·         Central focus - a Tuscany fireplace must be physically and visually predominant

·         Only masonry for a Tuscany fireplace

·         A Tuscany fireplace in community space, not often in private space

o        Bigger is better

·         A Tuscany fireplace even in kitchen [best contained, reflected, drafted, and used in a corner site]

Comment:  Please consider in this regard Isokern fire boxes . . .

v      Pumice, hence, lighter than other masonry builds

v      Comes in several sizes from 28LI to 72LI hearth opening

v      Can be floor-loaded or platformed

v      Not so heavy that they can’t be framed conventionally for support

v      Some models are see-through, or two-sided

v      Drop-shipped prefab in a few, large pieces

v      Available in gasser and woody versions

v      Simple, in-style, Tuscany masonry mantles and surrounds at ‘reasonable prices’ can be had in the open market (needn’t pay past $2000 and AG’s seen ‘em for less bucks and OMG gorgeous) or consider the traditional oak beam mantel over squared masonry columns or substantial masonry corbels, or, AG presumes, oak similar to the mantel’s

Comment:  A cunning design and construction adaptation to humongo mantles and hearths is to apply only a part of the large, enclosed area of a real or supposed firebox of yore as the ‘new’ firebox, and put the rest of the space to a firewood crib or storage, display, or other use.

(If this is your first visit to Before The Architect, please consider spending a few moments looking over the Site Map, in design of a custom home, plans, the home designers, about builders and building.  Before The Architect E-mail:  jrp2h2000@yahoo.com).