The Warmth of a Fireplace without the Mess

January 29th, 2010

The warm flicker of a solid fuel fire makes everybody feel warm, nostalgic and relaxed and few would argue that a well chosen fireplace makes an attractive feature in any room of the house.  Real fires are so mucky though, aren’t they?  All that cleaning out before you can rebuild another fire; then there’s the soot and the smoke…

Well, of course, you know where we’re going here!  Today’s electric fireplaces give you many of the benefits of an open fire with none of the usual mess.  Within minutes of getting your new fire home you can have it fitted, switched on, and providing a cosy glow for the family.

Great for control freaks –  you can adjust heat level and brightness by having the flames without the heat or the heat without the flames.  At the end of a long summer day when you want to snuggle up in front of the television, switch on the flames and you have all the cosiness without the heat.  Although, if the British summers of the last couple of years are anything to go buy, you might want to switch the heat on too.

Lots of people think that because they don’t have a chimney they can’t have the cosy look of a fireplace.  Well, perhaps the best thing about electric fireplace inserts is that they don’t require venting, which means they can be placed against any wall, whether its an outside wall or not.   Its up to you whether you choose to inset the fire into a fire surround or just have it against the wall, perhaps as part of an entertainment centre.

Electric fires do not require any ventilation and there are no carbon monoxide threats as no fuel is burnt.  This is also better for the environment than traditional fires, of course.  As with any electrical installation, care should be taken to prevent ingress of water and little fingers.

You should, perhaps, bear in mind that no matter how our technological and manufacturing processes improve, an electric fire is never going to fool the eye into believing it is a real fire; having said that, today’s electric fires and electric fire inserts are a world away from the electric fires of old.  And, most importantly, they give anybody the opportunity of having a warming, cosy focal point in their home.

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Fireplace Design Ideas

January 22nd, 2010

Relaxing-FireplaceWhat better way to relax than in the warm glow from a real fire, listening to the gentle popping of the embers as they burn?  Flame effect fires are a good substitute but there’s nothing like the real thing.  The problem is that, when it comes to choosing a fireplace, many of us are unsure of what will look best  and, in view of the fact that a fireplace will become the focal point of any room, it is vital that the fireplace we eventually choose is the right one.

When it comes to fireplace design, there are several aspects that influence the final look, for instance: the hearth, the grate and the style of the opening.

The hearth is the bit that you see – that is, the outside of the fireplace; the grate is the place where the fuel is burned, and the opening is the shape the hearth makes.  As there are hundreds of variations on each of these aspects, it’s no wonder we get confused!

The Hearth

Let’s consider the hearth for a moment: it can be placed on the floor, sunk beneath the floor and, very popular nowadays, suspended above the floor.

Perhaps your first consideration should be the construction material of your hearth.  If your décor is rustic or natural, then you could consider using glass, stone, or terracotta, whereas for something might modern you might be drawn to heavily glazed or brightly coloured tiles.  Of course, you should take your existing décor colours into account when selecting the tile colours.

Fireplace Tile Design Ideas

Your fireplace should be designed to blend seamlessly with the rest of the room so that it not only creates a natural gathering place for the family but also creates a resting place for the eye.  One way of doing this is by using large tiles so that there aren’t too many grout lines, which would look too ‘busy.’   Marble and slate tiles tend to come in at 12”, which means that you can cut them down to fit the exact width you need.  If you then use the same tiles uncut to tile the hearth, you will create a harmonious effect.   You can achieve a similarly seamless effect by sticking to just one colour; especially effective if you are using tiles of different sizes or patterns.

If you want to add a decorative element, consider placing a slim, patterned, border around the opening of the grate, tiling the rest of the fireplace with solid coloured tiles, picking up one of the colours from the patterned border.   A matching patterned border around the edge of the fireplace will ‘ground’ the look.

How to Tile Over a Brick Fireplace

Choosing the Best Grate for Your Fireplace

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Electric Fire Suites

January 18th, 2010

An electric fire suite typically consists of an electric fire plus a fire surround – sometimes with an insert and/or hearth included – and there are many of these available on the market, both traditional and modern. Modern electric fires mimic the solid fuel fire almost as well as the latest gas fires, and thus these offer an atmospheric effect, in addition to the convenience and low running costs usually associated with fires powered by electricity.

electric-fire-suiteMany contemporary electric fires come with glowing coals, pebbles or logs as well as flames and, of course, the pervading warmth of the traditional fire. Electric fires typically provide as much as 10,000 BTUs of heat – it would take just under 2lbs of pine logs to create this much heat with a solid fuel fire!

Of course, the electric fire suite does not require a chimney or a gas supply, and thus is extra convenient – simply plug the fire in anywhere you wish and the job is done! Common materials for the surround of an electric fire suite are wood, brick, stone, marble or cast-iron, and there is usually plenty of choice regarding finish and colour – this means there is an electric suite to suit any home, regardless of décor.

For a superb selection of electric fires and suites, check out firestyle.co.uk. Firestyle describe themselves as ‘a one-stop shop for the latest in fires and suites at fantastic discount prices’, and they speak the truth – their electric suites are stunning and represent excellent value for money. The Flamerite Austen traditional suite incorporates a cast iron arched multifunction remote-controlled fire (choice of coal or logs), a chunky warm oak surround and black marble hearth, all for under £800.

For the contemporary home, see the amazing Lucca suite. This comprises the latest landscape hang-on-the-wall fire, with a stone effect frame. The fire is remote-controlled and comes in a choice of fuels, and in various colours, and is available for under £700. Whatever you are looking for in an electric fire suite, Fire Style can deliver – a traditional or modern freestanding fire, a hang on the wall fire – the choice is yours. Best of all, little or no construction work is needed.

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How to Make the Most of Your Fireplace

January 14th, 2010

Victorian fireplaces were the centre of the home and, consequently, they knew a thing or two about dressing a fire.  Here are some updated interior design ideas for dressing your own fireplace.

fireplace-designIf you’re lucky to have a chimney breast, turn it into a focal point.  There are a variety of ways to do this, you could, for instance:

1. Paint it a different colour

2. Use a bold and dramatic wallpaper on the opposite wall to the chimney breast, and on the chimney breast itself

3. Hang a large and beautiful mirror

4. Get a piece of glass cut the same size height and width as the chimney breast so that it becomes one large mirror

5. Place a collection of small, unusual mirrors on the mantelpiece

Speaking of fireplace mantels, don’t forget it makes the perfect place to display all sorts of collections; what about: photographs, shells, dried flowers, fresh flowers, pretty antique teacups and saucers, teapots, antique jugs and art pottery

We all dream of sitting cosily around a glowing hearth, but how can you arrange the space for best effect? Symmetry always looks good, although it’s not always possible.  Use ‘pairs’ of things, such as:

1. The same chairs either side of the fireplace

2. Matching lamps

3. Matching picture frames

4. Bring the eye into the centre of the arrangement with one large picture on the chimney breast, or an impressive vase of flowers

When the fireplace is unlit, place vases of differing heights in front of the grate, perhaps mixed with pebbles, shells and pretty pillar candles.

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