Despite the urbanistic motifs that literally permeate modern styles, a person still has a craving for natural, and sometimes even primitive elements. This type of decor includes fireplaces. Their first prototypes appeared in the Stone Age, when a person learned to get and maintain fire. The ancient "fireplaces" were open hearths, the flame of which was maintained for heating and cooking. In those days, these elements did not carry any decorative function. The way of life and the constant struggle for survival did not leave the ancient people time to admire the beautiful. When the dwellings began to take on a more “civilian" appearance, stoves began to be installed in them. At first they were built of stone, but already had primitive chimneys, which allowed to save the room from smoke and soot. Then, more modern bricks were used for stoves, and fireplaces began to decorate expensive apartments. During the Renaissance, they began to be trimmed with marble and decorated with mosaics. In large castles and fireplaces installed appropriate.Rumor has it that in the Middle Ages at knights' feasts they boiled whole boars on a spit.
Then, more and more attention began to be paid to the decoration of fireplaces, their appearance and selection of accessories. The kit for the warm "heart" of the house began to include elegant forks for tedding coal, neat tongs and a dustpan with a brush for removing ash. Perhaps the "memory" of the ancestors is having an effect, but the fire continues to fascinate the person with the wild dance of the "reeds", and the crackling of firewood calms better pills from nerves. Fireplaces are associated with homeliness and comfort. In any room, the highlight of the interior will be the decorative “stove”. Installing it in a private house is much easier than in a city apartment. However, this does not mean at all that residents of megacities will have to abandon the idea. There are a number of ways to create fake fireplaces, a similar imitation acts solely as a decor. It is believed that the word "room" came from the fireplace, as it meant a heated room where the whole family was going. The focus has preserved this ability to unite people to the present day. A decorative fireplace in the apartment plays the role of the conditional center of a room of any type. We will get acquainted with the simplest and most popular ways of making them yourself, and also find out which materials are preferable to use.
In apartment conditions, there is usually no opportunity to install a full-fledged fireplace: a large load on the floors, nowhere to hold the chimney, nowhere to store fuel. In addition, it is unlikely that anyone will dare to turn modern housing into a repository of bundles of firewood and buckets of coal.An open flame in the room is also dangerous, especially since not only the owners of the room are at risk, but also all residents of the apartment building. In such cases, they use available analogues - bio-, electric fireplaces and gas-powered models. A full-fledged construction will inevitably be associated with additional costs, and the budget option will cope with the main task - decorating the room, but as a result it will be inexpensive. A similar element will fit organically into the interior, since the models differ not only in size and materials, but also in performance styles.
Varieties of decorative fireplaces
There are three main types of decorative fireplaces and one separate view:
Biofireplaces. They work on special fuel, give a "live" fire and partially heat the room.
Electric fireplaces. On the front panel, a screen is installed, as in a TV that imitates the flames of a real flame. Conventionally, they are classified into simulations that give heat, and functional fireplaces that are used exclusively for heating. The second models are usually not designed to decorate a room, therefore they are not considered as a design art object.
Gas fireplaces. They have real flame, they are used for additional heating of the room.
Decorative constructions that are made by yourself. Imitation of fire is achieved through the use of candles or bulbs. Most models do not heat the room. In some cases, eco-fireplaces are installed in an impromptu hearth.
By location, decorative fireplaces are classified into three types:
Central. Set in the middle of the room;
Corner Convenient for decorating small rooms, as they do not take up much space;
Wall. They are located near one of the walls. This type is considered the most popular.
Electric fireplaces in the interior of the apartment
Electric fireplaces according to the type of installation are divided into three types:
Floor standing.A portable installation is a conventional electric furnace, which is stylized as a fireplace.
Outboard. A relatively new model that is hung on the wall. Such options organically fit into modern styles: neoclassic, modern, high-tech, minimalism.
Recessed. They consist of a hearth and a “portal” - a box that mimics the original fireplace. Models are embedded in special niches in the wall or even furniture. It is almost impossible to distinguish them from the original at first glance.
Electric fireplaces do not need constant cleaning, they do not give smoke and soot. Compared to their gas "relatives", these models are safe to operate, since they do not have a "live" fire. Models equipped with screens boast an image of a dynamically moving flame.
Biofireplaces in the interior
Bio or eco fireplaces have become a real fashion trend in recent years. They do not imitate flame, but give real fire. The combustion process is not accompanied by the release of odor, smoke and soot, that is, no by-products are released into the air. A similar wonderful effect is achieved through the use of a special type of liquid fuel - denatured ethanol. During combustion, it releases water vapor and carbon dioxide. Both substances are absolutely safe for humans. The hearth is located in a reliably protected "nest" made of stainless steel, and the intensity of the flame is regulated at will. The range is rich and presented as models with glass panels and wood elements in the best traditions of eco-style, as well as antique versions. Prices for such equipment have so far “bit” the wallets of customers. The constant purchase of fuel cans will also entail additional costs, although ethanol is a renewable resource. Biofireplaces are universal and able to decorate the decoration of the kitchen, living room or bedroom.
