20 Suspended Fireplaces That Will Warm You Up In Style
The first suspended, 360° pivoting fireplace was developed in 1968. It coincided with a farmhouse restoration in the village of Viols-le-Fort in the south of France. Former humanities professor, Dominique Imbert, had a penchant for metalwork, and forged a fireplace that hung from the ceiling. That design has been exhibited in the Bordeaux Contemporary Art Museum, the National Centre of Contemporary Art in Grenoble, and in New York's Guggenheim Museum. It also won first prize in Italy's Pulchra design competition in 2009, selected by 74,425 international online voters as the "world's most beautiful object" out of 100 designs.
The striking design now graces a multitude of homes in an array of styles, from rustic cabins to minimalist modern dwellings. Here are 20 floating fireplaces to channel all the hygge vibes.
iT House by Taalman Koch Architects
Linda Taalman and Alan Koch built a home by Joshua Tree National Park, where temperatures can span from 32 degrees to over 100. The two opted for a glass enclosure with raw industrial style and green design that allowed them to live lightly on the land. iT House has floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the landscape, a suspended fireplace by Fire Orb for cold nights, and an abundance of spaces that open up to the outdoors.
Artist and corrective-exercise specialist, Ruth Hiller, moved to Winter Park, Colorado from New York knowing that her home would be glass and steel with wraparound windows. She hopped on the phone with architect Michael Johnson, he drew the sketch, and it took a mere five minutes to decide on the design. The common areas are suspended and cantilevered over the backyard ravine, offering views of a winding mountain creek while also doubling the square footage. A Bathyscafocus by Focus Creations fireplace warms up the modern abode.
Sandy Chilewich and architect Joe Sultan, proprietors of textiles firm Chilewich|Sultan designed their own vacation home together in Columbia County, in upstate New York. On a simple wooded lot, they developed a contemporary loft-style home with furnishings from B&B Italia, Feel Good side chairs by Flexform, and a suspended, contemporary Ergofocus fireplace from Focus.
PROD Architecture + Design created a farmhouse in Penafiel, Portugal to fuse the aesthetic of traditional homes in the region with contemporary, floor-to-ceiling windows that respond to the environment. Made up of four distinct structures, the home takes on the shape of an existing gabled-roof structure on the site. To complement the stone building, the home incorporates a series of muted materials including granite for the base, zinc for the roof, and Scandinavian pinewood for cladding.
Paola Navone transforms a 200-year-old factory in Umbria into a home. Known for blending modern design with traditional crafting techniques and goods, she has developed an expansive array of products as well as designed interiors for shops, hotels, and restaurants; however, homes are rarely a typology she takes on. When she saw the space—one room spanning 5,300 square feet with a 30-foot ceiling where she’d have to incorporate all functions of a home—she immediately agreed.
Situated in Eschenz, a northern Swiss village on the Rhine River and Untersee Lake, this home came with ancient Roman artifacts buried in the property’s wet soil. When building out the space, he envisioned the house as modern and green, but it would not disturb the historical items. He developed a structure that floats about the saturated ground on pilings and, other than its concrete core, it is entirely made from slabs of prefabricated, formaldehyde-free compressed straw.
Using heat-treated pine and bricks, Wood Arkitektur + Design built a casual family retreat on a family compound in Hellerud, a borough of Oslo, Norway. Situated on a natural slope, the house is divided into split levels. The exterior is swathed in heat-treated pine that has aged to a soft gray, alongside charcoal bricks. The rotating, open-faced fireplace here is the Ergofocus model from French company Focus.
Nestled in Palm Springs, California, this steel post-and-beam residence—completed in 2018—is the last design by Donald Wexler. Embodying midcentury modern design, the 2,780-square-foot dwelling features floor-to-ceiling windows, an open interior layout, indoor spaces that extend outdoors, and intelligent design features.
Once barrels were manufactured here for a London brewery. Now a bright, modern home exists, transformed by Chris Dyson Architects. The basement was expanded, and the mezzanine floor removed to create a triple-height living space. A living wall designed by Scotscape in the dining area, roof terrace, and outdoor shower connect tenants to the outdoors.
Architect James H. Maul designed this home for his family in 1971. Just steps away from the beach, he’s created the space to be connected to the outdoors with wooden construction and floor-to-ceiling windows. The space exudes elements of midcentury modern aesthetic, melded with beachside cabin.
Designed by local architect Pedro Domingos, this four-bedroom abode in Portugal opens up with whitewashed concrete walls and geometric forms. Integrated amongst hundreds of olive, almond, and cork trees on a site that once held ancient ruins, the space opens up to the landscape with an array of patios, rooftop terraces, and large central courtyard with swimming pool. The midcentury fireplace seen here was designed in 1965 by Spanish architects Alfonso Mila and Federico Correa.
Architect Thor Olav Solbjør of SAAHA uses wood to communicate with the surroundings. When building out a 750-square-foot addition to a country home in Jar, Norway, set amid pine forests, his team used charred cedar, a traditional Japanese building material created with charcoal to develop a simple black box that adds space without taking away from the surroundings.
This South-Western Finland abode harnesses minimalist design with bare concrete walls inside and out. Inside, rustic oak floors and low room height creates a cozy escape, while large windows and multiple patios on the rocky plot offer beautiful views.
A traditional Roman farmhouse is transformed into a contemporary home balancing heritage and modern forms. Italian studio CAFElab uses traditional construction including plastered walls, brick, and narrow openings, while the interiors are more contemporary with hardwood floor, inky accents, and stainless steel appliances.
In Highton Australia, this bright home exudes classic contemporary style. Split into two levels, each space has been designed for the many facets of family life with an entry and rumpus room, living area, deck, and sleeping area.
Tucked in the middle of downtown Seattle is redesigned loft that melds minimalism with industrial elements like concrete floors and metal stairs, reminiscent of an artist space. Floating elements like the fireplace and credenza allow the space to flow.
Built in 1963 by architects Buff & Hensman, the Roth Residence was originally commissioned by the grandparents of L.A. City Mayor Eric Garcetti. In 2006, the home was restored and expanded with post-and-beam construction, sweeping glass walls, midcentury flair, and indoor/outdoor living areas.
Channeling the art of origami, this home unfolds like a carefully crafted sheet of paper from a sloped site. Within the negative spaces between each fold are clerestories to allow for natural light and ventilation.
Set in San Francisco, this modern abode is a collection of contemporary design elements including chevron cabinets, expansive windows, and a sweeping deck with inky fireplace.
Perched atop a concrete high-rise is a penthouse with open floor plan and sweeping views. The interiors include a number of warm elements with distinct character including book-matched walnut cabinetry, live edge walnut slab countertops, steel and walnut bookcases, and a hand made mosaic tiled wall.
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