provence fireplace – Antique Fireplaces

Let’s imagine a living room without a fireplace, well we can’t! Simply because you can’t have much living going on in any room without a real fireplace! Architects and interior designers have made fireplaces a focal cornerstone in any new home or renovation project that seeks to have an individual persona attributed to it. They have realized more that ever the need to incorporating all inspiring fireplaces into almost every room of the home. No one design element can tell the story of a room more than a well planned fireplace especially if that fireplace was hand carved in real limestone hundreds of years ago!

I like in this blog to go all out and showcase some of my favorite antique stone Fireplaces that have both inspired and awed me.
Those impressive antique and reclaimed limestone fireplaces are found everywhere in the home and are shown bellow in no particular order.

Living rooms are the natural habitats of grand and impressive fireplace. By impressive I don’t necessarily mean fully carved carved out looking like it came from the workshop of a 15th century Italian Renaissance carver. I personally love this use reclaimed 16th century fireplace as the focal point for this laid back French farmhouse inspired living room like the ones you seen on travel blogs or the pages of top interior design magazines…

For centuries an open roaring hearth was the heart of every kitchen. Modern appliances gradually replaced cooking fires and kitchen fireplaces fell out of favor- but the look is back!

Prior to the 19th century, fireplace mantles were frequently positioned at the height of a man’s shoulder. A large hearth allowed for a very large fire, vital as the sole source of a home’s heat. This designer took that large hearth and divided it into 2 parts, setting the hearth at eye level with kitchen diners.

We love to find pieces that tell the tale of their role in the daily lives of people past. This fireplace set into a French country dining room bears the marks of centuries of fires burning within its hearth. By leaving the fire marks intact, the designer created a more relaxed dining room

Imagine relaxing in the tub with a fire crackling just a few feet away. Powder room fireplaces add a luxurious element to bathrooms. Prior to modern plumbing, water was boiled over the kitchen fire and carried to a portable bathtub, often positioned near the fireplace within a noble’s private chambers. This delicate fireplace is the ultimate in luxury.

Small spaces, such as powder rooms, call for Fireplaces of diminutive scale. This 18th c. Cheminée from a Village House outside of Lyon, France has a width of just 45”, less than half the size of many we see. It’s graceful lines would translate beautifully to a French country spa retreat in your home.

Inspired to add a fireplace to an unexpected room in your home? Contact us to learn how you can acquire a centuries old limestone firepaces from our collection, or click here to browse even more amazing pieces.