FOCAL POINT STYLING

20 FIREPLACE DESIGN IDEAS TO CREATE WINTER WARMTH

As bitter cold as this winter has been, many people are once again turning to their fireplace to create winter warmth. A fireplace is not only a decorative fixture to create seasonal displays on, but it is also a functional form. Many design their room layout around the fireplace, mostly to enjoy the warm glow and atmosphere, plus it is the natural focal point of a room. A more traditional style home may have a fireplace centered in a wall, built with and surrounded by brick or covered in stone, and perhaps flanked with built-in bookcases (or half cases if there are windows). However, in some modern architectural designs, a fireplace can actually act as a room divider and circulate heat plus ambiance between two spaces - for example between a living room and dining area. Even a mid-century modern home or loft space may have a floating metal fireplace. Whichever style you currently live with, you may be interested in redesigning its look - especially if you've recently purchased a fix-up home. Keep in mind: although the fireplace may be the focal point of the room, the TV need not be. Here are twenty inspirational fireplace design ideas - from modern to transitional style - to help you create winter warmth with style...

Modern Fireplace Design Ideas

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Transitional Fireplace Design Ideas

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Along with a fireplace form and function, maintenance and safety are most important, particularly the chimney, from the flue to the damper to the firebox to the hearth (see Anatomy of a Chimney). For information on Fireplace Safety, see these articles:

7 Safety Tips for Fireplaces

Tips for Wood Burning Fireplaces

Fireplace Maintenance and Safety

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via House Beautiful

When I began writing this post, I had intended to end it with a feature and link to Sweet Something Designs, an excellent source of seasonal mantel styling... But when I went to visit my fellow blogger friend, I learned she had lost her battle - with cancer... So I'd like to dedicate this post (although not necessarily her style) to Michelle Edwards, who could create one heck of a tastefully done, seasonally styled mantelscape... I will pull together a few of my favorites, and share in a future post... Right now I just need to embrace the moment of the loss of a wonderful person and talent, who once again is gone too soon...
Prayers for healing to The Edwards Family...

I hope you found inspiration for your fireplaces design ideas and stay warm during this years bitter winter cold...

Thank you for stopping by...

LYNDA QUINTERO-DAVIDS

Hello and Welcome to Focal Point Styling! I'm Lynda - sharing simple solutions to style & organize your home, fashion & decor trends, savvy shopping tips, market events, plus local love from the places I've experienced. I started this blog back in late 2009 when I lived in Miami. In 2011, I moved to Phoenix, AZ and rented a house until late 2014, when I relocated back east to the Triad in North Carolina - Join me on my journey!

2014 VINTAGE MARKET DATES FOR SWEET SALVAGE - PHOENIX

This weekend kicked off the first of twelve monthly vintage markets for Sweet Salvage, here in Phoenix. Considering today's home plays an important role in who we are, the January theme to start the new year was "For the Love Of Home." Since the the new year allows people to look at their homes with a fresh eye, each member of the Sweet's crew had asked themselves these questions as they worked on setting their vignettes: Does this space work for my family? Does it compliment the goals we have set for ourselves? The Sweet's team brought into their creations what they felt represented "For the Love of Home" - from the laundry room, to the kitchen, home office, bedroom, bathroom, dining room, family area and garden. The team not only set impactful displays to sell, they each incorporated their tips for a functioning and well organized home. The designs are beautifully displayed in a purposeful sense. The "For the Love of Home" event also seemed like the perfect time to demonstrate some ways to add color back into your world, which is easy to do with the popular and natural palette of greys, taupe, and linen. Indigo blues, fresh greens and hints of radiant orchid (the Pantone Color of the Year for 2014) seemed like a natural accent...

Since this is also the start of the new year, Sweet Salvage planned and released the upcoming vintage market dates for 2014 - with one special note: Since Spring holidays (such as Easter & Passover) are falling earlier in the month, their will be a shift in the Sweet Salvage traditional third Thursday & weekend event to the fourth week for April. If you're planning a trip to the Phoenix area, or you already live nearby and have heard the Sweet buzz about this monthly market event, be sure to mark your calendars and plan to stop on by...

SWEET SALVAGE EVENT DATES 2014

January 16 - 19 2014
February 20 - 23 2014
March 20 - 23 2014
* April 24 - 27 2014 *
May 15 - 18 2014
June 19 - 22 2014
July 17 - 20 2014
August 21 - 24 2014
September 18 - 21 2014
October 16 - 19 2014
November 20 - 23 2014
December 18 - 21 2014

*April event moved to 4th Thursday thru Sunday in observance of Good Friday and Easter Sunday - the third week of April.

