Hearth of the Home: Using a Fireplace to Unify Spaces

Designed by McInturff Architects, a 6,000-square-foot new construction sits on a gently sloping meadow with a long and narrow plan that admits natural light and ventilation from both sides. Expansive use of glass, including in the staircase balustrades, also maximizes views — an amenity that the clients did not want compromised while incorporating a central fireplace. They desired a unified yet defined living and dining room area in their modern abode with “a focal point, but not a huge dividing chimney nor wood-burning fireplace,” explains Colleen Healey, project designer. And, she adds, “This house is very energy efficient, so a gas fireplace could provide supplemental heat when needed.”

The project team turned to a Fire Ribbon Direct Vent Vu Thru gas unit from Spark Modern Fires because it would be viewable from both the dining-and-kitchen zone and living room situated at either side, and it boasts anywhere from 80- to 95-percent efficiency ratings. In keeping with the house’s contemporary, minimalist vernacular — and ensuring durability against the clients’ young children — they designed a sleek rectilinear Corian surround that frames both the fireplace and a built-in flat-screen television next to it. A heat shield, as well as an air gap, protects the TV from the warmth of the lit fireplace. The architects clad one face of this centerpiece in stainless steel, and the other in ceramic tile. “We have used Spark before for five or six years, in different types of custom homes, so it helps when you know the ways the unit can be faced or vented,” says Healey.

The manufacturer offers its units with vent-free or direct-vent operation: Spark’s vent-free fireplaces can be installed on interior or exterior walls, have no fixed glass panels or glass doors, and feature integrated ventilation grills, while the direct-vent units have fixed glass panels and need a flue to the exterior through a wall or roof but can otherwise be installed just about anywhere within the structure. “Spark makes it easy to understand their requirements through excellent diagrams in their specifications,” says Healey. “They also have a very good technical department that actually answers the phone.”

In this instance, the Fire Ribbon Direct Vent Vu Thru’s fixed panels offer another layer of fire safety for the clients’ children. The unit ventilates out through a single metal-covered column situated on one side of the fireplace surround so as to keep sightlines between living and dining areas free and clear as much as possible. But it also cleverly creates visual symmetry as it aligns with the vertical kitchen ventilation hood at the other end of the space.

Having customized a number of Spark Modern Fires units — from integrating audio speakers to building the fireplace into bookshelves — Healey offers some pro tips on working with these gas fireplaces: “Make sure you specify the right type of gas, propane or natural. Understand how much heat the unit is going to emit in proportion to the room size. It’s very easy to install a unit that is too big for the room, as it produces a ton of heat.” In fact, Spark specializes in energy-conscious and green solutions for delivering the most efficient and effective heat possible, whether for small or large residential spaces, commercial lobbies, or hospitality venues. “Use Spark’s technical department, if you have questions, because they really are helpful. Lastly, while I love the look of these fires, it’s important to inform the clients that the flames will not be the large ones you get with wood-burning fireplaces. These are small, controlled flames with a modern look.”

The clients of this household couldn’t be happier. Healey says, “They spend a ton of time around the fireplace. Their dining table is at one side, and main living room space is on the other. It is probably the most central part of the house.” For this family, home truly is where the hearth is.