Gas fireplaces: live fire in the urban interior
Gas fireplaces at one time replaced wood burning.These units can not be called cheap, as they themselves, and their installation will be fraught with high costs. It is more convenient to install such models in apartments where central gas heating is supplied. Otherwise, you will have to additionally purchase fuel in cylinders, and they, in turn, must be stored somewhere. The design of the fireplace includes a firebox and a chimney, and there is no ash pan as unnecessary. Gas fireplaces are classified into closed and open types. In the first case, the flame flames up behind the partition of refractory glass. The requirements for a gas model chimney are less stringent than for wood-burning fireplaces: it can be narrower and have fewer “knees”. The device perfectly heats the room. Actual use of them in apartments where conventional batteries can not cope with the main task. There is also another classification according to the number of glass walls:
One sided. The traditional model, where you can observe the flame only from the front;
Bilateral. Usually these are corner options equipped with two glass walls;
Tripartite. Wall-mounted or central models built into a decorative column that are open to view from three angles.
Gas fireplaces do not require constant fuel tossing, but its imitation usually decorates the hearth to create a greater resemblance to a wood original.
It is necessary to operate gas models with greater caution than electric ones, since the former create a "live" fire. Before turning on the equipment, you must read the instructions for use.
False fireplaces
An exciting process will be the creation of an exclusive fireplace on their own. In modern design, such interior solutions are often found. You can make them from drywall, decorative brick, plywood, polystyrene, polyurethane or a simple cardboard box. Imitation of course has two drawbacks:
Visually you will not confuse it with the original, but a quality-made thing will be beautiful in its uniqueness.
The false fireplace is not suitable for heating the room. It is set solely for beauty. Imitations are made quickly enough, if the “box” is made qualitatively, then the decor will last for more than one year. Also false models are classified into three types:
Actual. The most authentic imitate the original. Usually performed in a classic style with stucco or artificial stone. A smaller burner or eco-fireplace is installed in the hearth - a rather expensive option.
Actual without heating. In fact, they are life-size models. To simulate the flame use candles.
Conditional. They can be made of any improvised materials. Even foci painted on the wall belong to this type, as in the fairy tale about Pinocchio.
Do-it-yourself decorative false fireplace
To make an imitation is quite realistic on your own. If you do not have building skills, then resort to the simplest options, work on which is more related to needlework. By the way, such a piece of furniture is able to hide obvious wall defects, they just close them. If there is a niche in the room, then it is used as a natural recess for arranging a false center. Since such models do not require additional installation of the chimney and are small in size, they can be built and installed even in bay windows. The role of the mantelpiece will be performed by the decorated window sill. Consider step-by-step master classes where they work with different materials.
Drywall
You can make a drywall fireplace in a couple of days. Before performing basic work, it is necessary to prepare a project: draw a future product on a piece of paper, having worked out all the little things. Some go further and make cardboard mockups to visually evaluate the appearance and make adjustments if necessary.A place under the future fireplace is freed from furniture and begin to create a frame. They make it from metal or wooden bars. Then plasterboard sheets are cut into modules of the required size. They are attached to the frame and primed so that the cladding is better laid on the surface. The final stage is decorative decoration. Any materials can be used here: from polystyrene to artificial stone. Widely practiced the use of imitation bricks with stucco elements. Such fireplaces will believably portray the classics of the genre: wood originals that were used in the last century.
Out of a cardboard box
When choosing a box, they are guided by its dimensions and cardboard thickness. The denser the material, the longer the design will last. On the wall of the box, which will be the front, a contour of the future focus is applied with a pencil. It can be square, semicircular or combined. The excess part is cut out, but in such a way that gaps remain on the front sidewalls and the "ceiling" part. They must be bent inward and glued to a double-sided tape. Only in this case, the contours of the focus will get a neat appearance. If you plan to create a complex relief on the surface, then other smaller boxes will help in this, from which the necessary elements are cut. After the cardboard frame is ready, it is decorated. Since cardboard is not particularly strong, it is not necessary to clad the structure with heavy finishing materials. The best option is foam. Using a stationery knife, a soldering iron and paint, you can create a high-quality imitation of brickwork. The inner back wall of the focus is painted over in black. The decoration is completed by laying the slides of real little creatures. Putting candles inside the structure is not recommended. Such a fireplace is good for its mobility, if necessary, it is transferred to another place.
When heating the foam with a soldering iron, the material emits toxic substances, work outdoors.The surface can only be coated with water-based paint, and attached with glue without acetone in the composition. Polyfoam melts on contact with aggressive chemistry.
