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by George Delwater Contemporary fireplaces are more for interior décor than for heating, which was its original purpose. The appearance of the contemporary fireplace has become predominantly important in regards to individual preference, and thus serves to satisfy some aesthetic value of visual stimulation in the modern home. The thing about contemporary fireplaces is that they come in a plethora of styles that reflect the respective personalities of their owners. Fireplaces are made just as much or even more by sculptors or stone carvers than architects, suggesting that contemporary fireplaces are more an artistic achievement than an architectural necessity. Walter S. Arnold, a fireplace sculptor based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., for example, is one such person. He features his work online at his Affordable Fireplaces homepage or at marblestudios.com. He carves fireplaces out of marble and limestone, and draws many of his designs from Chinese roofs, Egyptian Revival, and Italian statuary, and the Classical relief. The possibilities for designing and constructing a contemporary fireplace are virtually endless! The process of creating one of these stylish contemporary fireplaces consists of three phases: Design, Carving, and Installation. In designing the contemporary fireplace, the conception starts with an idea and then a simple measured drawing, which then is transformed into a life-size representation that allows for a closer look at the moldings and the carving details so that smaller measurements can be ascertained. After all of this is determined, these details are sent off to a stone mill, and the material is ordered to size (20-ton blocks are an example of what would be needed, although it’s different every time). Carving deals with transforming the detailed drawings to the stone. First, the images are drawn on the stone to precise measurement (although maybe slightly off to accommodate carving space). Next, these images are basically shaped, and then the details are worked out. This is all done with a specialized set of hammers and chisels. Finally, the installation is performed by a stone mason, who anchors the carved pieces to the wall around the fireplace display with galvanized wall ties. The carved stones are hooked together with bronze pins, and the gaps are filled in with mortar and then topped with grout. The installation process takes several days to complete, but the work results in a spectacular contemporary fireplace with a unique style all of its own! Of course, this isn’t to say that contemporary fireplaces do not function as fashionable “heaters.” Fires still burn in them and require traditional fuel types, such as wood and even petroleum. The fire itself serves to provide warmth to the home as well as a mesmerizing feature of life that quiets the heart and allows the mind to drift away. Contemporary fireplaces are still a tradition in the home, but their influence has reached many areas of civilized society making them fine examples of how art is functional.
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Contemporary Fireplaces for The 21st Century