inglenook

An inglenook is a small recessed corner around a fireplace designed as a seat or sheltering alcove. Typically found at the end of a room, an inglenook comprises the fireplace and a three-sided niche formed by short walls or a chimney breast, creating a compact, warm space for seating and socializing.

In traditional examples, the niche includes a built-in bench or window seat that runs along the sides of the hearth, sometimes with a hood or mantel above the fire to direct smoke upward and a timber or plaster surround. The arrangement makes the hearth the room’s focal point and enhances warmth and acoustics.

The term inglenook combines "ingle" (hearth) and "nook" (corner). Its usage dates from the 17th century in English. The form is characteristic of domestic architecture in Britain and Ireland, particularly in rural cottages and in Georgian and Victorian houses.

Today inglenooks are valued as period features and cozy design elements. In restoration or new-build interiors, they may be retained or reimagined with modern heating, seating, and storage while preserving the original sense of warmth and sociability around the fire.