A fireplace in the interior creates an indescribable feeling of coziness, harmony, and tranquility. It doesn’t matter where this beautiful decorative element is located; it will bring a sense of calmness, comfort, and well-being to any room. Your home will acquire an undeniable advantage, becoming a unique and favorite place for family celebrations, warm romantic evenings, and friendly gatherings.
English traditions or a stylish interior accent
When we think of England, often the first thing that comes to mind is a fireplace. It adds an atmosphere of warmth and homely comfort. In country houses, it is necessary as an interesting interior solution and a home hearth. Around it, you can sit with loved ones or have a wonderful romantic evening for two with a glass of delicious wine.
The English style never loses its value, thanks to its strictness, asceticism, ambition, reliability, and elegance. In addition, it endows the room with coziness and immediacy, tranquility, and serenity.
A fireplace can become a part of the interior in a child’s room in both a city or a country house. It attracts the attention of the house guests and helps to gain respect, admiration, and a special awe towards the homeowner. After all, it represents the status, character, interests, and values of the house owner.
Types of Fireplaces
If you’ve decided that having a beautiful fireplace in your home is your dream, then you can confidently move on to choosing the right model.
A fireplace can be:
- Wood-burning (classic);
- Electric;
- Gas;
- Biofuel-powered (bio-fireplace);
- Imitation (faux fireplace).
Wood-burning Fireplace
This type can be fueled with pellets (cylindrical compressed sawdust), straw, husks, peat, charcoal, or special briquettes. It is the most common type, as it doesn’t require a lot of money for maintenance. The only drawback is that it can only be installed in a country house.
Based on their placement, the following types of fireplaces can be distinguished: corner, semi-open, open, built-in, and stove-fireplaces.
The firebox and chimney are the main parts. The firebox is the primary working component of the system, where the fuel actually burns. The following types of fireboxes can be distinguished:
- Closed (separated from the main room by heat-resistant glass doors);
- Open (separated from the room by a fireplace grate);
- Combined (using heat-resistant glass with a closing-opening function).
The chimney or convector is responsible for the draft. Thanks to it, combustion products are expelled outside and do not directly enter the room. The pleasant crackling of burning wood can be heard due to the proper functioning of the chimney.
When you’re designing a country house, constructing a fireplace correctly will require you to install a chimney. It’s crucial to protect this chimney from freezing during the winter. Ideally, you should use an internal wall of the house for the chimney. If that’s not possible, install insulation on the exterior wall of the chimney or all of its walls, depending on the design. If you disregard these installation guidelines, you may encounter issues such as smoking, weak draft, unpleasant odors, and coldness.
Important!
A narrow chimney results in smoke, while a wide one causes cold. Ideally, the chimney should have a round shape, although rounding corners is also acceptable. The chimney walls should have a smooth and vertical surface, made of fire-resistant and acid-resistant materials. The internal structure of the fireplace includes:
- Smoke collector – a special chamber above the firebox. It ensures even gas discharge into the pipe.
- Smoke tooth – a gas threshold. It is built into the rear wall of the smoke collector. Its purpose is to protect the living space from smoke and soot, improve draft, and prevent cold air from entering the firebox.
- Portal – used for external decoration, fireplace board.
- Smoke cornice – protrudes slightly above the firebox.
- Fireplace table – necessary as a fireproof base.
- Grate – designed for placing logs on it. Usually made of cast iron.
- Ash chamber or ash pit – for ash collection, smoke pipe, smoke damper.
- Spark catcher or spark extinguisher – an essential element of an open fireplace, protecting the home from fire.
- Deflector – protects the chimney from strong winds. Provides maximum draft, and the blowhole channel allows air access to the flame.
- Corner fireplaces are typically placed at the intersection of two walls. This design is also convenient because it can heat more than one room. One of the biggest advantages is their compact size. These fireplaces can have a variety of designs. They are also cost-effective since they don’t require a complex chimney system, which saves money during installation.
- Semi-open fireplaces are installed either in the wall or attached to it. In any case, the chimney structure and the wall will not be interconnected. A fireplace can become a decoration of the interior, but takes up more space compared to a corner fireplace.
- Island fireplaces are placed in the middle of the room. They are not suitable for every interior, as they take up a lot of space. They are simple to manufacture and do not require huge financial investments. Heat is distributed in all directions, which provides perfect heating of the room. In contrast, a built-in fireplace is installed in the wall and does not take up valuable space in the room.
Stove-fireplace
Its huge advantage is the combination of functions of an open fireplace and a cooking stove. It is cost-effective in operation and fits harmoniously into the interior. The stove-fireplace allows you to cook food on it, although nowadays hardly anyone does it.
Electric Fireplace
Operates on electricity, there is no real flame in it. Thanks to modern technology, the fire looks attractive and burns brightly. This type of fireplace is very easy to use. The electric fireplace plugs into a regular socket, just like any household appliance. The fireplace turns on instantly and heats up quickly, with no smoke or ash. There is no need to clean the chimney, which saves a lot of time. It can work without heating, creating only a visual soothing effect.
The price of such a fireplace will be much cheaper. It does not require a chimney or gas pipes. Stylistically, electric fireplaces differ in shape and color. Models are available from the smallest to wide wall-mounted ones, with remote control, heating, and sound effects!
