A fireplace is one of the elements of an “expensive”, luxurious interior, although it used to be in every house. It seems that you can look at a burning fire forever. From ancient times people gathered near such a hearth to warm themselves, to cook food. In ancient times, houses were heated with fire, using it they made candles, soap, glass products, dyed fabrics, smoked fish, meat. Later, wealthy families even began to hire special people whose duties included maintaining the fire in the fireplace. The profession of stove-maker appeared - a man who builds fireplaces.
Now they are made and produced the most diverse, and fireplace decor is often done with their own hands. Certain types of construction not only warm, decorate the home, but are also able to heal the atmosphere of the room, if equipped with a special filter, decorated with elements of Himalayan salt.
Fireplaces differ from each other in the type of fuel used:
electric fireplaces;
wood burning;
alcohol;
peat;
gas.
Fireplaces on wood, like many others, are made with a closed or open firebox. It is better to lay such a hearth even at the stage of building a house - it is important to make a chimney correctly so that the wood does not burn through too quickly, smoke does not go into the room. In the closed glass door is made using a special technology that prevents the appearance of soot. It itself is made of brick, cast iron, faced with stone or wood.
Gas are connected to a cylinder or a separate gas pipe, operate on methane, propane-butane. They are noiseless, fireproof, and also require equipping a chimney. Electric ones are connected to the mains via a conventional outlet. In fact, this is an ordinary heater, but stylized as a fireplace. It quickly heats up, takes up no more space than a plasma TV, sometimes it is equipped with an air filter, he does not need a pipe. Biofireplaces work on alcohol or bioethanol. They heat small rooms well with "live" fire, almost not emitting harmful combustion products into the air. Peat is heated by briquettes or peat crumbs, coal.
There are also differences in the installation method:
built-in;
wall;
island, including suspended;
angular.
By the method of heat radiation, the design of the furnace itself is distinguished by one-sided, two-sided, and three-sided.
By appointment, fireplaces are divided into:
brick;
for barbecue;
stoves;
fake fireplaces;
street.
The design can be created in any shape - square, round, cylindrical, pyramidal, polygonal, etc., depending on the type of interior, the functions performed.
Styles and colors for decoration
The hearth is selected individually for a certain interior style - with the modern variety of all kinds of finishing materials, this is not as difficult as it seems.
What look like fireplaces made in various design options for premises:
classic - made U-shaped, has a massive structure, is made out of plaster bas-reliefs, columns, forged gratings made of cast iron, lined with natural stone;
country - has a D-shape, made of stone that retains heat well - shell rock or sandstone, the pipe is made out of plaster, the design looks very simple;
Art Nouveau - occupies space from floor to ceiling, has a square or rectangular shape, is performed in one-color, most often black, white or red, most often performs only a decorative function;
hi-tech - is made mainly of modern materials - glass, metal, periclase, concrete, etc., it is made of any shape, sometimes asymmetric, can be two or three-sided;
ecological - made of brick, decorated with natural wood, plaster, has a rough shape, usually installed in the garden;
Rococo - takes up a lot of space, gets off "antique", has multiple stucco molding, is decorated with mosaics, tiles, painted with gold.
Options for facing materials
Facing the fireplace can be anything - it all depends on the design idea. Since the standard design consists of a hearth and a portal, both elements are executed separately. Falshkin and electric consist of one portal, without a source. When choosing finishing materials, it is important to consider where the hearth is located - at home or on the street, for which interior it is made out.
The most important factors are:
flue material - when they are going to heat wood, the lining must withstand temperatures up to 900 degrees, but for oak wood it is required that it easily tolerate 1000 degrees, for other solid fuels - 1200;
location - if the summer terrace or garden is chosen as the installation site, frost-resistant cladding is needed, for the structure placed in the house and having an exclusively decorative purpose, any materials are suitable;
moisture resistance - when the room is not heated, non-moisture resistant materials quickly crack, exfoliate;
weight - for a heavy structure on the first floor of a private house an additional foundation is required, the second and higher floors a heavy fireplace simply can not stand it.
What make fireplaces:
a stone;
brick;
Himalayan salt;
drywall;
tiles;
tiled;
glass;
colored plaster;
a tree;
stucco molding;
paint;
foam blocks;
forged parts;
fiber cement panels;
sheet iron.
Not all types of finishes are suitable for a working, not a fake fireplace, so when buying this or that material, you should read the instructions.
