Architects’ choice: trending fireplace designs and specifying considerations

Fireplaces offer radiant heating, style and nostalgia to a home or commercial space, with the comforting crackle and glowing embers enticing one to simply sit and embrace the ambience.

“Architects often gravitate towards visual impact, but performance is just as crucial to achieve this ambience,” says Jade Frankland, Company Manager of Sculpt Fireplaces. “Each Sculpt model has different architectural and engineering requirements, so we start from concept and go through to technical with specifiers.”

Sculpt Fireplaces is a leading wholesaler and exclusive importer of luxury fireplaces, sourcing from three French factories and distributing to over 43 retail stockists across Australia.

What should architects consider when specifying a fireplace?

Compliance is one of the top considerations for architects and according to Jade, fireplaces in Australia must meet strict testing standards, including a minimum energy efficiency of 60 per cent and emissions levels no higher than 0.1gram/kilogram.

“Every fireplace in the Australian market has to be tested and approved… our units are not just lovely aesthetically, but are also designed to heat,” explains Jade. “While fireplaces are not a central heating appliance, our largest model (the Axis H1600XXL) has a power output of over 40kW. Our products use technologies like double airflow systems (DAFs) that burn wood efficiently without wasting fuel; they can even be ducted into joining rooms.”

Sculpt offers solutions like insulated flues and outdoor air kits to support airtight building envelopes. “Six-plus-star-rated homes are essentially homes with no natural airflow… You only need three things to light a fire: ignition, fuel and air. If you don’t have one of those, it just won’t work,” notes Jade. “So our designs mean a fire can be maintained but no draughts [from the fireplace] within the home.”

Sculptural design meets function in trending fireplaces

Offering a range to suit modern and traditional interiors, Sculpt’s linear and suspended models, like the JC Bordelet series, are highly popular for open-plan designs or as room dividers, offering a desirable sculptural element without sacrificing a large viewing window and desirable radiant heat.

Jade notes that, in more recent years, there has been a shift from compact cast-iron fireplaces to grand, statement-making designs. “There’s been a massive trend change to larger fireplaces since Covid-19,” she says. “Our Axis H1600 XXL and Axis H1600 ranges (single and double-sided) are immensely popular right now.” Jade adds, “The linear look is still very much present as well… sleek and simple is always desirable.”

Project spotlights: Fireplaces in Australia’s architectural homes and commercial spaces

Merricks Farmhouse: This luxury farmhouse by Swell Building Group and Nathan Burkett Architecture sits on a sprawling estate of 3.8 hectares in Victoria’s sought-after Mornington Peninsula. The centre of the home features Sculpt Fireplace’s Axis H1600 XXL, the largest single-sided fireplace in the Southern Hemisphere. A standout feature among the other luxury inclusions, including a golf simulator, theatre, yoga studio, sauna and infinity pool.

Coal Point: With breathtaking water views of Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, this exceptional two-storey residence created by Sam Horn Building, showcases the Axis i1000 freestanding double-sided fireplace, serving as an elegant room divider and infusing the space with a touch of luxurious French-inspired charm.

Two Bays Brewery: In 2018, Two Bays Brewery in Dromana, Victoria opened its doors to a unique dining experience. With an industrial design, is complemented by the three-sided Seguin Multivision 8000 3S Cheminee fireplace brings warmth to the atmosphere while patrons quench their thirst with a selection of award-winning brews.

The future of fireplace design in Australia

Looking forward, Jade predicts fireplaces will be shaped by sustainability, larger home footprints and our flexible work lifestyles. “Wood fireplaces are definitely here to stay… It’s the most renewable source of heating and offers a nostalgia that is timeless,” she says.

Jade comments on the broader lifestyle shift post-COVID, where people are moving further out from city centres and investing more into making their homes not just liveable, but truly enjoyable.

“People are happy to travel an hour to work a few days a week because they love where they live. There’s been a lot more emphasis on happy living; on creating the warmth and comfort that fireplaces provide.”

For Australian architects, Sculpt Fireplaces offers beautiful, functional products with the technical guidance and compliance support required to bring bold design visions to life. View the extensive range or contact them on ArchiPro today.