When you think of a fireplace remodel in Bellevue, you might think of an upgraded fireplace with real flames. Or maybe it’s an ethanol fireplace to save money on gas. But the truth is, when you get a luxury fireplace remodel with an expert contractor – you don’t just get a better fireplace – you get an entire overhaul to the living room.
We recently finished a fireplace remodel in Bellevue, Washington for a family with a modern home. Their problem was the clunky fireplace sandwiched in between a poorly designed window and shelving. Read on to see what we did with this fireplace and how we turned it into a living room fit for Bellevue’s lap of luxury. When you’re done, you’ll understand exactly why homeowners are touching up their fireplaces for the winter.
Table of Contents:
- What A Fireplace Remodel Can Do For Your Home
- The Problem With Old Fireplaces
- Before The Fireplace Remodel
- After The Fireplace Remodel
- Once The Living Room Is Decorated With The Fireplace Remodel
- Luxury Fireplace Remodels Done Right
What A Fireplace Remodel Can Do For Your Home
Nowadays, fireplaces in Bellevue aren’t used for heating homes since we now have HVAC systems that will warm up the entire house. But that isn’t to say fireplaces are useless. Especially in the cold PNW winters, fireplaces create the cozy ambiance you need to sip your espresso while sleeping in on the weekends.
On top of the comfort fireplaces can bring you, they also add value to your home – up to 10-13% more to your listing versus those without.
If you’re considering a fireplace remodel, we reveal the best time to get one here!
The Problem With Old Fireplaces
What most homes in the Bellevue/Seattle area lack is a good looking fireplace. It’s either a rusty hunk of metal attached by a steel pipe, has a ugly backdrop that doesn’t match the home, or looks completely outdated due to other home improvements. The latter might be the case with your home if you’ve made several renovations. Since fireplace remodels in Bellevue fly under the radar when updating the home, we’re here to show you the light.
Let’s take a look at why these homeowners were in a desperate need for a revamp.
Before The Fireplace Remodel
Take a look at what the living room looked like when we did our inspection. 6 key elements were glaring at us that needed to change. Here’s what we found:
1. Asymmetrical Built-Ins
The original living room featured built-in shelving only on the left side of the fireplace. This created visual imbalance and pulled the eye awkwardly toward one corner of the room. The right side looked empty and unfinished even with a window there, making the fireplace wall feel lopsided rather than intentionally designed.
Opportunity for Improvement
We opted to add symmetrical shelving and cabinetry on the right side to balance the architecture and create a unified focal wall. Matching built-ins would allow the fireplace to feel centered and grounded within the room to make it pop.
2. Dated Fireplace Tile & Mantle
The fireplace was framed with small beige tiles and a bulky mantle that felt early-2000s and out of sync with modern design trends. The hearth (bottom of the fireplace) stuck out a little too deep into the room, breaking the flow and feeling more like a tripping hazard than a thoughtful design element.
Opportunity for Improvement
Rebuild the fireplace surround using a modern stone material with a clean profile. Remove the heavy mantle, streamline the hearth, and give the firebox a more contemporary shape. This would turn the fireplace into a true design anchor instead of a leftover builder-grade element.
3. No Lighting in the Built-Ins
The original shelving offered storage – albeit cramped storage – but lacked any kind of accent lighting. Without illumination, the shelves appeared flat, shadowy, and felt like a place to cram random items/decorations. Décor or personal items placed there wouldn’t be highlighted, making the wall feel lifeless after sunset (which is now around 4pm thanks to daylight savings time…).
Opportunity for Improvement
Add integrated LED lighting to each shelf to create depth, ambiance, and nighttime warmth. Backlighting would immediately transform the shelves from basic storage to a showpiece.
4. Fragmented Visual Lines
The old setup had many competing horizontal and vertical breaks: the mantle line, different cabinet heights, tile transitions, and disconnected right-side window line. None of the elements aligned, resulting in a choppy, uncoordinated look.
Opportunity for Improvement
Unify the heights of the hearth, shelving bases, and horizontal lines across the wall. A cleaner layout would create a seamless visual flow and make the entire wall appear custom and intentional.
5. Outdated Material Palette
The previous beige tile, traditional mantle profile, and older cabinetry details clashed with the newer flooring and natural light. The palette felt bland and washed-out, lacking contrast and modern appeal.