A rock
It is considered the best solution for any style, all types of premises, garden design. This finish not only looks good, but also will be as durable as possible. High temperature, humidity is not afraid of her, but the weight of the fireplace is quite large. A large construction requires the manufacture of a separate foundation, which is made at least ten centimeters more than the base.
The following types of stone are commonly used:
marble;
travertine;
onyx;
malachite;
granite
coil;
sandstone;
talchochlorite.
Artificial stone weighs significantly less, looks like natural, is most often made of gypsum in combination with stone chips, pigments. It is easy to process, cuts well.Laying starts from the bottom corner after leveling the surface. But the fake stone of most types is not able to withstand high temperatures, high humidity - its suitability for certain works should be clarified upon purchase.
Tree
It is used to decorate electric and false fireplaces, as it can easily catch fire. For rooms with high humidity, it is also not suitable - it cracks, deforms. Care for wooden surfaces is necessary constant, otherwise they will quickly lose their normal appearance. The material is impregnated with special compounds that prevent mold, damage by insects, rodents, covered with stain, varnish.
The following wood species are most popular:
oak, beech;
nut;
cherry;
mahogany;
rosewood;
pine, spruce;
Karelian birch;
maple.
Such a hearth has a beautiful texture, becoming a unique interior item, is decorated with carvings, volumetric chiseled elements, and inlay.
Tile
Ceramic tiles for decoration are used quite often - a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, drawings allows you to design it with the design of most of the currently known styles. Before installation, the surface is carefully leveled, and the solution is made as homogeneous as possible - if a pebble or debris falls under one of the tiles, it will lie unevenly, which will significantly spoil the appearance. Next, the marking of the machined surface. Details require a quality fit, and various types of tiles are fixed using solutions of different compositions. For some types of interior, a rectangular tile imitating red, white or multi-colored bricks is suitable.
Tiles
The most luxurious interiors are decorated with tiles. Once upon a time, palaces, temples, and houses of wealthy residents of large cities were decorated like this. The material contains terracotta clay, which is suitable for all types of fireplace, but the real ones should have a cast iron firebox.Elements are produced glazed, shiny, as if from glass and without glaze - resembling simple clay dishes. According to the stylistic design, tiles are vintage, modern, classic, etc., have high decorativeness, sufficient durability.
Plaster
Decorative plaster is easily applied independently, but in order for the structure to look neat, preliminary surface leveling and soil coating are required. Often used several types of plasters of various colors, and strokes are performed randomly. The material does not withstand excessively high temperatures, therefore it is used for fake fireplaces or those that are heated only occasionally by non-solid materials.
Stucco molding
Stucco molding is made of gypsum or expanded polystyrene. The latter option is only suitable for electric fireplaces or their imitation. Columns, half-columns, rosettes, niches, pilasters, corners, openwork details, etc. are made. Entire stucco bas-reliefs are sometimes made, depicting various scenes that are later painted with special paints or left white.
Steel and forging
Cast iron and steel elements, accessories are suitable for all types of structures. Doors, grates, the entire fireplace are made of metal - the high temperature is not afraid of him, and the anticorrosion coating will protect against high humidity. Real fireplaces with a "live" fire are also equipped with forged poker, tongs, a dustpan, a stand for firewood. Patterns or whole plot canvases on the doors, the screen are performed using plasma cutting or are also forged by the master manually for the order.
Most often on the doors depict:
contours of animals, birds, fish;
silhouettes of people;
geometric figures;
subjects from literary works;
urban, rural landscapes;
musical instruments, notes.
Of the minuses of such a finish, a high cost is noted, since almost all the decor is done manually or using an expensive laser device.
Refractory coating
The fireplace, decorated with glass elements, fits perfectly into any modern interior.Refractory glass is used - withstanding up to 1000 degrees, coated with a special composition that prevents the appearance of soot. It reflects part of the thermal radiation inside the structure; it is smooth, convex, and may have patterns. Such a fireplace warms up the room slowly, but you can look at the fire close, without fear that the spark will fall on clothes, furniture, carpet. Heat-resistant paints are also used here. They have an organosilicon base, after application they form a protective film on the surface, which withstands temperatures up to 650 degrees. Before painting, the treated plane is leveled, cleaned of grease, old plaster. After painting with a brush, spray cans, hand-painted.
