Modern Fireplace Design

There’s something timeless about gathering around a fire—especially in winter, when a glowing hearth invites conversation, reflection, and a lingering glass of wine. From rustic retreats to refined modern homes, today’s fireplace design blends warmth with architecture, using natural stone, thoughtful scale, and craftsmanship to create spaces that feel both grounded and inviting. More than a source of heat, a well-designed stone fireplace has become the emotional center of the home.

We teamed up with Cathy Purple Cherry, Principal and Founder of Purple Cherry Architects, to explore what makes a fireplace special. We also asked her what goes into designing one.

Fireplaces as the Heart of Modern Home Design

“Fire fuels the soul,” Cherry said. “The warmth, movement of the flames, color of the coals, and smell of smoke create reflective, meditative moments. “Fire brings life through heat and cooked food and creates memories of camping and s’mores. It also fosters romance in a dimly lit room.”

While fire has all those mood enhancing qualities, safety is always important. ““Building codes define chimney wall thickness and hearth depth,” Cherry said. “They also regulate how close wood can be to the opening.” She added that those codes don’t hinder the creation of a beautiful fireplace. They simply provide the necessary protection.

At right, large monolithic hearth stones span across three massive openings to create a 5’ fireplace with two large wood storage boxes. The boxes flank a 4-panel art piece that electronically splits in the middle to expose a large TV.

Image by David Burroughs

Photo by David Borroughs

Cherry also shared what she thinks is the most significant part of a fireplace—its ability to to bring people together. “Fire draws people in,” said Cherry, “gathering them together near the warmth and flames for comfortable conversations. With today’s modern fuel sources, fireplaces are showing up in many shapes and sizes for every style and in many different places, too. From the traditional stone wood-burning fireplace to the outside gas fire pit, or the contemporary line of flames flickering from polished stones to the slot of fire washing a sheet of glass, fire warms our hearts and deepens our conscious thoughts.”

This study fireplace at left integrates large boulders, small pebbles and a cantilevered hearthstone to create a stone art wall similar to the work of Lew French. The fireplace hearth twists to face the desk for easy viewing.

How Natural Stone Fireplaces Create Warmth, Texture, and Timeless Appeal Spaces

Cherry shared the work of Lew French with us. His designs show how unique and creative a fireplace can be. “Lew French is one of the most creative fireplace designers in the world,” Cherry said. “For over 35 years, he has crafted fireplaces from stones, antique rocks, lichen, and natural wood. Each build is a work of art. Like intricate needlepoint or a sophisticated mosaic, Mr. French weaves shapes and materials into a bold statement.”

Above, this dreamy fireplace by famous stonemason Lew French combines a wide range of stones and driftwood to create an intense variety of patterns.