MG EXPERIENCE LUXURY
MG EXPERIENCE LUXURY
A vintage fireplace suits a modern Florida home designed by Chinotto House.
INSPIRED BY THE PAST Designers and architects often look to history, which can spawn fresh ideas. For instance, inglenook fire- places date back hundreds of years, but design pros are incorporating these classics when building new and upgrading existing homes. Jim Rill of Rill Architects in
point for the color palette in the rest of the home, and we took note of its rounded shape, so we opted for more structured pieces to add to the room for balance.” A Kelly Wearstler grass cloth, leather sofa, bouclé slipper chairs, marble plinth, and a wood snake side table complete this mid-century-inspired design.
element in Craftsman architecture, flanks the fireplace.
centered on the beauty of imper- fection. In his own home in Point Loma, California, the fireplace, although simple, makes a statement with a painted-brick exterior running to the ceiling. The look comple- ments his collection of Mid-Century Modern furniture. The work of Lew French, a master stonemason recognized for his ground-breaking approach, inspired a wood-burning stone fireplace in a home in Annapolis, Maryland. “The fireplace is located within an office that is fully lined in sleek, warm custom millwork, so the cool stone wall becomes an immediate focal point and juxtaposition to the surrounding warm wood,” says Annapolis-based architect Cathy Purple Cherry, whose firm designed the home. “The stone itself is art and used to create an incredible graphic wall surrounding the fireplace.” In a home in Gainesville, Florida, local design studio Chinotto House curated a theater room around a freestanding, vintage wood-burning fireplace resting on a platform of Ocala block, a type of concrete often used in mid-century Florida houses. The funky design suits the 1962 home by architect Jack Clark. Chelsey Cox of Chinotto House suggests hunting for a showstopping vintage piece to get that look. “Let that be the focus of the design and where you draw inspiration,” she recommends. “We used the fireplace color as a jumping-off
MULTIFUNCTIONAL Beyond presenting warmth and atmosphere, some fireplaces serve other functions. Specht designed an elevated fireplace in a contem- porary Bridgehampton, New York, beach cottage, with a bench and storage beneath it and a skylight above. “This wood-burning fireplace matches its rustic surroundings with a custom surround made of plate steel and raw plywood,” he notes. In a nod to the coastal envi- rons that also ties into the fireplace, “a skylight is located where the fire- place touches the ceiling, allowing for a bit of sun to further brighten the space.” Purple Cherry Architects chose a wood-burning fireplace with a gas igniter and a limestone surround in a Centreville, Maryland, home. “Should the homeowners ever wish to not burn wood, they could use a gas flame, giving them the flexibil- ity to choose,” Purple Cherry says about the dual-fuel decision. Art was a determining factor when her team homed in on the details. “We wanted to ensure the scale and design allowed for the placement of a beautiful piece of artwork over the mantel to further draw the eye to the fireplace," she adds. DOUBLE DUTY Though most fireplaces are one- sided, double-sided designs infuse
Bethesda, Maryland, said inglenook fireplaces provide a cozy seating area to enjoy the fire. While most fireplaces invite larger groups to socialize, these offer a more intimate experience for one or two people. His firm designed a new Virginia residence but infused traditional detailing, including an inglenook fireplace modeled after the regal Mount Vernon homes outside Washington, D.C. This unex- pected jewel occupies a nook off the foyer and offers “a sense of welcom- ing,” he says of the quaint detail. Alternatively, in his own Craftsman- style home in Maryland, an inglenook fireplace is the living room ’ s cen- terpiece. In this instance, he chose fir for the woodwork, bluestone for the surround, and broken flagstone for the hearth. Shelving, a common
Left: A hearth by Cathy Purple Cherry draws inspiration from stonemason Lew French. Above: Jim Rill of Rill Architects in Bethesda, Maryland, said inglenook fireplaces provide a cozy seating area to enjoy the fire.
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