How do I make a 1970s floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace look modern?
In Swannanoa, a lot of these updates are happening inside a bigger rebuild — storm recovery has renovations underway across the valley, especially the 1940s-60s Grovemont homes with original masonry. That makes it the ideal moment to modernize the 1970s stone and, while walls are open, put outage-proof gas heat behind the new face.
Do it once, during the renovation
When a room is already being reworked after storm damage, tearing into and rebuilding a dated stone fireplace is far easier and cheaper than doing it later as a standalone job. The classic Grovemont-area firebox — original masonry in a heavy 1970s stone surround — is a prime candidate to reface or rebuild while the crews are already there.
Open walls also make running a fresh gas line clean and simple, so the timing genuinely works in your favor.
Modern face, backup heat
The look follows the usual routes — mute the stone with limewash, reface it clean, or rebuild the surround floor-to-ceiling. Behind it, given how the valley went dark in the storm, we favor a sealed gas fireplace with millivolt or battery-backup ignition so it heats with the grid down. River-valley fog and cold-air pooling here also reward a sealed unit over a drafty open box.
Natural gas serves Swannanoa, so it's a clean gas-line extension. We pull the Buncombe County permit, pressure-test the line, and meet the inspector — 15 minutes from our Asheville showroom.
One company through the rebuild
During a rebuild it is tempting to let the general contractor's mason handle 'the fireplace,' but a mason can lay stone and legally cannot connect the fuel — which leaves you hunting mid-project for someone licensed to finish it. We keep the appliance, venting, gas line, permit, and inspection under one roof so the hearth isn't the loose end that holds up your move back in. One accountable company, one workmanship guarantee, in a season when the last thing you need is another gap. Call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home assessment.
Fireplace help in Swannanoa
We install and service fireplaces throughout Swannanoa and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes east from our Asheville-area showroom.