Arts and Crafts fireplace with entertainment center
This Arts and Crafts fireplace may be the prettiest project we've finished to date, with lots of handcrafted details that make it worthy of being passed down from generation to generation. Plus, it has lots of built-in "entertainment center" features that make it as useful as it is beautiful.
At four feet tall and twelve feet long, this hearth is quite substantial. However, it's designed to be disassembled in case the homeowners ever decide to move to a new home. And it's built around a ventless ethanol-burning firebox that doesn't require a chimney, so it can be installed in any room with no modifications to the wall behind it.
This means that it's truly an heirloom piece that could be appreciated decades or even centuries from now. And look at that wood grain! We carefully searched out the most striking pieces at the lumber yard, and when the sawmill owner saw the cherrywood destined for the mantel and sides, he called it "fiery cherry" because of the incredible rippling grain pattern.
This means that it's truly an heirloom piece that could be appreciated decades or even centuries from now. And look at that wood grain! We carefully searched out the most striking pieces at the lumber yard, and when the sawmill owner saw the cherrywood destined for the mantel and sides, he called it "fiery cherry" because of the incredible rippling grain pattern.
But it all started as a typical blank wall in a nice living room in West Asheville. The homeowners had a common problem: their furniture had been collected to serve in a previous residence, and although it was quite nice, it didn't fit well in the room. There was no focal point to gather around, and the TV was housed off-center in a cabinet that was really too deep for the shallow living room.
We began by meeting the homeowners on site to discuss their vision, and used their input to create a 3D model so they could preview their project and make changes.
At the homeowners' request we made several variations on the model, including a version with a removable flip-top bench for extra seating. In the end, they decided that simplest was best, and they were probably right.
After we worked out the details of the design, we got started in the workshop. There's that fiery cherry again... what a pleasure it was to work with!
We assembled the cabinets ahead of time, although we didn't connect them into one unit, because they're much bigger than they look! The center cabinet alone was 4.5 feet wide and must have weighed 200 pounds without the mantel or tile.
Speaking of tile, the homeowners chose a stunning blend of blue and green handmade pieces from Pasadena Craftsman Tile in California. Pictures just don't do it justice. There's a lot of subtle variation in each square, and putting it together was like working on a beautiful jigsaw puzzle.
Pasadena Craftsman created the design. At first glance it appears random, but it's actually symmetrical. It kind of reminded us of Aztec designs that you see on old temples.
Pasadena Craftsman created the design. At first glance it appears random, but it's actually symmetrical. It kind of reminded us of Aztec designs that you see on old temples.
And the TV is finally in the right place, straight in front of the couch, and hidden in the right-hand cabinet. In fact, we cut out the back of the cabinet (as usual) to allow the homeowners access to the existing outlet. This way all of the electronics are completely out of sight when they're not in use.
Plus, the new cabinets were deliberately made to be quite shallow with eight inches of depth, leaving more floor space, which is very helpful since this living room was fairly small.
Another little touch that sets this cabinet apart is the speaker hole... actually, there are two of them, one at each end. The pattern was inspired by a vintage 1940s radio. This allows the homeowners to play music without leaving the AV cabinet open.
Another little touch that sets this cabinet apart is the speaker hole... actually, there are two of them, one at each end. The pattern was inspired by a vintage 1940s radio. This allows the homeowners to play music without leaving the AV cabinet open.
Can you believe that this is the same wall that you saw earlier? Now the room is anchored by a cohesive cabinet with a warm fireplace to gather around, and all of the electronics safely hidden away.
If you've got a room that needs a focal point, give us a call or send us an email. With just a few inspiration photos, we can help you turn your vision into reality.
