected fireplace even more surprising.

Here’s another outdoor fireplace, this time in a stunning, octagonal screened porch. I can’t tell you how cool it is to be sort of outside and sort of inside on a chilly evening, with a fireplace gathering your friends and family near. It’s almost like camping in your own house. The conversations that happen, and the cozy vibes that result, can’t be beat. I’d put a fireplace in every screened porch we design if I could. That’s how fantastic I think they are! Plus, they really extend the seasons, and the ability to be outside well into colder months, in cooler climates.

In this dignified library, custom hickory paneling wraps the entire room, and even envelops the fireplace. Rather than introduce a different material to highlight the fireplace, we let it blend right in to the wall – that is, until you notice the amazing pattern on its stone surround, which makes it a true focal point. See how its diamond-like pattern repeats in the diamond shag rug? That, folks, is what happens when architecture and interior design work hand in hand from the get-go. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Finally, a last word about shape. There’s no rule that says a fireplace has to be relatively square to be considered a proper fireplace. You’ve just seen a circular fireplace. Here, a long and narrow rectangular fireplace opening reflects the linear shapes of the room’s furnishings – they’re contemporary and low, and so is the fireplace. This is a good demonstration of literally thinking outside the box – the firebox, as it were.

I hope this has given you some good ideas for your own fireplace design. For more innovative ways to create visually interesting rooms, head over to the MWA website!

Morgante Wilson Architects provides architectural and interior design services in Chicago, Deerfield, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Northfield, Ravinia, Wilmette and Winnetka – along with Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Utah, Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Fred Wilson, AIA

Fred Wilson, AIA

Founding Partner at Award Winning Chicago Architects, Morgante Wilson