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Now that fireplaces are becoming standard in new homes, many people in older homes that don’t have fireplaces are considering having adding a special design fireplace. Not only is this a functional method of heating your home, but so many people like to feel the comfort of sitting by the fire and watching the flames while relaxing with their families. So if you are remodelling your home, a design fireplace is a very nice addition if you can find a place for it. If you are handy at decorating and DIY then you can even create your own design.
The first thing you need to do is think about the positioning of the design fireplace. Look at your room and how it fits with the rest of the house. Where do people like to sit and where is the natural focal area? Also think about safety and practical issues for your fireplace since you will be installing what will ultimately hold an open fire, after all. You should also be getting an idea of the size for the fireplace. Size is a very important factor from a number of perspectives. First of all, aesthetically you will want a fireplace design that fits in and complements a room without being too big and overpowering. You will also not want it to be so small that it fails to achieve the desired effect you had when you installed it. Then you will also have to consider the practical issue of how much heat you need from your design fireplace. Different types of fuel require different sizes of fireplace and you also need to think about the heat requirements of your home. So make sure that your fireplace has a sensible heating design, not just an aesthetic one. You will also want to consider whether you are going to build the design fireplace yourself, have it built for you, or buy an off the shelf model from a fireplace manufacturer. You should probably start by looking at what is readily available on the market and how much these will cost. Even if you do not find exactly what you are looking for and do want a custom built fireplace, you will get a lot of ideas of what is possible and how fireplaces in general are designed. You should also consider the different types of fuel that are burned in design fireplaces and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each. You can for example, go for gas, which is very convenient. It is also very clean. You can have a gas furnace or a gas direct vent. This does not even need a chimney since it can be piped to the outside through a direct vent. There are vent-free gas design fireplaces which were once popular but have been linked to carbon monoxide accidents and dangers to asthmatics so have fallen out of favor. A wood design fireplace is the most traditional, and there’s nothing like the sound and smell and glow of it. But be aware that a wood fireplace can be a lot of work and the heat they release in very inconsistent. |
