Inglenook Fireplaces

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A few weeks ago, I heard a term that was new to me: inglenook fireplace. Not only was the term new to me, but I wasn’t sure I had ever seen one either. According to wisegeek.com, an inglenook fireplace is recessed into the wall, creating a space that is small, sheltered, and cozy – a room within a room. The deliberately designed recessed area is often used for seating. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright used spaces like these to deliberately elicit psychological feelings from the architecture; in the case of inglenook fireplaces, Wright used them to create a warm and cozy feeling in a room, a place of family togetherness.

I found very few images of inglenook fireplaces on the internet, but the examples I did find reminded me of Tudor architecture I have seen in England. In particular, the Wolsey fireplace in Hampton Court came to mind. Certainly, fireplaces like this were appropriate for the times given their dual function for cooking and warmth.

I seemed to recall seeing an inglenook fireplace on ‘The Tudors’, but this was the only image I could find of a fireplace; it is certainly large, but I don’t think it is an inglenook because it is not a ‘room within a room’.

An example of an inglenook fireplace from a home in England. Most of the inglenook fireplace images I found were from homes in England, interestingly enough.

This was perhaps the best inglenook fireplace image I found. Interestingly, this space is tucked under the stairs and is off a hall. The paneling gives the space an great third dimension, and the bench seating to each side of the fireplace looks like the perfect place to read a book on a cold winter’s day. Image via the Classic Group, architecture by Meyer & Meyer.

This inglenook fireplace is from a vacation rental in Portugal. The seating area near the fireplace looks particularly cozy.

This image is via a real estate listing in California. It was one of the few images I could find of inglenook fireplaces with a seating area; this whole set up is not really my style, but interesting nonetheless.

This is from a country bed and breakfast in England. I love this image.

As I wasn’t really coming up with many interesting pictures for this post, I emailed my friend Doug from Tracery Interiors. His blog is one of my favorites (email readers, click here to view); no surprise given that Tracery Interiors is known for adeptly mixing the old and the new, and creating nuanced interiors that are both beautiful and livable. Tracery Interiors works on a lot of beautiful new homes and historical renovations, and Doug always seems to be in the know about this kind of thing. Within an hour Doug was kind enough to send me several amazing examples of inglenook fireplaces from his firm’s body of work. Here is one (pictured above), from a house built on Lake Martin in Alabama.

A sideview of the recessed area shows the bookcases that line the nook. The Lake Martin home is one that Tracery Interiors designed and furnished; the alcove is vertically planked in wormy oak, the stone on the hearth and surround is Jura Stone, a type of limestone. The piece over the fireplace is by Santa Rosa Beach artist Teresa Cline, whose work Tracery Interiors carry in their Rosemary Beach shop.

This is perhaps the most stunning example of an inglenook fireplace that I have seen, in a Spanish Revival home in the Hollywood district of Homewood, Alabama. The architect on the renovation was Louis Nequette of Dungan Neguette Architects (their portfolio is breathtaking – I highly recommend a visit to their site) and the interiors are by Tracery Interiors. The fireplace was existing to the 1927 home, as was the Moorish arch; Doug from Tracery Interiors designed the walnut paneling for the formerly stuccoed back wall to add some contrast to the composition. The home was furnished by the homeowner, well known designer, blogger and internet personality JB Hopkins (The Foodimentary Guy). Photo credit: Colleen Duffley.

Doug also pointed me to this beautiful home in Rosemary Beach (image via Krumdieck Architecture and Interior Design). Doug said this home was published in Southern Living a few years ago. I love the asymmetrical inglenook fireplace – it works so beautifully in this space.

Readers, do you have any pictures or examples of inglenook fireplaces? If you have seen one, what did you think of it? I am quite fascinated by the idea of an inglenook fireplace precisely because it is not very common, and am very interested to know what all of you think of them.

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