Inglenook…Even The Name Sounds Cozy

One of my all time favorite old house features , in which you rarely see in modern building today  is, the Inglenook. Just the name  Inglenook  has a cozy, Hansel and Gretel,or Three Little Bears feeling to it. Originally in  Tudor stlye houses  of Old England, Scotland, and Ireland,  the term Inglenook, means "chimney room". Basically it is a fireplace with two benches on either opposite  side ( directly facing one another) to create a nook, or room within a room. Originally Inglenook's were surrounded in stone. As families grew and homeowners   became more affluent , the Inglenook progressed to be elegantly finished in wood panels with wainscoting and even stained glass windows.

At the turn of the twentieth century, men who made great fortunes thanks to the Industrial Age, had need to flaunt their extreme wealth. In order to gain relief from the chaos of city life, many of the wealthy chose to build homes  for vacation retreats. The most common design of the era was Shingle Style( Victorian ) homes in which a great revival of the Inglenook took place. The Inglenook provided a cozy gathering place in these grand homes on cool Summer or Autumn nights. Intricate in design , no expense was spared. ( Source This Old House)

In today's modern building, there are some Architects and designers incorporating the Inglenook into new old house designs. One such Architect is Dean Davis, of Dwell Design Studio, in Atlanta. Dean and his wife, Karen Davis, are no strangers to old houses, or the trials and tribulations of old house restorations. When their first child came along they decided the practicallity of an old house restoration was not in their familiy's best interest. So, Dean set out to design a new old house that had the feeling of a vacation retreat. With many wonderful old house features such as window choice and beautiful moldings , what really stood out to me was Dean's descision to add an Inglenook to the foyer entrance area. I cannot help but daydream what an amazing inviting foyer and first impression of a home having an Inglenook such as  this would be. One can only swoon at the idea of cold winter days sitting in the nook with a lovely hot beverage.

The Inglenook of the twenty first century has many options as would most fireplace. One thought to note is the placement of the Inglenook. Generally the heart of a home, they  are more often used as decor than as heat. Any way you look at it, an Inglenook screams old house house charm. I f an Inglenook is on your wish list, make sure to have a designer and Architect familiar with this old house concept. Gather photos and styles and add them to your folder of old house ideas.  With a little planning you too can have an  Old World Inglenook that will bring years of enjoyment and artistry to  your new old house.
~ Nadia