Gas log fireplaces

I was planning on doing a post on some of the other lighting in my house – to show that we do have some pretty fixtures that more than offset the naked bulb in our dining room – but it has been so gloomy in Atlanta these past few days that I have not been able to get decent pictures. So, I will post on that later this week.

In the meantime, this moody weather makes me realize that fall is almost here – it is my favorite season of the year.  I love the beauty of the landscape, with all of the colors of the trees, the cooler weather, the excitement of the holidays season.  When living in Connecticut as a child, I could always tell that fall was approaching when my parents would order several cords of wood in anticipation of the cool weather.  My mother would light a wood burning fire in the den just about every night in the fall and winter.

In our new house, we have three fireplaces – two inside, one outside. We use the outside fireplace frequently in the fall and winter – it has a gas starter, but is wood burning.  The fireplace in our family room is also gas starter, wood burning, but we have found that we would rather light a fire in the outdoor fireplace (which is quite close to the family room) than inside. 

The third fireplace, which is central to the house as it is in the living room, is set up so that gas logs could be installed.  We wanted to live in the house for a while before deciding what to do – whether to install gas logs, or go ahead and use the fireplace as a wood burning fireplace.  As of right now, this fireplace has not been used, and has some birch logs as placeholders.

We have decided to go ahead and get a gas log set.  Since my readers are always a great source of information for me, please let me know if you have any recommendations or insight into this.  My sister is renovating a house in DC and she purchased both a mantel and fire basket/gas logs from Chesney’s, which she thinks has the best looking gas log sets.  I knew about Chesney’s for their beautiful mantels, but they also offer a full line of fire baskets and andirons, and their ‘Alchemy’ gas fires (their gas log option).

Here is a Chesney’s mantel and fire basket shown in a Veranda feature on design tips from Mary Drysdale. One of her favorite sources for mantels is Chesney’s.

Here is the Chesney’s Tyndale fire basket and Bevan andirons set that I really like.  I have a fondness for soft curves and scrolls in design, so this is right up my alley.  I also really like the small logs that are in the basket – which is a style that can be replicated in their gas log collection. Source: http://chesneys.com

From what I understand, if a gas log set is going to be used, then this little panel is underneath the fire basket to conceal the gas input. Source: http://chesneys.com

Here is a quick iphone picture I snapped at the Atlanta Design Center earlier this year, which shows the floor model of one of the Chesney’s fire baskets.  The basket looks like the same design, but the base has a curve that the previous picture does not. The andirons in this picture look slightly different too – I think they are the Bevan andirons. The panel underneath the basket that conceals the gas log connection is seen, as well as an example of the gas logs. (My picture) 

I also like some of the clean lined designs of Chesney’s offerings.  My architect selected this one for a past client (not a picture from the install, this is a picture from Chesney’s).

I am assuming that this image shows the design with gas logs given that the concealing cover is underneath the basket.  I just spoke with my sister, and this is the design that she selected – it’s called the Fibonacci. (Source unknown)

This image is so beautiful, and the diamond detail of the fire basket is wonderful. 
Source: http://chesneys.com

This is another one of my favorites.  I really like the orb detail on both the fire basket and the andirons. Source: http://chesneys.com

Same fire basket and andiron set, but seen with a different Chesney’s mantel (both are from their French and Italian collection).  I like the cleaner lines of the fire basket that provide a nice contrast to the detail of the mantel. Source: http://chesneys.com

Here is a pretty design that combines the curves of fire basket with the orb.  Maybe that is why I like French style – I always like the softness that a little curve adds to a design.  Source:http://chesneys.com

Two different perspectives of the same room.   I love how the curves of the mantel are reflected in the fire box – the combination works beautifully.  I also like the clean lined but curved fire basket (which appears to be the Ducknest) with the slightly scrolled andirons (which appear to be the Burton andirons). Source: http://chesneys.com

So I would have to say that my three favorites are the Morris fire basket, seen above with the Burton andirons (and the gas log set up, with the panel underneath the basket)…

This combination, which appears to be the Ducknest basket with the Burton andirons…

And the Tyndale fire basket, shown with the Newton andirons.  My sister thinks this design is a bit curly, but I like it.

I like the Bevan andirons too, which are seen with the Tyndale fire basket in the second picture.

So, what do you think about gas log fireplaces?  Do you have one? In some areas of the country, wood burning fireplaces are not even allowed in new construction, so gas logs are the norm.  
I would be interested to hear if you have any recommendations for other gas logs to consider, or if you have any installation pictures of nice gas log fireplaces or Chesney’s fire basket installations. 

To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
To follow my blog on Facebook, click here.
Twitter: @TTIBlog
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/
Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.com
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.

