Fireplace Design Ideas

Fireplaces bring joy to any home. They provide a comfortable place to gather as a family, they provide heat and light, and they make a room look beautiful. That is why it is very important to have the right fireplace design for your home. Fireplace designs are a key tool to ensuring your fireplace is a positive element rather than an eye sore or underutilized component of your home. Fireplace design ideas vary widely, but no matter what your tastes, there is a fireplace design for you. When picking out your fireplace design ideas, there are many things to consider that will limit your choices. You need to make decisions about both the heating functionality of your fireplace and the overall aesthetic of the fireplace in the room.

If you are interested in designing a fireplace yourself then make sure you do the proper research. There are fire regulations and building codes that have to be considered when designing anything for the home, but especially for a fireplace. The hazards of an inferior fireplace design can be great. IT might be a better idea to look for fireplace designs that were completed by a professional. You can purchase designs from fireplace manufacturers or you can find designs for free if you dig around on the internet long enough. My advice would be to hire a professional to help you in the design process or show you a fireplace design catalog.

Electric Fireplaces

First, you need to decide what kind of fireplace you will have- a wood burning fireplace, a gas fireplace, or an electrical fireplace. This decision will direct you toward the right kind of fireplace designs.

Wood Burning Fireplaces

If you are planning to have a wood burning fireplace then materials of construction are of particular importance. Brick fireplace designs are probably the most common choice for many reasons. First, brick does not show smoke stains and second, it does not burn easily. If a fire were to get out of hand, the brick could keep it from spreading too quickly and allow the home owner to stop it. In addition, brick will go with almost any decor so it is a good neutral choice. Another common material for fireplace design is stone. There are many varieties of stone fireplace such as limestone, marble, slate, or ceramic tile.

Aesthetic Fireplace Design Details

There are several small details to consider when designing your own fireplace or picking out a professionally designed fireplace. Details like rounded corner fireplace designs versus straight ones can make a big difference in how well a fireplace design fits into your decorating scheme or the architecture of the room. Contemporary fireplace designs often use straight lines and simple patterns while traditional fireplace designs might use curved edges and ornate carvings. Another small aesthetic point is what kind of fireplace tools to set next to the fireplace. Buying discount fireplace accessories at Lowes or Home Depot might spoil the whole look so make sure you purchase fireplace accessories that match the fireplace design and the room decor.

Outdoor Fireplace Designs

Up until now, I have been discussing fireplace designs for inside your home. Of course, people use and build fireplaces outdoors as well. The outdoors offers an opportunity to be much more creative and inventive in fireplace design. You are not limited by the walls of a room and ventilation is not an issue. You do need to be careful about your placement because you do not want to be too close to any flammable hazards like tree branches or electrical wires, but your options are much more diverse outdoors.