There is something elemental about the combination of fire and steel; we especially like dark rolled steel as a fireplace surround, which features blemishes and variations like wood yet is extremely durable (with a clear finish to protect it from rust, it will last a lifetime). Here are a few examples:
Above: A custom hot-rolled steel fireplace at a Chicago home by Kramer Design Studio.
Above: A rolled steel fireplace surround with attached bench in a loft in Minneapolis by Alchemy Architects.
Above: A steel-clad fireplace topped with an oversize custom mirror in a San Francisco house by Cary Bernstein Architect.
Above: A floor-to-ceiling steel fireplace in a Portland, OR, house by Olson Kundig Architects.
Above: Steel fireplace surround partnered with a log holder in a home by Austin-based Burton Baldridge Architects, via the New York Times.
Above: A steel fireplace in London architect Jonathan Tuckey's own home (a converted stainless steel workshop).
Above: A horizontal steel fireplace and shelf in a San Francisco house by Aidlin Darling Design.
Above: A simple steel firebox in a NYC project by MESH Architectures.
Above: A steel fireplace in a San Francisco house by Cary Bernstein Architect.