Decorating every room in your house is definitely fun to dream, but this can be difficult to follow through. Your imagination will run wild as you see the empty room in front of you. But, not everything works together as the way you might think. Sometimes, you just can’t make your room look like the one in the magazine.
Fireplaces often offer unreasonable challenges. Personally, I think brick is awesome. But, I have heard some interior designers adamantly proclaim brick doesn’t go with everything. Also, wood mantels aren’t everyone’s favorite either.
Traditional Fireplaces
The traditional fireplace can be updated from the old faithful brick and oak. You can have a fireplace with a traditional feel in any room throughout your home. But, imagine a new swing on an old thing.
There are plenty of new designs, but I personally like dark walnut with grey tiles surrounding the firebox. If the tiles are in different shades of grey, it offers a shadow-like effect whether the fire is burning or not. The dark walnut perfectly complements the grey tile and makes the fireplace the focal point of any room. It’s a traditional looking fireplace, but it fits nicely in the twenty first century.
Contemporary Design
Of course when most people think of a fireplace, they think of a mantel with pictures and a rifle on the wall above. I know, that happened centuries ago. But, you’d be surprised how many people still think that way.
However, I recently installed a fireplace that had an entire entertainment system with the flat screen television sitting comfortably on top. Now, that’s a contemporary design. Imagine a fireplace with a bookshelf on one side and a place for a DVD player on the other. It’s a new brand of luxury and it brings fireplaces up to date.
Of course, there is no limit to how far contemporary designs can go. Suspend a fireplace in the air with a flue that comes down from the ceiling. It takes a certain amount of construction and the design certainly doesn’t go with any kind of décor. But, it really does add a new breath of life to a room that can pull it off.
Space Age Fashion
When you are ready to step into the future, there are plenty of directions you can go. A fireplace in the center of the wall with no mantel and no hearth is one direction you can take. A stainless steel border is a magnificent design, but there is also weathered grass, vanilla bean and antique gold that are absolutely beautiful.
However, don’t stop there. Imagine a fireplace in the middle of your floor. Then, stretch that imagination even further with the thought of a fireplace on your coffee table or literally any surface around your home.
Outdoor fireplaces have been a huge favorite of mine for years. But, fire pits and smaller personal fireplaces have certainly caught my attention. Fire rocks, fire bowls and torches bring an interesting touch to the outside around your home.
When you have run out of design ideas, think fireplace. They certainly bring a different quality of design to your home, whether inside or out. It’s just a matter of knowing that the limitations have been lifted, the industry is going crazy and there is a perfect fireplace out there for you.
