Rustic Rock Fireplace Designs...
The Old West Lives On!

Rustic rock fireplace designs are as popular as ever in the American West. A unique blend of Adirondack, American Craftsman and Shingle Style arch-
itecture -- all of which originated on the east coast during the latter part of  the 19th century and rapidly spread across the United States  --  the rugged  designs  popularized  by  the newly erected western resorts were monumental in scale. Huge boulders, blocks and stone slabs were piled on top of one another as they soared through open,  multi-storied lobbies to pierce the ceilings and roof lines with equally massive chimneys!

Cabin Fireplace, above, on Colorado Ranch
of fashion icon, Ralph Lauren

A  by-product  of  the Federally desig-
nated  National  Parks,  these  magnifi-
cent resorts were as incredible as the majestic landscapes surrounding them. Built  to  lure tourists -- and profits -- to  these  natural wonders at the turn
of  the  last  century,  many  of these rustic, but beautiful resorts survive to this day!

One such resort is the Old Faithful Inn pictured below.   Opened  in  1904  in Yellowstone  National  Park, it  contin-
ues  to  operate  more than a century later.  In close proximity to its famous namesake geyser,  it provides an ideal location  from  which  to view this nat-
ural wonder.

The interior lobby,  pictured above right,  is as magnificent as the building's exterior.   Anchored  by  a  massive  rock fireplace,  its multiple open levels contain balustrades made of peeled logs and naturally formed branches.   A stunning  combination  of richly stained wood and rugged natural stone as-
sembled in spectacular fashion, it epitomizes the joint creative and artistic potential of man and Mother Nature!

More Old Faithful Inn Photos & Info!

Adirondack Style Fireplaces

Craftsman Style Fireplaces

Striking rock fireplace designs are not the  exclusive  domain  of  turn of the century  resorts,  however.    Magnifi-
cent,   albeit  more  modestly  scaled stone hearths continue to be erected in  rustic  style homes throughout the mountain regions of the western Unit-
ed States.

The striking design pictured at right is  a  great example of a rock fireplace in
a rustic style home.   Crafted from rel-
atively  large blocks of cut stone that soar  to  the  ceiling,  a timber mantel shelf  echoes the beautiful hand hewn timber framing and trusswork above.

The two designs pictured below,  though placed in a corner to save space and optimize the viewing area in each room, are massive in their own right. Crafted from river rock on the left and fieldstone on the right,  the  pictur-
esque designs are warm and inviting.

More Rustic Stone Corner Fireplace Designs

The following two designs,  also of river rock on the left and fieldstone on the right,  are equally warm and inviting.    Each incorporates a rustic log mantel shelf that contrasts beautifully with its rugged stone surround.

More River Stone Fireplaces

More Fieldstone Fireplaces

The incredible mantel shelf pictured below was crafted from two massive logs -- the lower one with an arch carved into it to echo the arch in the firebox opening beneath it.  Held together by hand-wrought iron banding, the oversize mantel shelf is supported by two large log corbels on each end.

More Log & Timber Mantel Shelves

More Rustic Rock Fireplace Designs

Each  of  the following stone hearth designs anchors the room it is in with-
out overpowering it.  On the left, the stone fireplace surround is extended to  include an arched door opening on either side and contrasts beautifully with the hand hewn timber trusswork above.  The stone fireplace surround on  the  right,  though it anchors the room and also ties in beautifully with the  timber  trusswork  above, takes a subservient position to the majestic mountain vista framed by the floor to ceiling windows on the outer wall.

The following residential rock fireplace designs embody the ruggedness and perceived  massing  of  the  magnificent stone hearths found in the turn of the century resorts in the western mountain regions.    Crafted  from  river rock on the left and huge stone slabs on the right, they exemplify the style of the Old West.

And finally, the rustic design pictured below is about as attention-grabbing as it gets!   Though the overall composition is only one story in height, the "walk-in"  firebox  framed  by  gigantic  granite  slabs gives the illusion of a much larger stone hearth design.

Please check back often or subscribe to our RSS feed,  as  we  fre- quently add new rock fireplace designs to our site.

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