Fireplace Updates
Potbelly Stove to Contemporary Custom Fireplace
![View of a contemporary fireplace with art hung over it, a stool and rug in front of it over a wood floor, walls clad in knotty wood, an beyond on the left, a modern dining area with a tiered glass chandelier over a twist-legged table with leather chairs. A set of sliding glass doors allows light and greenery in from just beyond the dining area.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Art-Contemporary-Living-Room-Dining-Room-580x387.jpg)
When winter arrives, people want to cozy up to a warm fireplace.
![A black potbelly stove sits alongside a pair of folding chairs in front of knotty wood-clad walls.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Fireplace-Before-and-After-BEFORE-Potbelly.jpg)
This cute home has a cabin-y feel, with the knotty cedar wood paneling. While the potbelly stove did go with the environment, the client wanted a more modern, updated look.
![A contemporary black ribbon fireplace with a greyish white wall above. On the wall hangs a black and white art canvas. In front of the fireplace sits a small mid-century modern wooden stool on a grey faux fur rug.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Fireplace-Before-and-After-AFTER-Cabin-Ribbon-Fireplace-580x835.jpg)
I custom-designed this simple, contemporary fireplace to be beautiful and also provide a place to display art. The raised hearth is cantilevered and reinforced with steel so it’s now a seating area, too. A mid-century stool and faux fur rug extend the warmth further into the room.
Tired 70s to Smart Retro Modern
![A dated fireplace in a tan marbled tile finish, with a large step hearth and small mantle, over a warm wooden floor. Small photos and collectibles sit atop the mantle. Two logs are in the fireplace and another log waits in a handled basket on the right side of the hearth.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Fireplaces-BEFORE-Closeup.jpg)
My client’s plain fireplace really needed an update.
![](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Fireplaces-AFTER-Living-Room-580x881.jpg)
We upgraded the vertical surface finishes with elegant white tiling and added geometric floor tiles instead of the old hearth box. I took away the mantel for a clean look. Now it’s modern, fresh and fun!
Kimball Starr designs custom fireplaces in contemporary homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a socially-distanced in-person or remote consultation!