An open fireplace provides warmth and movement to a home and here are some ideas for a contemporary fireplace design.
The newest kind of open fire, designed for contemporary interiors, is the inset or hold-in-the-wall type. Stripped of unnecessary details, they have no surround or mantel shelf, and are simply a fire opening set in the wall with a conventional fire-basket or gas-fueled fire bed or pebbles, rocks, synthetic log, or ceramic shapes. Unless they are protected by a glass or metal mesh screen at the front, for safety, inset fires should have a projecting hearth on the floor below or as part of the fire itself.
Shelves Wall Mount
One interesting design is to have an inset fire built into the chimney breast so it fits flush to the wall and occupies no floor space. A focal point, but never intrusive, it is the ultimate minimalist fireplace. This can be made from black metal and contrasted by matte white pebbles of various sizes on the fire bed. To withstand the heat, these 'pebbles' are in fact made of ceramic which can withstand high temperatures and not discolor with heat.
Another adaptation of this design is to have a 'black box' inset fire built into the wall and covered in metallic fire-proof Japanese paper. This allows the walls to simmer when the electric fire is not lit.
To add an industrial edge to a contemporary interior, you may also consider customizing a magnificent copper hood above the fireplace so it forms the central feature of the interior. Alternatively, consider using rugged boulder that forms the lintel over a fireplace so it looks like a remnant of the previous house. This can be constructed from rough hewn stone bought direct from a quarry or via a stonemason.
For the space-challenged, one suggestion is to mount the television above the fireplace but with a fan-assisted flue eliminating the need for a conventional chimney so as to create space to fit the television. When not in use, consider adding a track-mounted screen or painting to slide across to conceal both, creating a clean and uncluttered space.