Decor around the fireplace and adjacent wall
It is important to fit any fireplace beautifully into the interior, to originally equip the space around it. The place near the fireplace is decorated in several ways above it:
fresh flowers in pots, flower pots - they are placed on the mantelpiece or next to it, the most heat-loving are chosen;
dry bouquets, wreaths - you must make sure that they are located out of the reach of the fire;
wire - for an artificial fireplace, a grate is made from it, which is painted with various colors;
polyurethane is an imitation of stucco molding for walls, various patterns "antique";
mirror - it is placed on the wall or attached to the mantelpiece;
candles - thick candles are placed inside the false fireplace, which can be scented;
photographs in frames, souvenirs, figurines - they are placed on a shelf above the fireplace, in niches on the wall;
murals - they are pasted behind the structure, the fireplace is located on their background;
a picture inside - portals of electric fireplaces are sometimes decorated with images that periodically replace each other;
embroidered panels, knitted toys;
paintings within.
Design Ideas for Holidays and Other Events
It’s easy to decorate even the simplest fireplace with improvised materials, for this usually does not require any special knowledge or skills. For each holiday, a different kind of decor is selected, which changes when the event has already ended or another time is right. For example, on Valentine's Day the design is decorated with a bunch of hearts, a panel with declarations of love, for Halloween - with a pumpkin with slits in the shape of a face, with a lit candle inside. By March 8 or February 23, the corresponding numbers are made from improvised materials, decoration is carried out in red-pink or blue-blue colors. Graduation from a university or other educational institution, access to a well-deserved rest, housewarming, birth of a baby is decorated depending on the tastes of the hero of the occasion or his relatives.
To the wedding
White candles in candelabra, porcelain pigeons, paper hearts and flowers will make the holiday luxurious. The fireplace itself symbolizes the hearth, a good idea would be to make it the center of the wedding interior. Often used are bouquets of white roses, polystyrene crafts, light garlands of paper, photos of newlyweds, panels with their names, pastel-colored ribbons with wishes of happiness written on them.
Happy birthday
A photo or a whole series of photos of the birthday person will be located on the mantelpiece, next to his favorite drinks. A garland of paper colored flags, aluminum foil, many balloons, and congratulations over the fireplace will immediately create a sense of celebration. Decorative candles, flowers, soft toys, items related to the activities of the congratulated will be an original addition. Colorful postcards will also decorate the interior.
To spring
Spring fills the house with freshness, because the spring-summer hearth is decorated with primroses in vases, tulips or daffodils grown independently in pots by fluffy willow branches, artificial plants, wreaths of herbs.A birdhouse, bird figures, photographs of awakening nature are placed on the mantelpiece, next to it is a beautiful garden tool. Decorating the fireplace with small panels of wood slices, with images of blossoming sakura, willow twigs will create an organic interior. For summer design, a nautical theme with shells, models of sailboats, photos of sunsets over water is suitable.
For Christmas and New Year
Decorations of spruce, pine branches will come in handy for the New Year holiday. They are decorated with Christmas toys, painted cones, foam snow, gold spray paint. Led garlands and tinsel are placed around the perimeter, baskets are placed on the shelves, tangerines and candies are placed there, decorative socks are hung above the hearth, in which Santa Claus should put gifts. Bright cardboard boxes are placed on a shelf or side by side, paper stars, snowflakes, Christmas angels complete the picture.
By Easter
An indispensable attribute of this celebration is the egg. Painted chicken or home-made foam eggs in wicker baskets from newspapers or newspapers are placed on the mantelpiece, there are Easter cakes, Easter rabbits, porcelain angels, and spring greens in vases. Paper and fabric garlands with eggs, colored cardboard decorations, textile balls, embroidered elements complete the interior.
Conclusion
The hearth is rightfully considered the main symbol of a strong family, wealth in the house. Once with his help they heated a house, prepared food. Now, such an object performs primarily a decorative function, and therefore it is made very beautiful, it is selected individually for various types of interiors. Many owners of this fireplace do the decor of the fireplace with their own hands - various master classes on this topic are posted on the Internet daily, and some owners even turn to professionals for help.
A fireplace is one of the elements of an “expensive”, luxurious interior, although it used to be in every house. It seems that you can look at a burning fire forever. From ancient times people gathered near such a hearth to warm themselves, to cook food. In ancient times, houses were heated with fire, using it they made candles, soap, glass products, dyed fabrics, smoked fish, meat. Later, wealthy families even began to hire special people whose duties included maintaining the fire in the fireplace. The profession of stove-maker appeared - a man who builds fireplaces.
Now they are made and produced the most diverse, and fireplace decor is often done with their own hands. Certain types of construction not only warm, decorate the home, but are also able to heal the atmosphere of the room, if equipped with a special filter, decorated with elements of Himalayan salt.
