Home is where the hearth is.

Much like the classic adage “home is where the heart is”, a fireplace is the true heart of the home. It is the proverbial warmth-giver, creating a natural gathering place and focal point where family members are brought closer together. Thus, mantles worldwide typically showcase much- loved family pictures and meaningful mementos, reflective of what they hold near and dear.

Aesthetically, fireplaces can be real showpieces and central to setting the interior design tone of the entire house. With this in mind, I took upon this dual fireplace renovation in a Spanish-style Poway home to establish a design point of view while also creating continuity between two main spaces, the living and family rooms. This particular family of four wanted to highlight the Spanish tradition yet balance it with a more contemporary, clean finish for a modern take on colonial-inspired charm.

The family room already had ultra-high, vaulted 14-foot ceilings, which was the perfect opportunity to increase the drama by extending the fireplace all the way to the top, adding both depth and a graphic appeal. I matched the color similarly to the room with a Roman Clay wash for a monochromatic minimalist look that also has a nice textural finish to give the surface a bit of movement, distinguishing it against the walls. For the hearth, I continued the graphic idea with handmade charcoal Arto tiles and a light grout in a star-cross pattern that really pops with the contrast. The mantle is custom-made from a reclaimed piece of wood and I added a few updated accessories and artwork to highlight modernity. Playing off the wood, I designed a custom oak built-in hatch with arched windows as a nod back to the Spanish style. Homewares and accessories line the shelves that tie in the rustic-meets-clean lines vibes. Underneath, the drawers and doors tuck away necessary storage for books, toys, and all the needs of a family with small children.

Moving to the living area, the idea with this fireplace was to mirror the sensibility of the family room fireplace but more like cousins versus sisters. Giving it its own identity, I used the same Roman Clay wash but instead opted for a moody color that upped the ante on the graphic edge. We extended the footprint a bit more than the original to really play up its visual impact and squared off the edges to keep it sleek and modern. The hearth received the same star-cross Arto tiles for continuity and I added two eight-point star wall sconces by Regina Andrew that straddles the line between contemporary and colonial. The real reverence to this fireplace is that it is essentially a bold backdrop for a special heirloom painting by the family’s grandfather that was never finished. An ode to heritage, the unfinished artwork is stapled onto its original watercolor backer board remounted on suede for the proper proportions. The patina is pulling through and oxidizing with time, a reminder that from old to new, the family story is forever unfolding at the heart and the hearth of the home.