Opportunity for Improvement
Introduce updated, contemporary materials—such as soft-toned stone, clean-lined cabinetry, and minimalist finishes—to bring the space into the present and match the home’s natural brightness.
6. No Dedicated TV Integration
The original layout offered no intentional place to mount a TV. Any attempt to hang one above the old mantle would have resulted in awkward proportions, visible wiring, and a cluttered focal point.
Opportunity for Improvement
Create a recessed TV area built directly into the fireplace surround. Clean wiring and proportionate framing would allow the TV to become part of the architecture rather than an afterthought.
After noting all these changes down, we spoke to the homeowners to enact the changes, and they were more than happy with what we sketched up.
Now for the finished product.
After The Fireplace Remodel
In just a few days we were able to turn this living room into a luxury, yet cozy hangout spot to watch Sunday morning football on a cold day. Here’s what we did.
1. Balanced, Symmetrical Built-Ins
The remodel added matching floating-style built-in shelves and lower cabinetry to both sides of the fireplace. The wall is now perfectly symmetrical, giving the entire room a sense of harmony and architectural intent.
What Homeowners Can Now Do
- Center furniture around a visually balanced focal point
- Style shelves with décor knowing both sides look cohesive
- Enjoy a more spacious, well-proportioned atmosphere
2. Modern Stone Fireplace Feature
The dated tile and bulky mantle were replaced with a full-height stone fireplace tower. The redesigned hearth now sits flush with the base cabinets for a seamless look, and the firebox features a sleek, linear design.
What Homeowners Can Now Do
- Enjoy a timeless, contemporary centerpiece
- Experience improved visual flow through the room
- Make the fireplace a true showstopper for guests
3. LED-Lit Floating Shelves
Every shelf now includes integrated LED strip lighting. The glow highlights the stone textures and adds depth, mood, and sophistication.
What Homeowners Can Now Do
- Display art, books, or objects that feel highlighted and intentional
- Transform the room into a cozy evening space with ambient lighting
- Use the backlighting as a soft nighttime illumination alternative
4. Clean Horizontal Lines and Unified Structure
Lower cabinetry, hearth, shelving, and stone all align perfectly across the wall. This creates long, continuous visual lines that make the room look larger and more modern.
What Homeowners Can Now Do
- Enjoy a more open, airy room that feels architecturally elevated
- Position seating without visual clutter interrupting the wall
- Appreciate cohesive, uninterrupted design flow
5. Updated Contemporary Material Palette
The remodel introduced a sleek palette of soft stone, modern finishes, and neutral tones that complement the hardwood floors and natural light.
What Homeowners Can Now Do
- Decorate with almost any furniture style (modern, transitional, organic)
- Take advantage of a timeless, upscale look that won’t age quickly
- Enjoy a space that finally feels current and curated
6. Fully Integrated Media Center
A recessed TV niche was built directly into the stone surround, with hidden wiring and perfected proportions. A feature that most homeowners wouldn’t recognize just by looking at — and that’s why it’s so great. Functional upgrades like this are what separates good remodels from great remodels.
What Homeowners Can Now Do
- Watch TV without visual wires or bulky mounts
- Combine entertainment and fireplace viewing in one focal point
- Maintain a clean, magazine-worthy aesthetic even during movie nights
Once The Living Room Is Decorated With The Fireplace Remodel in Bellevue
We didn’t get to snap a photo of the living room after the homeowners set up all the furniture and decorations, so we decided to throw in photo to ChatGPT and see what AI would envision as the ideal living room decorations just for fun. Here’s what it created:
Pretty awesome, right? Not bad for a Bellevue home.
Luxury Fireplace Remodels Done Right
A luxury fireplace remodel in Bellevue might be the last item on your home improvement list, but after seeing this home’s transformation, you definitely don’t want to skip out on it. A fireplace remodel doesn’t just mean the fireplace itself, we can overhaul the entire backdrop, shelving, TV setup, and even the flooring if your living room would need it.
So if you want to add some warmth to your winter – in both heat and vibes – call Alta Group for your luxury fireplace remodel. If you’re reading this in November or December, we might already be booked out for the winter, so get your inspection scheduled before it’s too late!