Texas-Sized Fireplaces!
In Texas, you come across a lot of houses with massive stone fireplaces or stone walls (particularly in newer homes…ones that were designed by home builders).
Some Texas sized fireplaces and walls for your perusal…(before photos)
As they say, everything is bigger in Texas….seriously!
I can’t say that I’m particularly fond of them as I think they make it a little more difficult to decorate around. I much prefer a smaller, crisp, white fireplace with a stone surround like this one below, as I love to decorate with whites and grays- (but that’s a different story)
When I get a project with a massive stone fireplace, it does present a little bit more of a challenge (but EJ Interiors loves a good challenge) so we tell the client in most cases that you don’t have to call in the bulldozer and that we should look at fabrics that complement the stone and try to work with it first.
I met with a client today who has a big stone fireplace and so I proposed a Thom Filicia fabric from Kravet (for sofa pillows) as a starting point to bring out the neutral tones (browns, beiges and grays) in her fireplace and she loved the idea!
Fireplace +
Existing Granite and Cabinets (that have to stay) +
Pillow Fabric=
It was like it was meant to be. Add in some other pops of color through artwork and accessories, and we have our room plan! I think the key with stone fireplaces is to not go crazy with pattern in your upholstery fabrics because the stone in itself is already very busy.
As you can see from the photos below, these designers and home owners did the exact same thing. They selected textiles and furnishings that enhanced the stone, rather than ignored it. The stone no longer stands out like a sore thumb, and instead, it blends in and flows with the rest of the space.
{anyone know the source on this one?}
The funny thing is, that after the project is over and the decorating around the stone fireplace is done, clients usually tell me that they don’t hate their big stone fireplace anymore. I guess that means my work is done!
