Hearth and Home
Fireplaces have performed a central role in warming homes since the first huts and houses were built, and for a many generations they looked more or less the same way. Thanks to new technologies, changing tastes and new materials, a fireplace is typically no longer the main way to heat the home — nor is it necessarily just a hole in the wall, a mantle, and a chimney. Fireplaces now come in almost as many varieties as there are styles of homes, and they might not have a mantle, or in some cases even a chimney.
Luxury homes contain some of the most spectacular sites for keeping the home fires burning. Luxury Portfolio International provided a selection of properties currently on the market that feature fireplaces great and minimal, modern and rustic, indoor and outdoor.
By Colleen KanePosted 9 January 2012
Aspen, Colo.
Price: $19.5 million
Bedrooms: 7
Bathrooms: 6
Square footage: approx. 9,011
This contemporary house on the Ridge of Red Mountain was designed by architect Frank D. Welch, and built in 1984.
Guests at this estate can gather and warm up at either side of the centrally located island-style fireplace. Another unusual feature of the house is the enormous pink-marbled bathroom with Hollywood dressing room-inspired vanities. The property also has a media room, elevator, caretaker’s quarters, security system, spa, pool and a hot tub.
Irvine, Calif.
Price: $1.799 million
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 6
Square footage: approx. 4,500
The dreamy and fairy tale-like setting created by the Ambrosia Home is packed with details like hardwood floors, custom paint, moldings, and window treatments.
The house’s collection of four fireplaces includes a rounded corner fireplace in the family room and another rounded marble corner fireplace in the master bedroom. Outdoors contains much of interest as well, including a kitchen with marble countertops and a plasma TV, a huge pool, and olive trees along stone pathways … and another fireplace.
Bel-Air, Calif.
Price: $29.995 million
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 10
Square footage: approx.15,000
Sleek, modern architecture doesn’t have to be cold. This Bel-Air estate features a minimalist fireplace embedded in a wall, with a flat screen TV incorporated into the wall above it, so residents can warm their feet while basking in the glow of television.
This high-drama home has a monumental hallway linking all the rooms, 16-foot ceilings, a wood-paneled library, slab marble walls, a 181-foot infinity pool and panoramic views.
Ridgefield, Ct.
Price: $3.2 million
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 3 full, 1 partial
Square footage: approx. 9,759
This minimalist modern mansion sprung from the design table of Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, part of the THINK team who competed to design the new World Trade Center. It has 50-mile views, with the highest views reserved for the kings of the castle: The master bedroom is located in a tower.
The art gallery-esque residence has a bold inverted-pyramid fireplace design reminiscent of Aztec architecture. This estate has been on and off the market several times since 2008, when it had a starting price of $10 million.
Ellensburg, Wash.
Price: $14.895 million
Bedrooms: N/A
Bathrooms: N/A
Square footage: approx. 17,268
Orrion Farms is an equine shopping venue situated on a 155-acre hillside property at Manashtash Ridge. Its facilities for horses include three barns with 80 stalls, two indoor arenas and round pens, and pastures.
For two-legged visitors, the center has a conference room, commercial kitchen, and seven fireplaces, including the oudoor beauty pictured here (and at the slideshow introduction) and a small wall-embedded fireplace. There are stone walls and details throughout, including indoor and outdoor water features, an outdoor bar and an indoor media room.
Whistler, British Columbia
Price: $6.5 million
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 6
Square footage: approx. 5,000
This ski-in, ski-out property is in Kadenwood, a Whistler neighborhood with its own dedicated gondola. Fireplaces are a dime a dozen in ski towns, and this home has five, but it may well be one of the few hotspots in town with a granite see-through fireplace.
The modern log home features post and beam architecture and custom millwork and is crafted from materials such as basalt, travertine stone, granite, edge grain fir and dark Brazilian cherry.
The house has integrated technology like radiant heat and an in-wall stereo system. It also has an exercise studio and a piano loft.
Montecito, Calif.
Price: $12.95 million
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 7
Square footage: N/A
This gated Mediterranean house has multiple fireplaces in the traditional places like master bedroom, dining room and study. But there’s also a huge fireplace with ocean, harbor and mountain views outside on the covered terrace.
Also on the 11.18 acre property are a one-bedroom guesthouse with separate gated drive and garages for up to five cars.
Beaver Creek, Colo.
Price: $11.950 million
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 8
Square footage: approx. 10,000
This ski-in, ski-out Vail Valley property is made with 600 tons of stone, in an arts-and-crafts-goes-medieval take on a grand lodge.
The mansion contains seven fireplaces. One is massive, freestanding and constructed of stone; the hearth in the castle-worthy dining room has a pointed-arch-shaped opening [bottom right]. It also comes with designer furnishings and has a wood shop, ski room, sauna and wine cellar.
Canet de Mar, Spain
Price: “available upon request”
Bedrooms: 15
Bathrooms: 8
Square footage: 32,291
How about a historic castle in Spain? Castillo de Santa Florentina — Casa Nova, named by Architectural Digest of one of the “Most Beautiful Homes in the World,” has been on the market for over a year. This country retreat is located by the sea and beaches, yet is just 22 miles from Barcelona. Although price is not included on the current listing, Luxist cited it as $24.8 million in 2010.
The foundations of the castle were laid in Roman times, but the estate has been much expanded to include a private chapel, grand salon, formal dining room, caretaker’s house, stables and a vineyard. Fireplaces include one in the massive sitting room and the top-heavy, wedding-cake-esque bedroom fireplace that pairs well with an equally top-heavy canopied bed (furnishings are included in the sale).