Content
Types of Fireplaces
Fireplaces differ from each other in the type of fuel used:
Fireplaces on wood, like many others, are made with a closed or open firebox. It is better to lay such a hearth even at the stage of building a house - it is important to make a chimney correctly so that the wood does not burn through too quickly, smoke does not go into the room. In the closed glass door is made using a special technology that prevents the appearance of soot. It itself is made of brick, cast iron, faced with stone or wood.
Gas are connected to a cylinder or a separate gas pipe, operate on methane, propane-butane. They are noiseless, fireproof, and also require equipping a chimney. Electric ones are connected to the mains via a conventional outlet. In fact, this is an ordinary heater, but stylized as a fireplace. It quickly heats up, takes up no more space than a plasma TV, sometimes it is equipped with an air filter, he does not need a pipe. Biofireplaces work on alcohol or bioethanol. They heat small rooms well with "live" fire, almost not emitting harmful combustion products into the air. Peat is heated by briquettes or peat crumbs, coal.
There are also differences in the installation method:
By the method of heat radiation, the design of the furnace itself is distinguished by one-sided, two-sided, and three-sided.
By appointment, fireplaces are divided into:
Styles and colors for decoration
The hearth is selected individually for a certain interior style - with the modern variety of all kinds of finishing materials, this is not as difficult as it seems.
What look like fireplaces made in various design options for premises:
Options for facing materials
Facing the fireplace can be anything - it all depends on the design idea. Since the standard design consists of a hearth and a portal, both elements are executed separately. Falshkin and electric consist of one portal, without a source. When choosing finishing materials, it is important to consider where the hearth is located - at home or on the street, for which interior it is made out.
The most important factors are:
What make fireplaces:
A rock
It is considered the best solution for any style, all types of premises, garden design. This finish not only looks good, but also will be as durable as possible. High temperature, humidity is not afraid of her, but the weight of the fireplace is quite large. A large construction requires the manufacture of a separate foundation, which is made at least ten centimeters more than the base.
The following types of stone are commonly used:
Artificial stone weighs significantly less, looks like natural, is most often made of gypsum in combination with stone chips, pigments. It is easy to process, cuts well.Laying starts from the bottom corner after leveling the surface. But the fake stone of most types is not able to withstand high temperatures, high humidity - its suitability for certain works should be clarified upon purchase.
Tree
It is used to decorate electric and false fireplaces, as it can easily catch fire. For rooms with high humidity, it is also not suitable - it cracks, deforms. Care for wooden surfaces is necessary constant, otherwise they will quickly lose their normal appearance. The material is impregnated with special compounds that prevent mold, damage by insects, rodents, covered with stain, varnish.
The following wood species are most popular:
Such a hearth has a beautiful texture, becoming a unique interior item, is decorated with carvings, volumetric chiseled elements, and inlay.
Tile
Ceramic tiles for decoration are used quite often - a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, drawings allows you to design it with the design of most of the currently known styles. Before installation, the surface is carefully leveled, and the solution is made as homogeneous as possible - if a pebble or debris falls under one of the tiles, it will lie unevenly, which will significantly spoil the appearance. Next, the marking of the machined surface. Details require a quality fit, and various types of tiles are fixed using solutions of different compositions. For some types of interior, a rectangular tile imitating red, white or multi-colored bricks is suitable.
Tiles
The most luxurious interiors are decorated with tiles. Once upon a time, palaces, temples, and houses of wealthy residents of large cities were decorated like this. The material contains terracotta clay, which is suitable for all types of fireplace, but the real ones should have a cast iron firebox.Elements are produced glazed, shiny, as if from glass and without glaze - resembling simple clay dishes. According to the stylistic design, tiles are vintage, modern, classic, etc., have high decorativeness, sufficient durability.
Plaster
Decorative plaster is easily applied independently, but in order for the structure to look neat, preliminary surface leveling and soil coating are required. Often used several types of plasters of various colors, and strokes are performed randomly. The material does not withstand excessively high temperatures, therefore it is used for fake fireplaces or those that are heated only occasionally by non-solid materials.
Stucco molding
Stucco molding is made of gypsum or expanded polystyrene. The latter option is only suitable for electric fireplaces or their imitation. Columns, half-columns, rosettes, niches, pilasters, corners, openwork details, etc. are made. Entire stucco bas-reliefs are sometimes made, depicting various scenes that are later painted with special paints or left white.
