Everybody loves the ambiance created by fireplaces and well-placed lamps, but these fixtures don't simply disappear when the sun comes out to play. Rather than relegating them to the realm of functional necessities or design afterthoughts, attractive lighting and creative fireplaces can serve as crucial decor elements even when they're not being used. These homes really shine through their methodical approach to illumination, using fixtures and modern fireplaces from the most innovative designers of our era. Positioning, coordination, material, purpose, interaction - each factor deserves careful attention.
This gorgeous interior by Yurov Design centers on a creative glass-encased Opti-Myst fireplace from Dimplex. Rather than relying on gas or firewood, this fireplace illuminates a fine mist of water to create the illusion of flames and smoke, making imaginative or even impossible designs perfectly viable. From behind the glass fireplace screen, few would be able to tell the difference between real flames and this clever mist. 
Streamlined furniture, unfinished concrete, and satin-finished wood provide a comfortable environment rich with contrast. Niche lighting above and below the fireplace secures its function as the focal point of the interior. 
Free of excess ornamentation, this home instead gains its unique character from minimalistic light fixtures of all shapes and styles – functional and beautiful. Here, an architectural floor lamp provides adjustable task lighting over the couch. Its style is reminiscent of the iconic Luxo floor lamp, the same style used in the classic Pixar logo. 
Fabulous downlights dot the ceiling in rows. Varied orientation and lengths add a strong sense of character to a part of the room other designers tend to neglect. 
The shapely dining pendant lights are from the Shadows collection by Dan Yeffet and Lucie Koldova. On the table and in the background, vases from Jonathan Adler – inspired by his favorite muses – offer a surreal appreciation for the human body. Vase motifs include lips, faces, breasts, and even derrieres. The chairs are the work of Éléonore Nalet. 
This light and airy home in St. Petersburg is a project by Stanislav Borozdinskiy, an inviting space defined by warm colors and soft textures, the eyes guided by a contrast of horizontal and vertical wood paneling. A room-length fireplace occupies a niche along the far wall and serves as a lovely backdrop without dominating the design. 
Sliding cabinets reveal plenty of bookshelves for extra storage, reducing the need for extraneous shelves and cabinetry. Designer lighting solutions take the place of traditional decor, and each fixture is a work of art in its own right. A counterbalance wall lamp by Daniel Rybakken illuminates the Husk chairs from Patricia Urquiola, providing a lovely little reading area by the fireplace. A lamp by Tom Dixon hangs over the simple white sofa, and Muffin lamps provide a little mid-century flair beside the television. 
The master bedroom is perfectly minimalistic. Monochromatic textiles and rich wood panels bathe the room with texture, and designer fixtures offer versatile spot lighting, their clean lines maintaining the simple and uncluttered aesthetic. 
In a style made popular by British designer Caryn Moberly, this river mirror brings a touch of organic style to an otherwise blank wall. 
A cool cantilevered reading lamp by Paolo Rizzatto provides task lighting above the bed. The table lamp is from the Balloons line by Lucie Koldova & Dan Yeffet, designed to provide soft ambient lighting – but even in the daytime, these sculptural blown glass fixtures offer unmatched decorative appeal. 
Wishbone chairs surround a blocky wood table, the clean lines and light forms balanced by bold oversized pendant lamps by Fabrice Berrux. 
The kitchen is perhaps the only room not defined by dramatic lighting. Instead, pure white surfaces and geometric forms provide a clean and inviting workspace decorated with subtle marble cladding on the island and backsplash. 
Luxurious in every way. The bathroom uses a more substantial marble variety and takes advantage of strong monochromatic contrast. Brass lining inside the Tom Dixon lamps echo the gold-colored veining in the black marble accent wall. 
Soft textures and sharp lines, natural colors and modern geometric prints – this home is fittingly named Game of Contrasts, designed by Vage Gabrielyan for Elforma. Expansive windows flood the home with light, but when the sun goes down, the integrated lighting between the wall panels illuminate the home with a gentler glow. 
The modular sofa allows for a 360-degree view of the room, ideal for viewing the fireplace or the television in turn. From this angle, it’s easy to see the variety of lighting solutions used throughout the home – decorative Moooi pendants over the table, a 3-bulb task lamp in the far right corner, and recessed ceiling lights to even everything out. 
Flos IC Lights offer a fun art-deco vibe near the creatively backlit closet. 
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