It’s both an excuse to linger and an element of architectural charm: The right fireplace does so much more than just bring actual warmth to a room. While the concept has remained essentially unchanged for thousands of years (light, gather, repeat), there are plenty of decisions—both functional and aesthetic—to consider when building your own. In fact, when we started doing the research ourselves, we realized just how complicated fireplace design really is (which make sense, considering their job). To help you get the most out of your fireplace, whether you're considering a renovation or embarking on a totally new build, we asked the experts our most burning questions.
Where to Begin
Follow these three preliminary steps to ensure your fireplace runs safely.
1. CHOOSE A FIREBOX
There are two main categories of fireboxes: masonry (built from the ground up) and prefab (a self-contained insert). Installing a new masonry fireplace is a major undertaking (for starters, you’ll usually need a chimney if there isn't one already), which is why people tend to rehab what’s there, unless already undergoing a remodel or building a new structure from the ground up. If you won’t be using your fireplace that often, one with a gas-powered insert is advised, though a wood-burning stove is a happy medium for those who want an old-fashioned look and feel (the freestanding kind, if it helps to have a visual).
2. ENSURE VENTILATION
Proper ventilation is essential for almost all fireplaces. (Ventless gas models do exist, but their safety is up for debate, so we're team proper ventilation.) “If the flue is too small or too big, you’ll end up with a smoke-filled room,” warns architect Drew Davis of Ike Kligerman Barkley (the flue is the thing that connects to the firebox to the chimney opening). Ventilation ensures that the fireplace gets enough makeup air, “replenishing the air that is drawn out of the flue when the fireplace is in use,” he says. “Too little makeup air results in smoke going down, not up.”
3. MIND SAFETY CODES
There are numerous regional safety regulations you’ll need to look into, even if you’re just rehabbing an existing fireplace. Doing this before planning any actual design updates will spare you (and your contractor) a big headache.
Fixing Up an Existing Fireplace
Three designers show how to get your dream hearth without a gut reno.
In her Brooklyn brownstone, designer Delia Kenza honored the original style of the home’s architecture, ornate mantel and all. She inserted a new (but antique-looking) wood-burning stove that produces real fire but eliminates the risk of indoor smoke you’d get from a masonry fireplace.
The fireplace felt outdated, recalls Keia McSwain of design firm Kimberly + Cameron Interiors. So she brought in a mason to maintain the integrity of the original wood-burning fireplace and updated it with a new firebox. Elongated, uneven tile gives the surround more texture and depth.
A nonworking fireplace can still be a valuable feature. Use the area to display a collection (Elizabeth Roberts Architects filled this one with plants) or cluster some pine-scented candles to get that flickering flame effect.
How Are Outdoor Fireplaces Different?
An outdoor fireplace comes with requirements similar to an indoor build, like permits and ventilation. Firepits are a simpler alternative, but the real thing, like this one by IKB, can be well worth the extra work. Says Davis: “They have much more presence and can act as an extension of the house into the landscape.”
3 Major Decisions You'll Have to Make
Heat Types
WOOD-BURNING
Pros: Provides that classic fireplace ambience—think crackling flames and the beloved firewood scent. Cons: Requires the most manual work both in terms of cleaning and tending the fire; residential wood smoke contributes to air pollution.
GAS
Pros: You’ll get flames at the flick of a switch and a (mostly) authentic fireplace feel. Propane and natural gas both burn very cleanly. Cons: The EPA warns of indoor air quality concerns when using non-vented gas fireplaces.
ELECTRIC
Pros: A smart option for renters or as a short-term fix, these require only a nearby outlet. They also have the least environmental impact if powered by renewable resources. Cons: You won’t get any flames—it’s basically a fancy portable heater.
Fire-proof Surround Materials
Wood Types
Softwood Easy to light, which makes it ideal for kindling, but tends to burn down quickly.
Hardwood Best for hotter, longer-burning flames. Try hickory for that woodsy scent.
Manufactured wood Firelogs are user-friendly (just light and go), but some can expose you to carcinogens; make sure to use an environmentally efficient one.
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Hadley Mendelsohn is the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.