Design element: firebox patterns

The house we are building is now being framed, so many of the concepts that I have thought about in the abstract are requiring a firm decision in the very near future.  Individually they are small decisions, but cumulatively they number in the hundreds, and each decision makes a contribution to the overall aesthetic and function of the house. 

One such decision that we had to finalize this week was the pattern of the firebrick in the fireplaces (the firebrick is the ceramic material that lines the inside of the firebox).  Yes, a small thing, but given that I have posted about mantels and fireplaces frequently on my blog, it is one that I have great interest in.

Back in 2008, I professed my admiration for a herringbone pattern in the firebox, as seen on my favorite cover of Veranda. 

This beautiful firebox features a herringbone pattern with the fire bricks in a slightly larger size.  Interior design by Suzanne Kasler.

The effect can look quite different depending on the size of firebrick used in the fireplace.  This fireplace (designed by Jim Howard, with a custom size mantel by Francois & Company) uses larger size bricks for a more graphic effect.

One of the French style homes in Atlanta based builder YM Derazi’s portfolio has an interesting herringbone pattern using larger scale firebricks and multiple brick colors.  Image via YM Derazi.

Personally, I prefer when the firebricks are very thin and detailed, as seen in this picture of a house under construction in Atlanta.  I love the design and color of this particular firebox, and the fact that the hearth is flush with the ground.

Another one of my favorite fireplace pictures – the combination of the traditional mantel, the graphic contemporary art, and the delicacy of the herringbone pattern in the fireplace makes for a great vignette.

The pattern in this fireplace is also in herringbone design, but appears to be vertically oriented rather than horizontally oriented.  It is an interesting twist on the herringbone pattern.

Many fireboxes have the firebricks in a clean lined running bond pattern.  This is a nice subtle look.

This fireplace, with a mantel by Francois & Company, had a simple design in the firebox, which works well as the floors of the room are a herringbone (this house was a showhouse several years ago).  

Another Atlanta showhouse from several years ago shows a running bond pattern with larger size bricks. The scale of the brick has a big impact on the look and feel of the design.  Interior design by Womack Interiors.

 

A small scale running bond pattern in a fireplace featured on the Belgian Pearls blog.

The pattern in the firebox appeals to me every time I see it – thin strips of fire bricks, laid in a vertical pattern with a thin horizontal layer separating the rows.  This fireplace is in the Max & Company Atlanta store. Architectural design by Jim Howard.

A close up of the firebox in a house designed by Bobby McAlpine has firebricks in another interesting arrangement – this time columns with the thin split firebricks laid horizontally. Image via Benecki Fine Homes (builder and owner of the house pictured above; interiors by Melanie Turner).

This image intrigued me, not only because of the unusual dark color of the firebrick, but also because of the interesting pattern – a unique twist on herringbone, with rows and columns.

This beautiful firebox combines the best of both designs – vertically designed fire bricks surrounding the firebox, and a herringbone pattern inside the firebox.  Architecture and photography by Peter Block.  This home was built by YM Derazi, and it is truly exquisite. (YM Derazi is also building my home, so I have first hand experience with the quality of their work!).

Of course, if you actually use your fireplace, it often ends up looking like this….

At a design meeting this week, my architect suggested a pattern that I have not really seen in many pictures.  It looks somewhat like the pattern in this picture, although the firebricks will be thinner.   We both think it will look beautiful with the antique limestone mantel that Suzanne selected for the living room.

Do you have a pattern that you like inside a firebox?  I don’t even recall noticing this particular design feature before writing this blog, but it is now an element that I appreciate and notice whenever I see a well done fireplace.

To visit my store, Quatrefoil Design, click here.
To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
To follow my blog on Facebook, click here.
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.

Softly curved mantels

Last week, I posted on several fireplace mantels that were mentioned at a design meeting; one was the perfect scale (but not the right style), one was the perfect style (but too small for the room), and one was an antique (beautiful, but not the right style). The ideal situation would be to find a mantel that is all three: the perfect scale, the perfect style, and an antique.

Building and designing a house always seems to be a balancing act among time, money, and speed. If we had an unlimited budget and unlimited time, I am sure that the perfect mantel could be found. However, with groundbreaking imminent (hopefully), and a very defined budget, Suzanne (my designer) will hopefully find a fireplace that is the right scale and the right size and the right price – and available right now (or capable of being ordered).

My architect would like to select the fireplace sooner rather than later, as he likes for the opening to be scaled to the specific mantel – so the entire opening of the firebox is seen. I wasn’t sure what he meant until I saw this picture (above). Do you see how the opening of the firebox is the entire height and width of the mantel? This is one of my favorite fireplace pictures for a variety of reasons; I love the contrast of the ornate and traditional fireplace and decor with the bold and dramatic contemporary art hanging above the fireplace. I also love the soft curve of this style fireplace.

I also admire this mantel, with its gentle curves and less fussy design. This is an example of a firebox that is not sized to the mantel – which is not a bad thing, just not the look that we are going to do.

