Standout Contemporary Fireplace Designs! Stone Fireplace Designs Guide

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STONE FIREPLACE DESIGNS GUIDE
Standout Contemporary Fireplace Designs!

Stone contemporary fireplace designs are often fa-
vored for their simplicity and restraint. Understated, with clean lines and smooth honed or polished sur-
faces, they lend an air of sophistication to their sur-
roundings. Sleek and chic -- yet elegant and re-
fined -- many of the designs can be used in tradi-
tional or transitional, as well as contemporary set-
tings.

Though generally comprised of simple geometric
forms, the contemporary hearth and surround can surprise -- even shock -- us at times with bold, irregular and unfamiliar shapes . . . . . . . or unusual asymmetrical arrangements of common shapes. In-
stead of carved or applied ornamentation, as is gen-
erally found in traditional designs, the contemporary
stone fireplace juxtaposes contrasting textures and
colors . . . even materials . . . for optimal effect.

As in traditional stone fireplace design, limestone, marble, and various types of cast stone are typically used for mantels and surrounds. Other stone types currently being used more and more in the contem-
porary design fireplace include granite and slate, as well.

However, instead of sculpting or carving the stone for ornamental effect, a variety of new and innovative techniques are being employed to create unique finishes and textures designed to highlight the stone surfaces. In modern fireplace design, the emphasis is on the natural beauty of the material, itself, rather than on applied or carved decoration.