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In every Space and Design column, I ask readers to submit their interior design dilemma, and every month one is chosen and given free design advice. Here is the winner!
Cheryl says: Hi Courtney, I stumbled across your Instagram, love your work/style, and thought I would write you about my dilemma/dilemmas.
We recently moved into a brand-new townhome, the open floor plan and promise of much more light were two of the biggest draws for me, however, one of the things that was not in the plans for the new townhouse was a fireplace.
I love, light, sun, and warmth! Our last two fireplaces were gas, and would definitely be my preference, but this was a battle I was not going to win. To install an electric fireplace after-the-fact, we have to work around the electrical and plumbing that is in that wall. The cost just went up significantly and I am struggling to figure out if it is worthwhile.
I know 100% that I want a fireplace… Of course, there is the option of getting a free-standing/tv stand type fireplace, but that takes up floor space (did I mention this new place is A LOT smaller than our last two places?) Space is at a premium here. I would love your expertise in helping us solve this dilemma. Now, that is not the only dilemmas in our new place, there are many.
It is brand-new and the finishes are nice, but it has no warmth, character, or floor space. I am not loving the paint color. It is brand-new obviously, so new paint seems a waste, a shame and of course, the cost would be insane. The staged unit looks great, but lacks in storage, but who needs storage when it is not “live” in.
I would LOVE your feedback and the possibility of my dilemmas to be featured.
Sounds like Cheryl really wants this fireplace! I always think it is a good investment for something that you are truly going to enjoy and it will make your new place feel like home.
Yes, you can purchase a freestanding fireplace unit, but they typically do not offer much storage and take up a lot of floor space. I would suggest you bite the bullet and install an electric fireplace and custom surround.
If there is electrical and plumbing behind the wall, the drywall will probably need to be removed to see what you’re dealing with; but that’s okay because I would also suggest doing a floor to ceiling surround out of a product with texture like shiplap wood or patterned tile to give the space more personality and warmth.
Depending on the space you may be able to also add a freestanding cabinet or shallow built-ins on either side- they may not be able to hold much, but any storage is good storage!
If installing a full height fireplace is not ideal, think about different walls the fireplace or a built-in could go on. Maybe in the dining room above a sideboard instead of a piece of art, or there maybe there is space in a kitchen breakfast nook.
A good way to add some personality and not have to repaint the whole place is simply painting the wall the fireplace is on a dark colour.
These colours from Benjamin Moore are my go to right now.
There are several benefits to hiring a designer, one of them is having professional help with your dilemmas!
Courtney Ungaro is an interior designer living in Kelowna and has been working on both residential & commercial projects around the beautiful Okanagan for over 12 years. She has recently started her own company Courtney Ungaro Space + Design specializing in residential & commercial design as well as creative event styling. If she’s not on a job site or shopping for the perfect piece you can probably find her supporting a locally owned restaurant/brewery/winery with her husband and kids. Follow her projects on Instagram @courtneyungaro_spaceanddesign.