There is something about that curve in a Louis XV style mantel that really captures my heart. This mantel is much more ornate than what we are looking at, but the negative space in the firebox is so beautiful because of the curve, isn’t it? When the opening of the firebox is scaled to the mantel, the negative space of the mantle becomes just as important as the mantle itself. I can already sense a love for the fussy when it comes to mantles and chandeliers, so I am relying on Suzanne to select a mantel that is the perfect balance between classic and clean lined.

One of my all time favorite Veranda covers, featuring a beautiful mantel with an oval motif – a great way to have a bit of decoration without a lot of ornamentation. I can’t help but wish that the inside of the mantel wasn’t squared off like that, for full appreciation of the curves; of course, who is really noticing the mantel when there is a stunning Cy Twombly painting in the room?

Another one of my favorite Veranda features, a home designed by Betty Burgess, has a nice gentle curved limestone fireplace, but the lines are clean and avoid any kind of fussiness.

The living room in the same house indulges in a bit more of a fussy mantel, but I like the contrast of the clean lines in the room and the more ornate quality of the mantel and the French barometer. Suzanne says that we can go a bit more ornate in the living room given that the fireplace in the family room is going to be extremely simple; there isn’t even going to be a mantel to enable better placement of a TV.

I rarely save pictures for the fireplace, but this picture from an old real estate listing really struck me with its beautiful and softly curved limestone fireplace. It has the classic shape of a French mantel, without the overly decorated aspect sometimes seen in a French mantel.

This fireplace, although not as wide, has a similar look and feel; seen on our fireplace expedition last week. I really like this one, although it might be a bit on the small side.

This size is probably a bit bigger than what we are looking for, but I admire its wide dramatic opening. Image via Belgian Pearls.

The look of a classic curved fireplace in a simple and pared down room, with a touch of contemporary art, is a great mix. Image via Belgian Pearls.

I love this one – with a rosette instead of a shell. Shells seem to be quite common in this Louis XV style fireplaces, but I am not really a fan. Notice the beautiful pattern of the stone tiles inside the firebox – it’s a herringbone pattern done on the horizontal axis. Also note that the mantel is placed around the wall – this must be why most of the antiques I have seen have a big rectangular opening on top. Image via Cote de Texas.

This picture is so incredibly beautiful; it combines an unusually placed fireplace with those soft curves I like, a tall beautiful French door that allows the natural light to flow into the space, and one of my favorite colors, periwinkle blue. Notice how the colors of the curtains influence the color of the stone on the floor. Image via Trouvais, from La Vie en Rose by Suzanne Lowry.

I included this picture in my ‘virtual house’ because there are so many qualities about the room that I love; the tall window with light streaming in, the light palette of the room, and the soft curve of the mantel (with a mirror above, of course).

Another image from Trouvais (if you have never visited her blog, you are in for a treat – it is incredibly beautiful and one of the places I go first for visual inspiration). This is from a house in Belgium, and every room is incredibly beautiful. To see the post, click here. I love the floors and the mantel in this space – I image that this is the scale that my architect wants to find, with a wide opening.

This room was from the a Christmas showhouse a few years ago, with interiors by Suzanne Kasler. I am not sure whether the fireplace was already there, or whether Suzanne and her team selected it for the room (I suspect the former), but I loved it in the showhouse.

Here is a close up; I liked it so much that I included this image in my ‘Virtual Home 2010’. The mantel is by Francois & Company, and has the perfect combination of the curves and straight lines. Suzanne and I looked at this in the Francois showroom; if we were to go in this direction, we would order it without the ‘tabs’ in the sides, and we would make the base a bit more squared.

Last week, we went over to the design center to look at Dennis & Leen fireplaces. I love this one – this is the only picture I have seen of it in a magazine. Image via Veranda.

Here is a closer view of the mantel, although it is almost entirely obscured by the plant on the table. The tear sheet for this mantel is in my file at Suzanne’s office, but hopefully this picture conveys the feel of the piece; it is both curved and angular, both feminine and masculine. I think it is really beautiful, and is a great scale for the space. Image via Veranda.

Antique fireplaces are still in the running, but my budget is a bit more geared towards reproductions than antique mantels. However, the family room and outdoor fireplaces are going to be very, very simple, so we might be able to swing something. Suzanne and Stan would ideally like to see an antique mantel in the space, but we are going to keep on looking and see what we can turn up.

To visit my store, Quatrefoil Design, click here.

To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.

To follow my blog on Facebook, click here.

Beautiful framed intaglios, available here:

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/category/intaglios

Unique architectural renderings, available here:

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/category/architectural

Whimsical original crab and lobster paintings, as seen in House Beautiful, available here:

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/category/art

http://www.quatrefoildesign.com/