It’s no exaggeration to say that your fireplace is the beating heart of your house. An autumnal day would be incomplete without the sound of crackling logs and the comfort of a warm blanket. Even if your chimney can’t withstand the heat, you can still use it to beautify your home. These mantle and fireplace decorating ideas don’t require the use of fire, so your living room’s focal point will always look its most refined.
To maximize the effect of this architectural element, here are some tips and methods to consider. Whether it’s classic tiled hearths or glitzy mirrored components you’ve always wanted, these trendy fireplace design concepts show that nothing can stand between you and a striking fireplace display, even if your fireplace is tiny or off-center.
Make Use of a Mantelpiece
Over the fireplace, mantels offer beauty and function by storing things. You’ll have no trouble having fun with seasonal decorations. If you’re a watercolor painter, you can place a personal artwork above the mantelpiece to bring in a touch of creativity.
Moreover, shelves inspire you for creative and exciting home decor and serve as a visual treat. To prevent having to redesign your mantel regularly, be sure to choose robust and high-quality materials. It might slowly sag due to the fireplace’s heat, so it’s best to spend once rather than frequently.
Choose a Recycled Mantel
The hardwood mantle that surrounds the hearth has kept it sturdy throughout the years. A mantel is more than just a decorative element in a room; it also functions as a practical shelf for showcasing priceless trinkets. That’s why you can find plenty in old homes’ bedrooms, dining rooms, parlors, and even after the owners covered the fireplaces to keep out drafts.
Besides the examples that some owners saved from demolition, contractors ripped many others from the walls during rash renovations. Fortunately, architectural salvage yards have picked up a lot of abandoned mantels.
Prepare Your Firebrick
Fireplace mortar can crumble, crack, and come apart after being exposed to extreme heat for an extended period. Other than being unsightly, mortar gapes expose the bricks to an increased risk of damage. Consider the characteristics of the firebox’s mortar before the lumber season begins, and spend an hour or two replacing those that have deteriorated.
For the Surrounding Walls, Use Art Tiles
Art tiles are an excellent alternative to ancient bricks and white semigloss. They love color and are visually appealing, but they also embrace elegance and contrast. You might as well relish long nights around the fireplace with family, friends, coworkers, and a bottle of wine in hand, with a setting that brings attraction and aesthetics.
Add Glass Doors to the Fireplace
A warm fire is a welcome sight on a chilly night. Unattended wood fires, on the other hand, can be dangerous. You can only leave firewood burning with glass doors to close it off, unlike a gas fireplace, which you can turn off. Improving this fireplace safety feature is simple. Regardless of the size of the firebox aperture, the doors will fit since it comes in various sizes.
Set up a Hearth
Hearths are often designed to give more than just aesthetic value because of the work that goes into them. Spontaneous cackles of glowing embers and wood are kept at bay thanks to the extended tiles at the hearth’s base Hearths are a lifesaver when you leave fireplaces unattended, which is often the case. But keep an eye on your children. Because of the bright colors, they might think it’s a children’s play area.
Put a Granite-slab Mantel
Toxic soot, cracked brick, and discolored hearthstone can all ruin what should be the centerpiece of your living area. With stone or ceramic tiles, or seamless stone slabs, you can still wholly renovate a fireplace’s hearth and surround, drastically altering the room’s appearance. You can use four 1 and 1/4-inch-thick granite slabs to overlay a brick surround and replace an outdated quarry-tile fireplace.
Upgrade to a Gas Fireplace
The advantages of a gas fireplace over a traditional wood-burning fireplace outweigh the disadvantages. It can significantly increase the amount of heat in your house while decreasing your time using the furnace. On the other hand, gas is far more energy-efficient than firewood, and it produces no ash, so you’ll save time and effort cleaning up after it. With a simple switch flick, they’re out of service.
Install a Fireplace Insert
New home buyers list fireplaces as one of their top three must-haves. However, they can also waste up to 8% of the essential furnace-heated air that escapes through the chimney, so while they’re attractive, they’re inefficient heating solutions. The good news is that you can add an insert to your fireplace and turn it into a practical space heater.