Important Considerations For Fireplace Design Ideas
The basics to help you know where to start
No other furnishing element can add as much character to a room as a fireplace. It not only adds tangible warmth to a room, but even when it is not glowing with burning embers, or crackling with mesmerizing flames, it serves as a focal point. To come up with fireplace design ideas appropriate to your home, you need to examine what it is about the décor that really needs to be honed in on. After all, it’s not just old-fashioned or traditional homes that feature fireplaces, but also brand new, contemporary spaces with dazzling interior design. The priority for any fireplace design ideas you consider has to be that they fit with the overall design of the room. You wouldn’t create an old-style fireplace in a living room that’s decked out with the latest mod-cons, chrome details and featuring a fully-integrated home entertainment system. Neither would you install a high-tech showpiece in a space that’s hung with antique artworks and that has 18th century furniture.
Process of elimination
The above should narrow down your search for fireplace design ideas considerably. Now you can concentrate on what you do want. With all the choices available to you, it’s natural to feel somewhat confused and the best way to deal with this is to quickly eliminate any style that doesn’t grab your enthusiasm right off the bat. Simply painting to suit can customize a color scheme or it might be a matter of selecting from a range of materials. What you’re really looking for are shapes, heights and widths that are appropriate for your décor.
Suiting existing décor or starting from scratch
If you’re starting fresh with a brand new room, you have a blank canvas to work with. As long as you choose something in line with the decorating scheme of the house, you can go crazy looking through fireplace design ideas. However, if you’re remodelling an existing room, then you can draw inspiration from the current furnishings, floor coverings, window styles and any details on the ceiling. Building the fireplace to incorporate decorative cornices and moldings allows it to fit right in with the décor. Or you can employ the same wood that is found elsewhere in the room, such as the doors, floor or a prominent table or sideboard.
Blending designs
You can also mix and match some elements of fireplace design ideas. For instance, you may choose the façade and hearth from one style but prefer the mantels of an entirely different design. A consultant will be able to help you put the right pieces together so that the look co-ordinates perfectly.
Cost-effective alternatives
Another consideration when looking for fireplace design ideas is cost. Naturally, you’ll want something affordable but if your dream fireplace is beyond your financial reach, investigate whether you can have one customized using less pricey materials such as faux marble or granite, pine instead of oak and so on. Often, you can add other touches that will create an improvement to the materials so that they look more opulent than they really are.
How about outdoor fireplaces?
Choosing fireplace design ideas for outdoor fireplaces depends on the same principles mentioned above. You have to fit in with the surrounding décor, find a style that won’t break the budget and try to customize if you can’t find the exact design that you want. Once you’ve decided upon a design, it’s installed and a roaring fire is sending warm vibes around the space, the family can enjoy the beautiful ambience for a long time to come.