Steel and forging
Cast iron and steel elements, accessories are suitable for all types of structures. Doors, grates, the entire fireplace are made of metal - the high temperature is not afraid of him, and the anticorrosion coating will protect against high humidity. Real fireplaces with a "live" fire are also equipped with forged poker, tongs, a dustpan, a stand for firewood. Patterns or whole plot canvases on the doors, the screen are performed using plasma cutting or are also forged by the master manually for the order.
Most often on the doors depict:
Of the minuses of such a finish, a high cost is noted, since almost all the decor is done manually or using an expensive laser device.
Refractory coating
The fireplace, decorated with glass elements, fits perfectly into any modern interior.Refractory glass is used - withstanding up to 1000 degrees, coated with a special composition that prevents the appearance of soot. It reflects part of the thermal radiation inside the structure; it is smooth, convex, and may have patterns. Such a fireplace warms up the room slowly, but you can look at the fire close, without fear that the spark will fall on clothes, furniture, carpet.
Heat-resistant paints are also used here. They have an organosilicon base, after application they form a protective film on the surface, which withstands temperatures up to 650 degrees. Before painting, the treated plane is leveled, cleaned of grease, old plaster. After painting with a brush, spray cans, hand-painted.
Decor around the fireplace and adjacent wall
It is important to fit any fireplace beautifully into the interior, to originally equip the space around it.
The place near the fireplace is decorated in several ways above it:
Design Ideas for Holidays and Other Events
It’s easy to decorate even the simplest fireplace with improvised materials, for this usually does not require any special knowledge or skills. For each holiday, a different kind of decor is selected, which changes when the event has already ended or another time is right. For example, on Valentine's Day the design is decorated with a bunch of hearts, a panel with declarations of love, for Halloween - with a pumpkin with slits in the shape of a face, with a lit candle inside. By March 8 or February 23, the corresponding numbers are made from improvised materials, decoration is carried out in red-pink or blue-blue colors. Graduation from a university or other educational institution, access to a well-deserved rest, housewarming, birth of a baby is decorated depending on the tastes of the hero of the occasion or his relatives.
To the wedding
White candles in candelabra, porcelain pigeons, paper hearts and flowers will make the holiday luxurious. The fireplace itself symbolizes the hearth, a good idea would be to make it the center of the wedding interior. Often used are bouquets of white roses, polystyrene crafts, light garlands of paper, photos of newlyweds, panels with their names, pastel-colored ribbons with wishes of happiness written on them.
Happy birthday
A photo or a whole series of photos of the birthday person will be located on the mantelpiece, next to his favorite drinks. A garland of paper colored flags, aluminum foil, many balloons, and congratulations over the fireplace will immediately create a sense of celebration. Decorative candles, flowers, soft toys, items related to the activities of the congratulated will be an original addition. Colorful postcards will also decorate the interior.
To spring
Spring fills the house with freshness, because the spring-summer hearth is decorated with primroses in vases, tulips or daffodils grown independently in pots by fluffy willow branches, artificial plants, wreaths of herbs.A birdhouse, bird figures, photographs of awakening nature are placed on the mantelpiece, next to it is a beautiful garden tool. Decorating the fireplace with small panels of wood slices, with images of blossoming sakura, willow twigs will create an organic interior. For summer design, a nautical theme with shells, models of sailboats, photos of sunsets over water is suitable.
For Christmas and New Year
Decorations of spruce, pine branches will come in handy for the New Year holiday. They are decorated with Christmas toys, painted cones, foam snow, gold spray paint. Led garlands and tinsel are placed around the perimeter, baskets are placed on the shelves, tangerines and candies are placed there, decorative socks are hung above the hearth, in which Santa Claus should put gifts. Bright cardboard boxes are placed on a shelf or side by side, paper stars, snowflakes, Christmas angels complete the picture.
By Easter
An indispensable attribute of this celebration is the egg. Painted chicken or home-made foam eggs in wicker baskets from newspapers or newspapers are placed on the mantelpiece, there are Easter cakes, Easter rabbits, porcelain angels, and spring greens in vases. Paper and fabric garlands with eggs, colored cardboard decorations, textile balls, embroidered elements complete the interior.
Conclusion
The hearth is rightfully considered the main symbol of a strong family, wealth in the house. Once with his help they heated a house, prepared food. Now, such an object performs primarily a decorative function, and therefore it is made very beautiful, it is selected individually for various types of interiors. Many owners of this fireplace do the decor of the fireplace with their own hands - various master classes on this topic are posted on the Internet daily, and some owners even turn to professionals for help.