Learn Italian: L'appartamento è arredato; inoltre, c'è un bel camino. - The apartment is furnished; moreover, there is a beautiful fireplace.

Inoltre translates to 'moreover' or 'furthermore' and is used to add a distinct, often weightier point to a description or argument. While anche ('also') is typically placed right next to the specific word it modifies, inoltre usually introduces an entire new clause and is set off by punctuation, making your argument sound much more structured.

Notice the semicolon before inoltre. Is that the standard punctuation to use with this connector?

Yes, it is very common in written Italian. A semicolon nicely bridges two independent but related thoughts. You could also use a period and start a new sentence (...arredato. Inoltre, c'è...). While you might see a comma used informally, a semicolon or period is the stylistically preferred choice before connectors like inoltre, per di più, or oltretutto when they introduce a full clause.

Why is the word for 'beautiful' shortened to bel instead of bello?

When the adjective bello is placed before a noun, its ending changes to match the definite article that noun would take. Because the word for fireplace takes il (il camino), bello changes to bel. If it were a masculine noun starting with a vowel, it would become bell'. If you put the adjective after the noun, it stays regular: un camino bello.

Does mean the apartment is decorated, or just that it has furniture?