Electric fireplaces pose no risk of fire, and require minimal maintenance as they only need to be periodically wiped clean of dust.
There are different types of electric fireplaces available:
- Freestanding fireplaces do not require a special location as they can be viewed from three sides.
- Built-in fireplaces are installed into the wall or furniture, and require a pre-made niche in the wall or a special compartment in furniture, as well as a decorative frame.
- Corner fireplaces are suitable even for small spaces.
- Wall-mounted fireplaces resemble plasma panels and are usually hung on the wall.
- Double-sided fireplaces are designed for large spaces and allow viewing from two or more sides.
An electric fireplace in the interior is a great alternative to a classic wood-burning counterpart. It is absolutely safe, durable, and very beautiful. Its presence brings unparalleled comfort and luxury to the room, making it more aesthetically pleasing, bright, and delicate.
Gas fireplace
A gas fireplace can be an excellent replacement for a classic fireplace, especially if there is no space for fuel storage or if you don’t enjoy spending a lot of time cleaning the chimney and firebox.
The fireplace operates on natural gas or propane. Like a classic or electric fireplace, it also effectively heats the room. The visual appeal remains strong because nothing will stop you from enjoying the open fire. Of course, it doesn’t fully imitate a classic fireplace, but you can still purchase fire-resistant accessories in the form of logs, ash, and coal to create the appearance of a traditional wood-burning fireplace.
You can turn on a gas fireplace using a specific button on the unit or a remote control. You’ll find gas fireplaces in various models that can blend seamlessly with any interior design. Some available options include wall-mounted, freestanding, corner, and two-sided models.
However, gas fireplaces come with some drawbacks. You must first get a permit for their installation. Also, you can’t install and connect them on your own; a certified gas service technician must do it. Further, a state fire inspector must approve all the work.
Important note!
This procedure does not apply if the fireplace runs on a gas cylinder. However, in this case, you will need to install a chimney to ensure proper ventilation and remove combustion byproducts.
Bio fireplace
A bio fireplace is a structure that features a special fuel block. This block, consisting of a burner made from artificial stone or metal, is where you pour the fuel. Specifically designed for such fireplaces, this fuel is bioethanol. After pouring the bioethanol into the burner, you ignite it.
Bioethanol does not smoke, does not emit soot, and is suitable for use in urban apartments. It practically does not emit heat. On a hot summer night, it will be a beautiful romantic element, but if it gets cold in the apartment, such a fireplace is not capable of providing warmth.
Expert Tips for Using a Bio Fireplace in Your Interior
When integrating a bio fireplace with your interior decor, consider buying decorative accessories like imitation logs, coal, artificial stones, or sand. Make sure these elements are non-flammable. The fireplace should also consist of non-flammable materials. While you’ll find many different types of bio fireplaces, the hanging type tends to be the most popular for small apartment owners. Installing a small bio fireplace on a coffee table is another good choice. Always remember to keep flammable materials away from the fireplace. The room housing the fireplace should have proper ventilation since combustion byproducts, such as carbon dioxide, will be produced even under the best ventilation conditions.
If the room where the fireplace will be installed has a large enough area, you can install large bio fireplaces, for example, on the floor. There are designs that are attached to the ceiling. Compact wall-mounted options are also available.
A bioethanol fireplace is a very interesting interior solution! It does not require additional communications, it does not need sockets, you do not have to hide cables or pipes. You only need to periodically wipe it from dust and fill it with fuel. One of the main disadvantages of a bioethanol fireplace is its high cost. Although its counterparts: wood-burning, electric, and gas fireplaces also won’t be low-cost.
Undoubtedly, it is essential to mention that safety rules must always be followed when using a bio-fireplace. It is a small and controlled fire, but it is still a fire. This means that there are specific requirements for the room and the place where the home hearth will be located, as well as rules for using the fireplace.
Faux fireplace
A decorative fireplace is the most budget-friendly option. You can even create it yourself. The portal does not require a chimney and can be used as a shelf or a small cabinet. A fireplace in the interior does not take up much space, can be of any shape and size, and can be installed in any part of the room.
What can you use to decorate a fireplace?
To decorate a fireplace with your own hands, anything that creates coziness and a warm atmosphere in the home will work: branches, cones, indoor plants, lanterns and garlands, candles and carved grilles, colored pebbles and mirrors, figurines, or just drawings. The interior in this case depends on your taste and imagination.
Faux fireplaces are made from a variety of materials. For example, it can be old furniture, polyurethane, plywood, drywall, cardboard boxes, polystyrene foam, brick, and other materials.
The finish of the portal also depends on your imagination. Of course, the quickest and easiest way is to paint it. But the most realistic way to finish it is with decorative stone or plasterboard stone. You can decorate the portal with wooden panels or decorative elements made of polyurethane molding. Nothing prevents you from using tiles, MDF panels, laminate, or even wallpaper!
So, if you are tempted by the idea of a warm and glowing hearth in your home, then you need to understand well what kind of fireplace you are willing to place in your trendy interior, how it will look, how functional it will be. And most importantly, imagine what efforts and finances you are ready to invest in it. Let there be warmth and comfort in your home!
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