How to Design a Fireplace |
How to design a fireplace at first thought seems simple. In reality, the various choices make it complex. Therefore, to help you along your way here are a few steps to assist you with your designing.
Step 1:
The first decision you will have to make is where the fireplace is going to go. You will have to decide on what room and what location. If you are going to be having a wood burning fireplace then you have to have it where it has access to the existing chimney unless you are building a new one. If you are having gas then venting it to an outside wall will be necessary. The type of fireplace you are going to have is part of the decision for location.
Step 2:
Once location and type of fireplace has been determined, you need to consider the size. To make it easy you can categorize it into small medium or large. By determining this, you will be better equipped to making decisions about the materials you will be using.
Step 3:
Now the next thing you need to contemplate is the style. Your home atmosphere will dictate the style. For example is your decor, antique, Victorian or ultra modern. It is not likely that you are going to design an antique style fireplace for an ultra modern room.
Step 4:
The next step is to make your choice of materials. It pretty well makes sense that the materials are going to coincide with the time era. In the pioneer days they were mostly stone, Victorian days saw the use of cast iron, and the ultra modern days enjoy the use of aluminum metals and tiles. That does not mean that any of these materials are not workable in any of your designs. It just means you should pick the material of the era as the primary focus point.
Step 5:
When deciding on your materials also keep the color and shades of those materials in mind. They should flow and compliment the overall décor of your room. Then that brings up the point of being flexible. You may love the style and color of your room accessories right now, but that could change 5 years down the road. You want your fireplace to be versatile enough that it will compliment what you buy in furniture and accessories as well as theme in the future.
How to design a fireplace is easy if you keep these six steps in mind. No doubt along the way you are going to reach a few obstacles or some difficult choices. Remember the real use of what you intend your fireplace to be and that should be your guide. If you are in doubt, you can always approach one of the many fireplace manufacturers and installers for advice. Finally, one last thought you must give to your fireplace-designing project is your budget and just how much do you want to spend.
|