Fireplace design has quietly but meaningfully shifted in recent years, becoming an architectural element defined by materiality, proportion, and craftsmanship rather than ornament or nostalgia. Designers across luxury residential projects are approaching the hearth with a level of precision that treats it as part of the architectural language of a room—not an accessory added at the end.
According to Elizabeth Graziolo, Founder and Principal of Yellow House Architects, the most notable change is the move toward fully custom solutions. “Instead of relying on traditional, off-the-shelf mantels,” she notes, designers are now “approaching the design of the fireplace, its mantel and hearth as a fully custom architectural element…tailored to the specific design language of the space.” Graziolo describes this shift as treating the fireplace with “the same level of intention as other major architectural features.”
Materiality is also shaping how fireplaces contribute to residential environments. In Gramercy, The Willow features a travertine-block fireplace by Rockwell Group that reads as both a functional hearth and a sculptural installation. Brad Zuger, Partner at Rockwell Group, says the team saw it “as both a gathering place and a work of art,” adding that its sculpted form “anchors the Hearth Room” and naturally draws residents together. For Zuger, the appeal is rooted in the sensory experience: “Fireplaces have an inherent pull, and they feel particularly luxurious in urban environments…They invite people to slow down and connect.”
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