A well-decorated fireplace mantel can be a center of attention of your home interior. The fireplace surround adds to the charm and coziness of your home. The designs of the fireplace mantel will depend on the size of the fireplace surround. Also, unfinished surrounds are available so that you can keep on changing the designs from time to time. The first step to build a fireplace surround is to measure the fireplace to ensure that the fireplace mantel surround and fireplace mantel shelves fit in properly. A beautiful fireplace surround plan requires your creativity and should complement the interior decor. The plans should not only include the fireplace mantels, but also the side pieces that support the mantel and the fireplace itself.
Fireplace Surround Ideas
The traditional brick fireplace designs showcase a romantic mood. Wooden fireplace surround plans add to the beauty of your living room. The different kinds of woods used to build the fireplace mantel and surrounds are birch, oak and pine. The traditional style of the fireplace surrounds pertains to the Victorian era. Antique fireplace mantels and surrounds can be built using antique fixtures and fittings. The antique style of building fireplace surrounds, gives a stately and classic look to the room. The fireplace mantel designs that use cast iron are one of the durable options. The cast iron fireplace surrounds exhibit an excellent dramatic effect. The colonial style of building the fireplace surrounds includes the Japanese or Danish style. The modern-day style of surround plans are made from materials like granite, marble or ceramic tiles. The surrounds made of glass, metallic tiles, ornamental appliqués or decorative columns give a suave look to the fireplace. Nevertheless, wood is a classic and timeless option.
Need for Fireplace Surrounds
The fireplace surround and the fireplace mantel borders the fireplace and changes the overall look of the fireplace. A fireplace without it looks unattractive. However, while designing it, you should always remember that the design for the fireplace should complement the overall decor of your living room. It acts as a shield for the soot and heat that may damage the paint on the walls of the room. It is advisable to build it with heat-resistant materials like ceramic, wood, glass, cast iron or marble. An important reason for building a fireplace surround is that they deflect the heat from the fireplace in the air. This helps conserve the heat, as well as acts as a shield to the walls of the room. On the other hand, in its absence, the walls would burn due to overheating.
Tips for Choosing Fireplace Surrounds
You should first decide the use of your fireplace; whether the fireplace is added as a decorative object or it is actually used to provide warmth. For a fireplace that provides warmth, it is advisable to have a good ventilation. Once you have decided upon the use of your fireplace, it is important to decide your budget for the fireplace and the fireplace surround. It must be kept in mind that the fireplace used for warming the home requires a lot of maintenance. Cleaning and maintaining these fireplace surrounds is a tough task. You can opt to light the fireplace only for special occasions to minimize the cost of maintenance. The type of fireplace fuel used also plays an important role in choosing the right plans. Gas, wood or electricity are the fuels for heating the fireplace.
Some Themes for Fireplace Surround Out in the Wild: This theme tries to recreate the feel of lighting a fire out in the wild. To create this kind of a theme, choose a wooden mantel. Place a few artificial bamboo plants around the fireplace. Use dried flowers to decorate the mantel, and your theme is complete. English House Fireplace: This is for all who like the old English fireplaces you see in the movies. The best way to recreate that feel would be to use stones to build your mantel around the fireplace. To add to the look, you may build a nice bookshelf around/next to the fireplace. Place an easy chair around, a soft carpet or rug, and your fireplace plan is complete. Sophisticated Fireplace: If neat and tidy describes your style, go for a minimalist plan. Design the plan in such a way that it is in sync with the rest of the decor of the room, so that it doesn't really stand out, but blends in nicely with the room. Randomness Gallore: If you do not much fancy a conspicuous mantel, you can opt for this one. You can have small ledges built randomly on the wall, around the fireplace. Now you may use each of these ledges to decorate the fireplace. Place a flower vase on one, place a picture frame on another, a teddy bear on yet another, and maybe a potted plant on some. The fireplace surround can be decorated with various materials like dried flowers and decorative candles. A well embellished fireplace provides an elegant and beautiful finishing touch to your fireplace.
