Warm Up By These Exquisite Hearths
It’s a frigid 30 degrees outside and I’m anxious to sit by the fire. I move a chair in close and take a seat, sinking into what is quite possibly the softest patio chair on the planet. Flames dance around the shiny black rocks and instantly I’m mesmerized.
As I relax in front of this 52-inch beast of a cauldron, I’m captivated not only by the fire but by the stunning view that lies just beyond the flames — a vast pasture blanketed in snow. My eyes follow the flat land as it stretches out to a stand of dusted pine trees. In the distance is Rathdrum Mountain, its peak jutting through the low-hanging winter clouds.
I’m not just sitting in front of Ron and Shelley Rosenberger’s fire pit. I’m experiencing it. The fire, the view, the quiet relaxation. What is it about fire that draws us in? We gather around it with friends and family. We talk, we laugh, we tell tales. We cozy up to it seeking safety and comfort. I suspect it’s a primal connection, one going way back to the caveman days.
Frank Lloyd Wright believed fireplaces aren’t just about function but rather an integral part of the architecture of a house. He called the hearth the heart of the home. So integral are fireplaces, great detail goes into the design and placement of these architectural — and artful — features.
“I love when the fireplace is a focal point or feature in a home,” says Teresa McHugh, a metal fabricator who has sculpted and finished a number of unique and beautiful fireplaces. “I find the fireplace very grounding for the home.”
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Teresa’s work can be seen all over the Northwest. She’s an accomplished sculptor and an expert in custom metal patina. Patina is a finish caused by oxidization or chemicals; a knowledgeable use of these chemicals can change the texture and color of a surface. She is responsible for the finish work on the hood of a stunning fireplace in a home on the Spokane River. Large sheets of steel along with aluminum banding make up the hood that sits atop this three-sided glass fireplace. When the sunlight shines on the hood it brings out the rich browns, grays and blacks Teresa created through the custom patina process.
“Every piece is unique and beautiful,” she says.
THERE IS NO PLACE MORE DELIGHTFUL THAN ONE’S OWN FIREPLACE. MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO
Fireplaces can add so much to a home, aesthetically and functionally. As an architect, Monte Miller knows this well. He designed a fireplace for a penthouse condo that is as much art as it is architecture. The 20-foot-high fireplace is the focal point of the condo, the center point for the ceiling grid and skylight. Everything is central to the fireplace, Miller says.
Metallic ripples on a plaster overlay mimic the water that can be seen through the panoramic windows overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene. The lake view was the inspiration for the piece, Monte says. “We wanted to bring in the look and feel of the water.”
For the Rosenbergers, who are custom homebuilders, the choice to go with a cauldron was an obvious one. They considered the architecture of their home and the beautiful land around them. The openness of the fire against the backdrop of their pasture is art in itself.
“Since it was something we added later, it was important for us to have it fit and make it look like it had always been there,” Shelley says. “Rather than integrate additional materials that look like a disconnect, it seemed to me to go with an open piece. Rusted elements on the home match the rusty-looking cauldron. It was esthetically a good fit.”
The Rosenbergers often gather around their cauldron after Sunday family dinners. Shelley sometimes reads a book by the fire on a nice evening. After a long day of work, the couple might relax by the fire and take in the magnificent view. Shelley says it’s not uncommon to see resident elk in their pasture and hear the bugle of a big bull that comes out in the evenings. Wild turkeys often visit and an occasional coyote can be seen in the distance.
“We always say that is our favorite view,” she says. “It’s the view I look at when I’m in the kitchen making coffee, it’s our sunset every evening… It’s very peaceful and very quiet.”
It’s an experience. A delightful one at that. N
By Kristina Lyman
As Featured In: Winter/Spring 2017
