Hot Stuff!

These readers made sure their fireplaces provide more than just a warm and cosy spot for winter – they play a key role in their décor too…

Perfect match

Keen to create storage space for “all the ‘ugly’ things that come with braaing, such as tongs and firelighters”, Tania de Clercq had cupboards installed on either side of the indoor braai in her Brackenfell home. To match the wood stored in the middle section, she had rounds cut from pieces of braai wood which were then glued onto the cupboard doors!

In the corner

The stairs in stylist Amanda van Wyngaardt’s Randburg townhouse were built more than 20 years ago. “I imagine this was a space-saving design,” she says. “The previous owners had the gas fireplace custom built by Heatwave to fit perfectly into the staircase – there wasn’t a convenient spot for it in the living area. We love it as it warms up the downstairs area and the loft.”

Amanda added Cole & Son wallpaper (Apex Grand in Teal) from St Leger & Viney to the double-volume wall behind the fireplace. “It’s my favourite wall in the house – it adds impact and I never get tired of it!” she says.

A big deal