Sweet Salvage

4648 N 7th Avenue
4 day shopping event open the 3rd Thursday of every month:

Thursday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Have you been to Sweet Salvage? What did you find?

Thanks for stopping by...

If you're looking for additional tips on looking at your home wish fresh eyes for the new year, please read my previous post:

6 Small Space Solutions for your 2014 Design Resolutions

Note: All photos by Sweet Salvage and its vendors:

Aquamarine Antiques, Flert Antiques, Circa Antiques, Steampunk AZ, Salvage Workshop and Kim Rawlins.

LYNDA QUINTERO-DAVIDS

How to Set A Formal Table - My Guest Post @HadleyCourt Interior Design Blog -

Have you ever wondered how to set a formal table? Today, Leslie Hendrix Wood of Hadley Court asked me to pull together guidelines and inspiration on how to set a formal table for your next social gathering. From an Easter brunch, to hosting a dinner party to planning a wedding event, I shared detailed information, inspirational images and informative charts on the the art of setting a formal table setting. In Midland Texas, which is where Leslie is located, they do a lot of formal entertaining. By sharing all of the details of setting a formal table, the post will help inform and inspired ~ I'm grateful to Leslie for hiring me to write this blog contribution for her blog ~ I learned a few tips too in pulling the post together and I know I will never look at a table setting quite the same again!

(all above images from Eddie Ross.com)

Besides my Top Tips For Setting A Formal Table, I also included links to creative napkin folding and ideas for setting up dessert using a bar cart or buffet. Don't miss the wine chart showing which wine glass goes with which wine, what temperature to serve it at, and what foods to pair fine wines with - perfect for most any social gathering, whether formal or casual - and also helpful to choosing the stemware for your table setting.

How often do you set a formal table where you live? Do you have any other tips for formal table etiquette to share? After reading my guest post, please be sure to leave a note in the comments on Leslie’s blog, HADLEY COURT.

"Thank you, Lynda, for the lovely words and images that follow and for helping Hadley Court’s readers understand more about the art of gracious living."

You're very welcome Leslie - and I hope you, the readers, also enjoy the post plus take-away tips as you are organizing and planning for upcoming special occasions and family celebrations for the new year ahead.

Thanks for stopping by...

LYNDA QUINTERO-DAVIDS

ON TREND WITH THRIFT FINDS & TIPS IN BLACK & WHITE

In all honesty, black & white is not only a style trend for both fashion and décor, it's a timeless and classic color combination that never goes out of style - but its popularity ebbs and flows like the tide. Continuing its strength in popularity, black and white style was a strong trend seen on the red carpet for the 2014 Golden Globes, and will continue to grow in popularity this Spring. From graphic prints & stripes to cozy & chic lounge-wear to the prep style, I'm a firm believer in being inspired from magazines (or now Pinterest) and shopping secondhand stores such as thrift, vintage and consignment to get the look for less on the latest trends. Black & White has been long been a personal style favorite of mine, I've used both in my home décor and in my wardrobe, which makes it super easy to shop my closet first to find and mix key pieces - and if I see I'm missing something I'd like to try (like pleats this Spring!), that's when I'll hit the thrift shop or consignment stores to hunt down the look for less. Here are some of my tips + thrift finds and my home restyle in black & white...

Spring / Summer Consignment finds from My Sisters Closet (last year) - This year, I'm on the hunt for pleated palazzo pants to pair with my stripe sleeveless sweater...

Perfect little prep sweater - Similar to the one below from Ralph Lauren (probably my favorite designer of all time)

Harper's Bazaar Styleboard - 2014 Spring Trend inspiration

Also see "How to Wear the Spring Trends Now" at Harper's Bazaar.

Thrift Tip: When thrifting for trend finds, still stay true to your own personal style...

Thrift Tip: Pile in the cart your finds, but be sure to also try them on to check their fit on you - If it's only going to hang in your closet, it's not really a find...

Perfect Prep Style find from thrift: a polka-dot circle skirt!

(similar but different from the one I wore as Jeff's Caddy Girl this past July)

Harper's Bazaar Styleboard + Tips

My thrift tip: Transitional Trend Style can take from Winter to Spring

Besides getting all preppy with black & white for Spring, it's fun to hunt for and mix patterns in a wardrobe - just as I do in our home...

Our living room is a mix of thrift & home store finds (especially HomeGoods!), collected over time...

ReStyle Tip: Even if you're renting or live in a small space, have fun with pattern scale: Here I mixed a menswear houndstooth throw + a tribal trend pillow... Express your personal style...