Relight The Fire

Tips and tricks for renovating your mid century fireplace

A FIREPLACE IN ANY MODERN HOME FUNCTIONS not only as a place to gather or cozy up, but also as an important design piece that can pull a whole room together and make a statement. Renovating a hearth, mantel or chimney may seem daunting, but with a few pointers you can achieve a smart and sophisticated look. We asked contractor Roger Krost of Conspec Building Systems for tips and tricks you can use when building the perfect centerpiece for your home.

Better Safe Than Sorry. “Before any work can be done, determine that your fireplace is structurally sound and safe to use,” Roger says. Examine the firebox, flu and chimney systems for cracks or voids. What may seem like little imperfections can actually be extremely dangerous. Roger recommends using a qualified inspector and cleaning service before any work is done. In some areas, the fire department will inspect your chimney free of charge.

Explore Your Options. “In my experience with renovating, if you see drywall on your fireplace, chances are there is masonry work underneath,” says Roger. Depending on when your home was built, there could be brick or stone hidden just under the surface ready to be exposed and highlighted. In this particular remodel, Roger ripped off a whole wall of mirrored cladding to find this lovely concrete brick surrounding the chimney.

Be Flexible. “In a lot of projects, I’m undoing damage,” Roger explains. This could mean spending time scrubbing and painting old brick. If you’re working with a contractor and/ or designer, this flexibility will save you time and money.

Form Follows Function. Although classic wood- burning fireplaces fill us with nostalgia and a certain type of comfort, they are not particularly functional. That’s why Roger recommends your new fireplace be retrofitted for a gas log set. “There’s really no need for wood- burning fireplaces anymore,” says Roger. “With a retrofitted gas log set, there’s less effort, cleanup and pollution.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND ROGER KROST’S WORK, VISIT CONSPEC. COM.

FOR THIS 1970s PALM SPRINGS HOME, CONTRACTOR ROGER KROST DEMOED MIRROR CLADDING THAT WAS PLACED OVER THE FIREPLACE, REHABBED ORIGINAL BRICK AND POLISHED THE ORIGINAL CARRARA MARBLE HEARTH TO BRING THE FIREPLACE BACK TO LIFE.