She recommends playing with height when placing collectibles on a mantel, a necessity to achieve balance. Rembaum tries not to be too intentional when selecting accoutrements, preferring to feature family heirlooms or antiques that are already in the home, be it a pair of candlesticks or vintage art. While accessorizing the mantel is the final step, it is vital. Ursino says the shallow ledge is constructed from reclaimed, hand-hewn wood, the same material as the kitchen beams. Ursino opted for a four-inch deep, minimalist wooden shelf with a contemporary art piece that draws the eye to the fireplace wall. “With its exaggerated scale and richly textured material, the fireplace reads current, but still complements the 1960s architecture of the original home.” “The design was meant to be an understated focal point in the room,” she says. Harautuneian replaced an arched, plaster niche and an ornate surround and hearth with limestone, then installed an unfussy, solid natural-oak shelf. In a 1963 mid-century estate in Montecito, California, Ms. “Often, I don’t design a mantel at all, and instead run a slab of book-matched marble or a natural quartzite floor-to-ceiling for a dramatic statement wall,” Ms. Excellent sources for period mantels range from flea markets to salvage shops to the online marketplace 1stDibs.įor more-contemporary spaces, sometimes a mantel isn’t needed. Harautuneian prefers to source a vintage or antique European mantel rather than fabricating a new one. “Unless I am designing for a particular object of my client’s, I tend to think of accessorizing and styling after the architectural features I designed have been built, and I am physically in the space.”įor a traditional room, Ms. When dressing up the mantel, lead with the largest items, and only after the room is complete, Ms. “Open-shelf styling is a great way to add visual interest and dimension, especially on a large wall like this one,” she explains. Ursino designed a mix of cabinetry and open shelves to provide a place to tuck items away, as well as to display coffee-table books, art, and sculptural pottery. “It allowed a lot of warmth to be brought to the fireplace and served as a beautiful backdrop for the light furnishings.” “There was quite a bit of white oak used in the palette of this home, so we felt it was important that white oak serve as the material choice for the built-in,” she says. Ursino created built-in shelves and cabinetry to flank the fireplace, using the wood prevalent throughout the house. In a newly built New England coastal-style home in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, Ms. More: How to Create the Ideal Kitchen Island In a 1963 estate in Montecito, California, designer Karen Harautuneian installed an unfussy, solid natural-oak shelf to complement the home’s mid-century architecture. Rembaum also likes to play with the living room’s lighting, layering sources and varying fixtures’ height to encourage atmosphere and make the most of a fire’s reflective glow. All of these provide a refreshingly modern alternative to oversize sofas in front of a TV.” “Side tables to set a cocktail down sofas facing each other for conversation a comfortable reading nook, etc. “Try creating small moments and vignettes in the room,” she adds. She recommends seating that opens toward the fireplace to encourage interaction. “You want to be able to gather comfortably in a living room.” “Make sure your furniture isn’t too large in scale, as that will leave little space,” she says. Rembaum says there are multiple ways to showcase the fireplace through a room’s furnishings. More: Incorporating Antique Rugs Into Your Design Scheme “It defines the space and sets the tone for an intimate and warm atmosphere,” she says. Sharon Rembaum, an interior designer based in Scarsdale, New York, believes a fireplace presents an ideal opportunity to create a “wow moment” while also bringing people together. A fireplace will always kindle mood and conversation and likely be the focal point in a room. These functional centerpieces appear in every imaginable profile they can be finished in various materials-from limestone to brick-and often showcase one-of-kind art and unusual finds.Īesthetics aside, some attributes endure no matter how sleek, stately, or charming a fireplace is. Fireplaces are as diverse as home design.
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