Concrete Fireplace Designs: For a Medieval Touch in Contemporary Homes

You might wonder how something as unappealing as concrete can visually enhance a space. But thanks to emerging technologies that have helped bring new designs and casting methods to transform concrete in ways you probably haven’t even heard of.

We have curated five best concrete fireplace designs that testify to concrete’s growing application in interior design. Browse through them for inspiration!

1. Concrete Fireplace with a Tall Panel Wall

What gives your fireplace a complete makeover is a mantel and the panel wall. If you wish to give your simple concrete fireplace an elegant twist, you can experiment with different materials for the mantel shelf and the panel wall.

For homes with no space restriction, the panel wall that extends way up to the ceiling can be a striking addition to the living room interior design room.

Distressed wood with white furniture imparts a sophisticated look.

2. Concrete Fireplace with White Overmantle and Crown

A concrete fireplace design in white with an overmantel offers a traditional look. It goes well with interiors that have a conventional appeal. A straight-edge mantle goes well with traditional fireplaces like these.

For a minimalistic look, keep the walls all white or blend a nude colour palette for coherence. Wooden flooring adds to the overall look, and together, this design makes for classic interior home decor.

3. Distressed Stone in Different Shades

Concrete provides a very subtle and subdued effect. If you are looking for a rustic and timeless look for your bedroom design, distressed concrete presents a good range of colours to choose from.

From ash, buff, and charcoal to black – you can opt for any of these for your concrete fire place design. You can even combine concrete stones with a mix of all these colours to turn something as unvaried as concrete to that having character and finesse.

4. Make Use of Concrete Bricks

Of late, bricks have dominated interiors irrespective of style- be it contemporary or traditional. To make use of bricks in your fireplace design, there exists a smart way to incorporate them.

Commonly, bricks are made from clay and then fired in a kiln. But you can make bricks from concrete for a concrete fireplace.

Concrete bricks are made by pouring concrete into forms that act as a mould, and the forms are removed once the concrete dries completely. They have a lot of thermal mass, which makes them fire-resistant. Therefore, they are safe to use in fireplaces.

5. Concrete Fireplace with a Marble Effect

Marble is heat-tolerant and also durable. This makes it an ideal choice for fireplaces. But marble is difficult to maintain and quite expensive.

An alternative to marble is concrete which can be made to look like marble. To achieve a marble-like effect, concrete is subject to acid stain, which is available in a variety of colours. You can rest assured that the colour will not fade away because of the deep penetration of the concrete acid stains.

This personal concrete fireplace design is a cost-effective substitute for a marble fireplace.

Conclusion

A concrete fireplace is a versatile interior design element, and contrary to popular opinion, it can even be used in a 1 BHK interior design. Paired with the right elements, a concrete fireplace can improve the aesthetic appeal of the space.

To get access to more interior advice, visit Homelane for professional help from 600+ design experts today!

FAQs

1. How Do You Build a Concrete Fire Pit?

You can build a concrete fire pit by following the steps below:

• Level the area with sand or base rock for a solid foundation.
• Build the interior and exterior form out of square boards and nail them together. The dimension of the board depends on your desired dimension of the fire pit.
• Add rebar for reinforcement and strengthening of the concrete. 
• Add a wire mesh or matting to reinforce the form further.
• Pour the concrete between the two frames and make sure not to leave any holes. The surface should be smoothed with a trowel.
• Tap the forms while the concrete is still wet so that it leaves the form while drying.
• Remove the wood forms carefully when the concrete has completely dried. It usually takes at least 24 hours.
• You can add the finishing touches and fill the pit with gravel up to ¾ of the total height.
• Place the fire bowl on the gravel. At this stage, you can adjust the height of the gravel.
• Cobblestones can be used to decorate the exposed area around the fire bowl. 

2. Is Concrete Ok for a Fire Pit?

Concrete can be used for a fire pit if its inside is lined with fire bricks. A heat-resistant ready mix mortar is also used for creating a barrier between fire and concrete. When exposed to high heat, concrete can expand and crack. It can even explode, and therefore, due care should be exercised.

3. Will Concrete Crack If Used as a Fire Pit?

Whether concrete cracks when exposed to high heat depends on the type of aggregate in the quick concrete mixes. On the one hand, quartz breaks down when exposed to high heat; on the other hand, the one with limestone aggregate is comparatively more heat-resistant.

4. Does Fire Weaken Concrete?

The moisture trapped inside the concrete expands when exposed to high heat. This can cause the concrete to crack or, in some cases, even explode.