Designer Karl Lohnes pays homage to Victorian era with new fireplace makeover

When considering materials for your fireplace, don’t pass on Dekton. Cosentino’s ultra-compact surface offers beautiful aesthetics in a variety of colours and textures and provides resistance properties that make it an ideal option for fireplace cladding. Take it from Karl Lohnes, designer and contributing editor for Style at Home magazine, who recently renovated the living room of his Toronto townhome to include a bold statement fireplace featuring Dekton.

The talented designer envisioned something more impactful and dramatic after he installed his temporary electric fireplace. Once he upgraded to a gas insert, he looked to turn the fireplace into a key feature and focal point of the room.

Karl made a bold statement with his floor to ceiling fireplace cladded in Dekton Laurent. Paying homage to the rich history of his Victorian-era home, he chose Laurent as a nod to the dark marble mantels of the late 1800s.

As mentioned in his latest piece in Style at Home magazine, “I am a traditionalist at heart, so I chose the proper historical colourings, but I wanted the style of the mantel to offer clean lines and a simplicity for today’s way of living. The mixture of deep grey with caramel veining offered a look that pleased the traditional side of my 150 yearly townhouse and yet the modern side of design. Knowing the product’s durability means not having to worry about discolouration, scratches or warping in which I have experienced with wooden mantels in the past.”

What makes this fireplace modern, however, is its simplistic shape and durable surface properties. The ultra-compact surface is not only scratch and stain resistant, making it very easy to maintain, but it is also fire and heat resistant. Dekton can withstand high temperatures and exposed flame without damage or compromising its composition. This specific property makes the durable surface ideal for fireplace cladding application. Additionally, Dekton comes in various thicknesses and slab sizes, making application essentially seamless in any design. Due to its versatility in size and thickness, Dekton can be applied in several ways to suit any project needs.

Thinking about taking on this kind of renovation? Karl has a few words of advice: “A mantel is almost always a focal point within a room. I tend to consider these three things: the size (how will it impact the room?), The dramatic effect (I wanted my mantel to stand out in the room with the deep colours) and style (I designed a simple style to juxtapose with the Victorian arched gas insert).”

Karl complemented his bold cladding with an intricate, cast-iron fireplace front and other rich textures and colours throughout the room. The final result is a luxurious living room complete just in time for cozying up during the Canadian winter.

For more information about Dekton ultra-compact surfaces, visit our website: https://www.cosentino.com/en-ca/dekton/

Design credit: Karl Lohnes

Photography credit: Mark Burstyn