Embrace the winter chill with these cozy natural stone fireplace ideas

For the owners of this four-bedroom home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, creating a calming vibe was key to the renovation. “Our aim for the couple was to create an instant sense of tranquillity as soon as they stepped through the front gate, a place where they could relax and entertain in serene surroundings,” says interior designer Denise McIlwaine from Order & Grace. A bright and functional floor plan was paired with natural materials, including an alfresco area with a blackbutt timber deck and a stone fireplace made with ‘Random Ashlar’ stone from Eco Outdoor, for year-round outdoor relaxation.

The renovation journey of this 1960s beach cottage in Sydney’s Avalon was nothing short of remarkable. The dated interiors were in much need of a refresh, with its heritage features paired with modern touches for a warm and lived-in feel in line with the current era. A perfect example is the open-plan living space, where a Heat & Glo fireplace and sandstone surround sit beautifully on American oak floors, creating an old-meets-new style. “I wanted it to be sweet and whimsical with a touch of coastal,” says owner and interior stylist Sarah Parry-Okeden.

A double-sided brick fireplace serves as a standout feature of this Toowoomba farmhouse, separating the formal dining room and living room with an elegant stone selection—which took careful planning! “To make sure we got the colour right, we hand-picked the stone so that we had greys as well as the earthy red tones,” says designer Angela Smith of Angela Smith Interiors. “Then we chose that beautiful big timber mantle to go with it, which was all done through a local supplier.” The raked ceiling and stone texture create an open yet inviting ambience, perfect for entertaining in this modern farmhouse.

This 1970s coastal home on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula took its style inspiration from classic English interior design, including a summer and winter living room lovingly created by interior designer Amy Spargo. “I saw really good bones and the parts of the house that could be fixed relatively inexpensively while still making a huge difference,” says Amy. Crisp white walls and eclectic fabric finds in the winter living room balance the dark stone palette of the fireplace, which gently warms during the colder months. Alternatively, the summer living room is bathed in natural light to embrace the sunny season.

For couple Rea and Chris, their seaside home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches was perfect until their family started to outgrow it. “We contemplated selling and buying a bigger house elsewhere, but we’re a family of surfers and loved our location close to the beach, so the better option was to stay and extend,” says Rea. A top-to-bottom renovation included a spacious living area where the existing fireplace was replaced with a French cobblestone surround that extends to the cathedral ceiling for an eye-catching textural centrepiece. “I’m originally English, so I love having tactile stone incorporated in the house,” says Rea. “It adds a real visual warmth and touch point.”

The gentle update of this 1980s mudbrick cottage on the Mornington Peninsula saw elegant material options reminiscent of a Mediterranean holiday house – just what the family of five who live there needed. “We wanted this home to feel warm, textural and a change from our everyday life,” says owner Leah. Within the rumpus room, solid Oregon beams are artfully painted white, while light natural fossil stone from The Marble Merchant gracefully surrounds the original hearth, creating a refreshed scheme that beautifully complements the charming mudbrick.

Nestled at the base of the North Shore Mountains overlooking Vancouver, this majestic three-storey home is surrounded by lush greenery, providing an idyllic setting for the family of five. To evoke an old-world feel, interior designer Kelly Deck looked to historical homes from the southern United States and the French countryside. “We used them as a jumping off point for layers of warm neutrals, matt finishes, tarnished metals and textured stone/tile,” she says. The living area features French doors, flooding the space with light, while a custom tumbled limestone hearth by Adera Stone adds to the warm yet refined material palette.

A fireplace is an essential feature of any cabin, and for this Gold Coast hinterland retreat, a rebuild included a stonewall fireplace paired with raked ceilings and an expansive glazed wall, making for a functional yet stylish statement. “A grand fireplace was the must-have,” says owner Ema of the stacked stone above a double-sided Cheminees Philippe wood fireplace.

Originally a 1960s fibro shack, this coastal family home on the Mornington Peninsula underwent quite the transformation with a complete knock-down and rebuild. “With the vision that we had, it was too difficult to renovate,” explains owner Melanie. Now a two-storey haven, the interiors were kept natural and organic, reflecting its beachside location. The living room features a stacked stone fireplace built by a stonemason friend of the couple, alongside a white palette with prim pops of pastels.