All Fired Up
Today we get to talk about one of my most favorite features of the season: the fireplace. A fireplace is something that takes us all the way back to the original fireplace, otherwise known as a fire pit. From the beginning of time, fire has provided warmth, protection from predators, and a means of cooking food for humans.
Even in modern times, we’ve found a way to adopt the ambiance, look and feel of this fire into our homes for our day-to-day lives. If you ask yourself the “why,” here is the truth about it: A fireplace can be a place of gathering, solitude, peace and warmth (literally and figuratively) — all things we desire in our homes.
To me a fireplace is a nonnegotiable, whether I am buying, renting or leasing a home. It amazes me how something as simple as a few logs and flames can open up one’s mind and heart with just the look and feel. I have always described the ritual of a simple cup of coffee near a fireplace as a hug that wraps its way around my soul.
While thinking about fireplaces, I spoke with local interior designer Megan McGraw of McGraw Interior Design, who also works together with local builder Paul Gray of Paul Gray Homes. Her thoughts and planning behind the design and build of the fireplaces in these Paul Gray homes in Wichita are described below.
I hope you will find inspiration in these photos from some of Megan’s designs. And at some point, whether you have an indoor or outdoor fireplace or fire pit, I hope you feel the same warm hug wrap its way around you.
Creatively Yours,
Dawn
Dawn Tucker is a design consultant and owner of DTConsulting LLC in Wichita. Reach her at dawn@splurgemag.com.
Ledgestone is a great option for anyone looking for a more transitional aesthetic that won’t “trend out” over time. We coupled that with these frosted windows to create a unique feature wall that brings warmth and a subtle glow to the space.
This black stone fireplace is a prime example of not being afraid to change your design if your original vision doesn’t pan out. Once this stone was installed, we thought it looked a little drab. It turns out that all it needed was a coat of this powerful hue.
We wanted a unique way to divide the main living room from the flex space in this home, without completely separating the rooms from each other. We designed this fireplace feature wall in a way that allows the homeowners to have a fireplace and TV in both rooms, while also displaying their favorite decorative items.
Whether it be hair, fashion or home, ombré is on trend this year. We wanted to show buyers that you can make a statement on a budget, and that’s exactly what we did with this blue ombré fireplace feature wall.