Look book 4

It’s traditionally been the domain of indoor spaces, but the open fireplace is increasingly being integrated into outdoor rooms for year-round ambience and warmth. For some, EcoSmart Fires are incorporated as a central focal point, for others they’re a simple, stylish and effective way to bring an alfresco area to life.

In Las Vegas, the 2013 New American Home factors the latest green technology into every aspect of the design, with myriad EcoSmart Fires strategically placed throughout the vast concept home.

For interior designer Lyndsay Janssen, the spaces were designed to capture the elements of nature, water and fire. “Fire was incorporated to add interest by creating a visual focus in different spaces throughout the home – both on the inside and out.”

A seamless transition from inside to out was also a crucial element in the design of two homes on opposite sides of the world – one in California, the other in Western Australia.

Jamie Huffman, San Diego-based custom furniture designer and maker, described the layout of the Californian house as one “that’s designed to blur the lines between the exterior and the interior, and the positioning of the fireplaces accentuates this aspect of the architecture.”

And blurring the lines has been made easy at a Bali-style Western Australian home, with a unique see-through fire strategically placed as an interactive room divider between bedroom and bathroom.