Hot Stuff! How to Get the Perfect Fireplace!

Chloe Hines Chloe Hines
Christmas '14, Farrow & Ball Farrow & Ball Wohnzimmer im Landhausstil
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When thinking of a fireplace in a home one might imagine an amalgamation of ideas: They are cosy, warm, easy to maintain, hard to maintain and can be with or without character.  Most importantly, they are part of your home and you should bring out their best qualities – both functionally and style-wise.

The incredible thing about fireplaces is their ability to collaborate and work within any type of space, be that Scandinavian, modern, or country and eclectic. A design feature that can supersede all these boundaries is a unique feature, indeed.  The important part about making your fireplace perfect is to let it be true to itself – work with the wood, the gas, the old stones or the new glass. Let it do its job and keep you, your guests and your family warm, cosy and intimate.

Below we have listed fireplaces in several design atmospheres – we are highlighting their style, material and even the proper accessories to make them stand out in any room.  Read on to make sure you're utilizing your fireplace to its fullest extent! Consider yourself a lucky homeowner to have one!

Size

Typically the size of your fireplace will depend on the size of your living space.  Luckily for most homeowners, even the smallest fireplace will emit enough heat and warmth to fully establish a comfortable atmosphere.  Here, we have a larger living room, so of course the size of this fireplace works well with this space.

This modern style fireplace demonstrates the interior architecture capabilities a fireplace can offer.  If your tastes are more minimal and modern, then skip the traditional mantle and use a permanent accent wall to display the fireplace and evenly divide living areas. This fireplace is placed in the middle of this living room – however, it doesn't feel out of place or disruptive to the modern environment in any way!

If you have a smaller fireplace, then this design with an accent wall might be rather hard. We also know that a majority of fireplaces are placed within the structural walls of the home, rather than the middle accent walls.  If your fireplace is smaller then work with a mantle and any decorative accessories you can to highlight the space.

To see how this fireplace works within the rest of the space – check out Casa BR here!

Style

The style of your fireplace will definitely depend on the style of your home! Walk through any home improvement store or do a generic search online and you will see all the available style options for fireplaces! The opportunities are truly endless and as a homeowner you should use this to your full advantage!

For modern, minimal, or Scandinavian-style fireplaces consider using only glass casing – or glass casing with metal corners (like seen here.) 

For other considerations think about fireplace inserts – for a more flat-front brass or glass look, traditional/colonial styles and for something new, think about a hanging pod-style fireplace!  For those of you that don't currently have a fireplace, consider a stand-alone fireplace – and this is a great option if you can't decide which room to place it in!

For a really neat example of how far fireplaces have come, check out this example!

Wood

Christmas '14, Farrow & Ball Farrow & Ball Wohnzimmer im Landhausstil

A wood fireplace seems to be one of those design features that homeowners are most torn about.  There is definitely a clear division between those who see the advantages of wood fire and those who see the advantages of gas fire.

A wood fireplace offers a particular ambience that gas will never be able to offer.  A beautiful variation in flame, the seasonal sound of crackling wood and a great, nostalgic smell.  Of course, you should be aware of the upkeep and maintenance – if not really hard work – that wood fireplaces require, especially if you cut your own wood!

However, as seen in this example, a traditional wood fireplace will offer a touch to a room that truly no other design feature will!

Accessories

One of the most fun parts of a fireplace is taking the time to properly accessorize it! Most people use a fireplace mantle as a place for personalized and unique items – family heirlooms, family photographs, etc; A lot of homeowners also use a mantle as a space for seasonal decor. Think about the holidays – particularly Christmas!

In this example, the mantle has been painted a great colour white to match the fabulous (and thick!) baseboards in the living room. This homeowner kept the figurines, candles and vases to a minimum and instead, opted to use decorative mirrors in different circular shapes. Mirrors are great above a fireplace, and really in any space because they create the illusion of more space and depth in any room and will reflect the light of the fireplace!

For ideas on how to decorate your mantle seasonally – check out this great Christmas '14 collection!

Materials

This example we have truly shows how wonderful choosing the right materials can be when it comes to fireplaces!  We have a mix of raw stones, rustic wood timbers and thick-plastered walls!  Of course, when designing your own fireplace you don't have to feel pressured to use all of these materials – but just remember you have options!

The materials you choose will also depend upon the type of fireplace you have, gas or wood – as well as how efficient your ventilation and chimney are

Gas

The advantages of gas fireplaces are convenience, clean burning (no ashes, etc;) and they are low- to no-maintenance.  You also have more style options with gas fireplaces as well – a very broad range of styles, in fact. Best of all? Gas fireplaces tend to be more cost-effective, high efficiency and in some cases, more high-tech than wood fireplaces.

Choosing a gas vs. wood fireplace really depends on your lifestyle – if you have children, what your geographic location is, the style of your home, and how much work you're willing to put forth to heat your home.

Definitely take the time to compare prices of wood vs. gas and make a list of pros and cons of what will work best for you and your family.

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