Season of the Hearth

Since pioneer days, cozy but plain fireplaces have beckoned with welcome warmth and provided a gathering place for family and friends. Little has changed over the years. As winter approaches in Park City, homeowners and guests relax in front of crackling logs whose inviting glow soothes body and soul. As one of the most important architectural features of a home, the fireplace is often an anchor for the design concept of an entire room. Fireplace mantels (sometimes decorated to the hilt to create a dramatic ambience) often hold family heirlooms and ornamental displays that celebrate the seasons. An appreciation for craftsmanship and the use of natural materials make the best of today’s fireplaces worthy of the designation “art.”

Since the 1970s, when local David Krajeski of Design Coalition began designing the first of many homes in Park City and the Intermountain West, he has enjoyed a romance with fireplaces, seeing them as the “soul of a room.” “So many fireplaces are conceived as afterthoughts, as if they were veneers glued to a wall,” he reflects, “when they should really be part of the initial concept of a room.” In the parade of signature fireplaces shown here, rustic but glamorous hearths enhance the snug comfort of elegant vacation hideaways. They also illustrate how the use of natural materials in the hearths creates a sense of the West and the tradition of using whatever materials are at hand.

Juniper (left)

For this Deer Valley home, Krajeski was inspired by the Juniper fence posts often seen on ranches in the West. This fireplace is crafted from a Juniper tree with the bark peeled off to expose the tree’s interior. After finding a large enough tree for the project, Krajeski had it treated with oil to highlight the colors in the wood. The tree is surrounded by river rock in an original pattern made by inserting small pieces of rock on edge in between larger rocks. Segments of iron wagon wheels complete the Western theme.

Cedar (right)

For the great room fireplace of this home, Krajeski exposed the veneer of a Cedar tree to make it look as if the materials for the hearth had been gathered from the surrounding area. Parts of the tree were joined to create a dynamic whole from separate branches. The joining of such massive logs interspersed with smaller branches required many drawings and precise blueprints before actual assembly could even begin. Local quarried rock, also laid out in advance, provides a dramatic backdrop for the mantel.

Stone (left)

Stone hearths reminiscent of the grand old lodges of the West and the Adirondacks were the jumping-off points for the design of the massive fireplace in this western retreat. Krajeski used local Utah stone from Torrey, Utah — famous for sandstone that can be found in many colors.

The rugged, weathered rocks evoke images of days spent hunting and
nights enjoyed relaxing by the fireside. Each stone element is one solid block that has been chiseled to impart a brawny texture. The massive stones were put in place by a “block and tackle” pulley system.