We've had both.

In our previous home, the FR was about 28 x 16 with a 14' ceiling height and the raised hearth (raised fireplace) allowed us a good view of the fire from all parts of the room even while seated.

Our FR now is smaller with a 10' ceiling and we can see the floor level hearth and fire from anyplace in the room. The flat hearth also allows us to use the floor space for additional furniture placement whenever the FP is not in use.

If your rooms are really large, I'd opt for the raised hearth. If not, then I'd go with a floor level hearth.

We have a raised hearth and my mom made a cushion for it. The cushion protected the hearth from my kids bumping into it when they were infants and it also provides additional seating. I now have new drapes and eliminated some of the pillows since this photo was taken.

{{!gwi}}

I like the level hearth because I find the raised ones to be shin killers for me.
When the kids were little I wouldn't even look at a house with a raised hearth because I had one VERY active child who ran everywhere. I didn't want to deal with injuries due to crashing into the raised hearth.

I've had both. I prefer a raised hearth. I love being able to sit right beside the fire, plus there's a bit of extra seating when guests are here.

I like floor level in practice for the aforementioned injuries possibility. But in theory, I like the look of a raised hearth.

Mine is raised and really worried me when my twins were toddlers. There are thick rubber bumpers you can adhere to the fireplace edges but they don't stay on well. We ended up putting a baricade of pillows around ours for a year or more. A raised hearth does have a nice presence and can offer additional seating during large gatherings.

I like both, but I think a floor level fireplace in your living room, would be a little more formal, while a raised fireplace in your family room/kitchen area would be more informal.

I know you want to use the stone in the kitchen. What do you plan to use in the living room? Are you going with something more classic/traditional, like Monablair's second fireplace?

IMHO, this would give each room a different feel and a little different purpose. I know you have a TV in the kitchen now, so a more informal, kick back and watch TV or help with dinner would be a nice balance, to a more formal, sit down and relax, have a nice conversation or maybe watch a little TV in the living room.

Also, a nice white classic mantle (with maybe a marble surround?) would be so perfect, with your beautiful butler's pantry. More classic/formal in the front rooms, and more informal, casual cottage, in the back :)

I have always felt that a floor hearth looks very unfinished....like half a fireplace or the job was not completed.. It seems just 'not right'.

I had a floor level hearth in my last house and went with a raised hearth in my new house. The family room in my last house was small so a raised hearth would never have worked.I chose the raised hearth in my new house because I wanted the extra seating and the room is big enough to accommodate it. We also have high ceilings and I thought the raised hearth was visually more appealing. I can understand the concerns about bruised shins, etc. For some reason that hasn't been a problem for us. Our cabinetry and mantle extends out away from the wall so the hearth doesn't seem to stick out as far. Maybe that has helped prevent people from bumping into it.

My fireplace is still a work in progress as you may know from another thread but here is my raised hearth.

I like them both!

As a child I lived in one house that had a massive stone fireplace and raised hearth in the kitchen. My best memories were coming in from sledding and sitting on the warm hearth while taking off my wet clothes and then sitting in the rocker w/ my feet propped up on the hearth and falling asleep.

We have a very open floor plan with a rather small seating area in the living room because we want to leave room for folks to enjoy the view. The hearth (marble tile) is actually comfortable for one or sometimes a couple of people to sit on for extra seating. In fact, in a group I prefer it to the sofa. Just one 13-inch tile deep, but that seems to be plenty.

This is my current favorite pic of our view, although DH likes others ones better. I admit I like to indulge myself by sharing it, so here it is.

We did a raised flat ... raised so that we could see from everywhere, flat to save floor space. Sometimes I think it looks kind of strange, other times I like it, lol.

View from kitchen island: