Remember Me
forgot your password?

Fire Place Design For Beginners

Prior to beginning to style any room's fireplace, there are a few basic elements that are usually covered so that an overall fire place design can be completed. There are three strategic parts to any fire place, and you should be careful to ensure they all blend well with each other so that the atmosphere and decor flow well with each other.

The three primary parts to fire place design include the hearth, the firebox and the opening between the firebox and the room where the fireplace is. We'll begin with the hearth.

A hearth might be flat with the floor, raised a bit above the floor, or found below the level of the floor. Often times, there might not even be a hearth incorporated into the fireplace design. In the event of such, the firebox should be at least two inches above the floor, as the hearth is there to protect the flooring from the intense heat that the fire can produce. Hearth seats of various types are also available. The more popular kind of fireplace with hearth seats are the kinds that feature simply two blocks on either side of the opening of the firebox.

Complimenting the many types of of hearths, the designs of fireboxes usually mainly have to do with the height relative to the floor and / or hearth. There are raised fireboxes, flush fireboxes level with the floor, in addition to dropped fireboxes that are somewhat lower than the hearth and / or floor in front of the fireplace area.

Lastly we reach the fireplace openings, otherwise known as the surround and where the mantle is generally located. The styles of the opening may deviate dramatically; from rectangular, straight, flat and full arch along with more traditional fireplace openings with a u-shape design. We'll touch on some of the deviations now:

  • The most widely utilized type of opening is rectangular. Generally, a rectangular opening will be just that - shaped in a rectangular form. However, even with this style of openings, the sides usually open outward from the firebox facing towards the fireplace.
  • Flat arch top openings have straight sides, although the top of the opening has a slight arch style. As with the traditional rectangular shaped openings, the edges often times open out from the fire box toward the front of the fireplace.
  • In addition to flat, there are also full arch openings which have no straight lines. This kind of opening have one continuous bend around fireplace opening. This is the type you are used to seeing in American Southwestern style fireplaces.
  • Fireplaces with corner style openings allow for there to be two sides open to the fire place. As its name suggests, corner openings are located in such a way that the complete corner section of the firebox to be revealed.
  • Also, u-shaped fireplace openings in which the firebox is open on three sides: both sides along with the front. These final couple types of fireplace openings will in general produce improved volume of heat. If your expecting improvements on providing warmth for your large room, these are probably the better fireplace designs to think about.
Joe Hayes

Clearly, they're many various types of fire places and fire place design options. They're disadvantages and advantages with each , hence take your time while selecting the opening, firebox and the hearth. With the right combination, not only will you improve the warmth of your home, you'll also make your house more confortable and cozy.

Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Interior Design Articles
  • More from Joe Hayes

A Floral Duvet Cover Set For Your Doggy

By: Denzale Montgomery | 16/11/2009
A Floral Duvet Cover Set For Your Doggy

Indoor fountains in the office - are they worth it?

By: Ian Patterson | 16/11/2009
Studies show indoor fountains increased productivity in the workplace. Those businesses that took the plunge have seen an improvement in productivity and report less lost time due to sick days.

Let GAPCOMM Help with Your Commercial Fit Outs!

By: Lauren Hill | 16/11/2009
What can GAPCOMM offer you and your commercial fit outs? More than you might think. They’re a “one stop shop” for your next commercial fit outs as they will be able to help you with every step in the process. They understand how busy their commercial clients can get and how the additional work of fit outs can be draining and stressful. That is why they strive to make the commercial office fit out as stress free and easy as possible.

Families Come Together With Entertainment Centers

By: Amanda Fern | 16/11/2009
As your kids continue to grow up and find activities that occupy their time, the traditional family model tends to disband and become distracted. An entertainment center, along with a heightened sense of family atmosphere can bring these distended family members back together. Amish Entertainment Centers are built with enough room and shelving to house all your electronic toys and display options…even if the builders themselves don’t embrace the technology.

Great Ideas to Turn a Picture to Poster

By: Alice Brooks | 16/11/2009
Those who are not really into the creative arts might not be too keen to turn a picture to poster or to create posters in general. But the truth is, you can have a lot of fun with this nifty new technique. At the same time, you can also use this particularly new trend in design for a variety of reasons, occasions and purposes. Before you know it, there will be an occasion where you can actually use this skill to create an appropriate output.

Interior Design Wonders: Making Your Condo Look Larger Than It Is

By: Jamie Mathwig | 16/11/2009
A classic, space-enhancing trick is to use mirrors, strategically spaced, to create the appearance of a larger room. This does not need to be floor-to-ceiling as some homes are, but adding three or four mirror strips on a wall will do wonders to brighten the room, especially if natural light can be reflected back into the area.

Tiles add style

By: vishal1911 | 16/11/2009
Tiles have been few of the most artistic materials in last millennium. This article explains about how to use tiles to add style to your kitchen bathroom or whole house

The Popularity of De Majo Lighting

By: Kathleen Chester | 16/11/2009
Lighting up your home in an effective way can brighten up the mood and make a cheerful looking house that you would want to return to.

Supplemental Dental Insurance

By: Joe Hayes | 29/03/2009 | Dental Care
In the event your current dental insurance doesn't cover all of your dentist costs, supplemental coverage can be purchased to help you pay for it.

Fireplace Design For Dummies

By: Joe Hayes | 10/03/2009 | Home Improvement
Before designing your home's fireplace and living area, there are a few things that are by and large addressed in order to complete the beautifully designed fireplace of your dreams. There are three primary parts to designing a fire place, and great care should be taken to ensure they all...

Mobility Scooter Basics

By: Joe Hayes | 01/03/2009 | Disabilities
If a family member or yourself have missed the power to comfortably move around your house, a mobility scooter can be a ideal choice.

Swimming Pool Safety: Cover It Up

By: Joe Hayes | 27/02/2009 | Home Improvement
There are many reasons to cover your swimming pool, here's you'll learn the importance of safety pool covers.

Fire Place Design For Beginners

By: Joe Hayes | 26/02/2009 | Interior Design
There are three strategic parts to any fire place, and you should be careful to ensure they all blend well with each other so that the atmosphere and decor flow well with each other.

Coach Purses - the Latest and Most Stylish Trends

By: Joe Hayes | 11/01/2009 | Fashion
Still can't get enough of your Coach Bags collections? Excited to buy a new, adorable and classy creation from Coach? Ladies, it is another exciting time to go shopping because Coach Purses are now coming out to be loved and adored for especially to the bags enthusiast.

Super Pocket Bikes are for Racing Fanatics

By: Joe Hayes | 08/01/2009 | Motorcycles
Super pocket bikes are the new "in thing" for racing fanatics. These are motorcycle bikes but in a much smaller size, and are much faster and larger than typical pocket bikes.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.25, 1, w1)