With falling temperatures and holiday celebrations around the corner, families are once again gathering around the fireplace. And while it has remained the heart of the home for centuries, today's fireplace has also become a design expression. Homeowners are now seeking speciality fireplace surrounds to showcase their style as it becomes the gathering spot in the home.
A traditional fireplace surround includes a back panel, outer hearth and mantel. Architects and designers can now incorporate a world of materials to create a one-of-a-kind fireplace in just about any configuration.
Here’s our top 6 picks for fireplace surround materials from recent projects using a FireRock pre-engineered masonry fireplace.
Why We Love It: The marble adds a modern sophistication to this fireplace, and in this coloring, the material looks more like art than stone. Paired with a wood mantel, this fireplace is a perfect balance of traditional and contemporary.
Photo: Chris Luker at Luker Photography. Architect: James Carter. Builder: Philip Woods Home Builder, Inc.
Why We Love It: The metal trim around this firebox adds an industrial edge. By pairing it with a more traditional limestone-clad mantel, the fireplace now has a more layered, ecclectic feel that truly makes it the focal point of the room.
Photo: Chris Luker at Luker Photography. Architect: James Carter. Builder: Philip Woods Home Builder, Inc.
Why We Love It: What's not to love about this stunning, ornate mantel? Crafted out of gray-polished French limestone by Francois & Co., the "Victoria" mantel was used in the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles 2015 Home for the Holidays Designer Showhouse in Buckhead, a prominent suburb outside of Atlanta.
Photo: Erica George Dines for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. Architect: William H. Harrison and Frank Heery of Harrison Design. Builder: Sheehan Built Homes.
Why We Love It: The stained, matte black concrete used around the firebox is another great example of a mixed material surround. Adding the concrete surround and leaving out the mantel keeps the detailed wooden millwork from becoming too busy or too dark.
Photos: Chris Luker at Luker Photography. Architect: James Carter. Builder: Philip Woods Home Builder, Inc.
Why We Love It: This outdoor fireplace from the 2015 Christopher Showhouse includes more than just a precast concrete surround. It even houses a water feature! This is a perfect example of how an outdoor fireplace can become both a retreat and a work of art.
Photo: Chris Luker at Luker Photography. Architect: Christopher Architects & Interiors.
Why We Love It: You can't go wrong with a classic! Natural stone remains one of the most popular materials used for fireplace surrounds. Indoors or out, stacked or flat, natural stone will always be a material homeowners request for years to come.
Photo: Erica George Dines for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. Architect: William H. Harrison and Frank Heery of Harrison Design. Builder: Sheehan Built Homes.
