Skip the Brick for a Statement-Making Chimney

While their main function is to provide ventilation, chimneys do double duty when they’re elegant architectural statements. Standing tall and prominent on the exterior, they add visual interest to a home and — when covered in a complementary material — can provide a provocative contrast to the other volumes in the structure.

With designs this dynamic, who needs brick?

Locating the chimney on an exterior side wall instantly allows it to become a prominent feature of the home. Here the copper panels covering the chimney are similar in color to the cedar shingles. However, the copper differs in texture and scale from the rest of the exterior materials, thereby differentiating the volume.


By using dark metal next to the white house, the architect of this home created an unexpected contrast that toys with convention. The metal’s vertical orientation is unexpected and emphasizes the bold height of the chimney.


A slight taper lends this chimney a bit of dynamism and energy — particularly at the spot where the chimney and roof meet.


The design of this modern chimney mimics the frame around the second level of the home. Repeating a motif like this adds layers of interest to the design.


The horizontal pattern of this concrete chimney is a nice juxtaposition to the vertical orientation of the wall cladding.


Imagine sitting inside this home, snug beside the fireplace, gazing out at the views through the windows on either side.

This chimney’s single volume conceals two flues, as evidenced by the caps at the top: one flue for the interior fireplace, and another for the exterior one.


When you want the fireplace on the same wall as the view but don’t want to obscure the scenery, here’s a dandy solution. The fireplace is surrounded by glass on three sides, with just the barest of exposed flues providing the needed ventilation.


Vertical forms that mimic nearby trees are an elegant way to tie the home to the landscape. This particular chimney is clad in cast-concrete panels.


Here the chimney acts like a hinge, linking two adjacent volumes that are different in height. The chimney is the only element clad in masonry, giving it an identity of its own.


Placed asymmetrically and clad in a material that contrasts with (yet complements) the rest of the home, this chimney helps anchor a house that otherwise appears to be floating in the landscape.


Two chimneys help break up the horizontal lines of this house. (Notice how the top caps were left exposed.) Placing a chimney outside the interior footprint makes the exterior seating area feel like its own room.


A perforated screen was set atop this chimney, veiling the flue’s form while extending the rectangular enclosure that surrounds it.


When the chimney and fireplace are detached from the rest of the home, more focus is placed on the volume.

The fireplace has a rich history as a warm place to gather around. By using new materials, this enduring symbol can be reimagined for today.

Tell us: Do you think these contemporary designs are as appealing as traditional brick-clad chimneys?

More: Double-Sided Fireplaces Multiply Design Options

URL: Skip the Brick for a Statement-Making Chimney http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-22209.html