Designing a Room Around a Built-in Fireplace.

For the next few days, we're going to focus on the different kinds of fireplaces and how they influence our design decisions in Las Vegas.

Today, we're facing the built-in fireplace. Built-in fireplaces can significantly increase a home's value when selling. But if you have a bad mantel or the room doesn't look so great, sometimes the best decision is to brick it up.

However, it's usually best to design a better mantel, like the one in this photo (our Dragon Ridge design), and accessorize around it. In this room, the fireplace is located in the living room. The television is above it, meaning that people can both benefit from the warmth of the fireplace, and the entertainment that the TV provides. An area rug lies underneath the different pieces of furniture, tying their neutral tone together. Accent pillows add a little bit of design but don't take away from the magnificence of the mantel. The stone coffee table adds an element of luxury, as do the stacked candleholders.

This room is both functional and luxurious, artistic, but not busy. Situating the room around the fireplace adds a level of symmetry that clearly shows a purposefulness in the decision-making of this room.