In the summer months, most people could care less about a fireplace. As the cold, dark days of fall and winter roll around, however, it’s often a favorite feature. They add warmth and ambience to a gathering and are handy should a power outage occur. See how these four recent fireplace remodels transformed these homes:

1. Sammamish Dual Fireplace

These recent clients underwent a whole house remodel. As part of that they had two fireplaces upgraded – one in their family room and one in the living room. The family room was a pain point for the couple as the fireplace, a central focal point, had a large, dated, river rock front and needed a new insert. The formal living room needed updated flooring and the fireplace, while fine, had a multi-colored stone that wasn’t ideal.

The new formal living room still centered on the fireplace – this one an updated gas version featuring Wanderlust White Linear tile and a classic white mantel. Beautiful built-in bookshelves and enclosed cabinets mirrored on each side complete the design, keeping it consistent with the previous room, but upgrading the fit and finish. The family room fireplace is striking – they chose a black pearl silk granite from Meta Marble & Granite for the front façade with a new insert and a built-in bookshelf, making it a warm and airy place to entertain guests in the newly opened up great room.

2. Redmond Centerpiece

As part of a whole house remodel, a Redmond couple needed to upgrade their living room fireplace. It was visible upon entrance to the home and also anchored their living room with a favorite piece of art on the mantle. It served as their primary entertainment space along with the main floor play area for their small children. The old school fireplace was dated with wood paneling above the mantle and a low hearth.

The upgraded living room included new windows with wider trim on either side of the new tile fireplace. The couple chose an Urbancrete tile in dark gray as the statement backdrop for the face of the fireplace and capped off the beautiful aesthetic with a knee-high concrete hearth and wood mantle that adds richness to the design. The same art is displayed in both the before and after, but it really pops with the new design.

3. Kirkland Light & Airy Remodel

This client was updating a very dated 1968 home to reflect her style, with the intent that it would serve as a functional space to enjoy now as well as later as she plans to age in place. The living room fireplace had the original brick façade contributing to a dark interior.

The upgraded living room is now light and bright thanks to a vaulted ceiling, lighter paint, and a new engineered hardwood floor. The now centered river rock stone fireplace in the Rio Grande color is flanked by white built-in bookshelves, replacing the old off-center, brick version, making it both pretty and functional. It is now the perfect feature for her living room.

4. Bellevue Bathroom Fireplace

A pain point for this Bellevue client was the draftiness of her bathroom, plus a lack of elegance and the inability to age in her home easily. Her existing bathroom had a double-sided fireplace, with a big tile surround that connected it to the old jacuzzi tub. She wanted to be able to enjoy the look of her bathroom knowing that as she aged, she would still be able to utilize her bathroom’s features.

The newly remodeled primary bathroom features heated tile and an improved double-sided fireplace that is both beautiful and functional while increasing warmth upon entrance to the room. The tile surround was replaced with a large standalone bathtub in a wet-room with the shower. The new shower was both spacious and had a no-curb entry, perfect for aging in place.

Which fireplace would you choose?