Made of bricks
Although the design cannot be used for its intended purpose, it is monumental. Brick fireplaces perfectly imitate real ones, but have neither a chimney nor an ash pan. Keep in mind that this interior element can already be moved, so you should decide on a place to place it beforehand. To create such a decor, cement mortar and brick itself will be required. The work is carried out by analogy with the construction of walls. For decorating a fireplace, ceramic tiles are usually used, which tightly fastens to the surface. Candles are lit in the hearth or light bulbs are installed, as the material is not afraid of real fire.
Polyurethane
A polyurethane fireplace will last a long time and you won’t be afraid of it with mechanical damages. The material will withstand “blows of fate” in the face of random kicks or heavy objects falling on it. When heated, it does not burn, but melts, so the focus will be of a purely nominal nature. The fireplace is made by the analog of drywall, but without a frame. It is better to fasten the modules with self-tapping screws, rather than glue, because sooner or later the parts can simply “fall off” from the structure. The main advantage of the material can be considered a variety of forms of its surfaces. The finished fireplace can have many bends and neat details that mimic stucco molding. Finish the work by painting the structure in the desired color. Usually choose a shade in harmony with the rest of the interior.
From laminated boards
Perhaps the most difficult to work with this material will be to cut it into modules. For these purposes, hacksaws and saws with small teeth are used, and the plates are held at a certain angle to facilitate the process. Creating a fireplace from this material is similar to making a drywall product.The frame is installed at will, if it still will be, then the design will gain additional strength. During the final design, the boards are painted or pasted with foam that mimics brick or stone.
What to put inside
Inside they put candles, electric lamps or “bare” lamps, miniature eco-fireplaces. The latter option will require additional costs, since the equipment still belongs to the category of expensive. The meaning in such a combination is only in those cases when the bio-fireplace is small and looks too modern for the interior in one of the classic styles. Decorative “box” will correct the situation. Candles can only be placed in the hearths of brick fireplaces. Models made of other materials can cause a fire in direct contact with the fire. The best solution is electric light, but even with it you should be careful. Keep the bulbs away from the walls of the hearth, since when they are turned on for a long time, they tend to heat up and can passively affect temperature-sensitive materials.
Decoration of false fireplaces
When decorating, the following tools are used:
Paper and cardboard. Suitable for those who know how to draw;
Wallpaper. Cheap and practical material;
The cloth. A non-trivial option that emphasizes the “artificiality" of imitation;
Wood veneer. Lightweight material that does not make the structure heavier and gives it a neat appearance;
Styrofoam. Malleable, therefore, with the help of a soldering iron, an original relief is easily created;
Artificial stone or brick. Suitable for false fireplaces with a "claim" to the maximum resemblance to the original.
This list is not final, since any of the materials at hand can become part of the design. All that is required is fantasy.
Conclusion
The living fire in the house will become the attractive center of the room in which the family and guests will gather. Unconsciously, a person is drawn to heat and to the tongues of flame that give it.The sense of comfort by designers is achieved in various ways, but the most “true” is the arrangement of the hearth in the room. He can "grow" the environment from any interior, but will remain an independent element outside his framework.
Despite the urbanistic motifs that literally permeate modern styles, a person still has a craving for natural, and sometimes even primitive elements. This type of decor includes fireplaces. Their first prototypes appeared in the Stone Age, when a person learned to get and maintain fire. The ancient "fireplaces" were open hearths, the flame of which was maintained for heating and cooking. In those days, these elements did not carry any decorative function. The way of life and the constant struggle for survival did not leave the ancient people time to admire the beautiful. When the dwellings began to take on a more “civilian" appearance, stoves began to be installed in them. At first they were built of stone, but already had primitive chimneys, which allowed to save the room from smoke and soot. Then, more modern bricks were used for stoves, and fireplaces began to decorate expensive apartments. During the Renaissance, they began to be trimmed with marble and decorated with mosaics. In large castles and fireplaces installed appropriate.Rumor has it that in the Middle Ages at knights' feasts they boiled whole boars on a spit.
Then, more and more attention began to be paid to the decoration of fireplaces, their appearance and selection of accessories. The kit for the warm "heart" of the house began to include elegant forks for tedding coal, neat tongs and a dustpan with a brush for removing ash. Perhaps the "memory" of the ancestors is having an effect, but the fire continues to fascinate the person with the wild dance of the "reeds", and the crackling of firewood calms better pills from nerves. Fireplaces are associated with homeliness and comfort. In any room, the highlight of the interior will be the decorative “stove”. Installing it in a private house is much easier than in a city apartment. However, this does not mean at all that residents of megacities will have to abandon the idea. There are a number of ways to create fake fireplaces, a similar imitation acts solely as a decor. It is believed that the word "room" came from the fireplace, as it meant a heated room where the whole family was going. The focus has preserved this ability to unite people to the present day. A decorative fireplace in the apartment plays the role of the conditional center of a room of any type. We will get acquainted with the simplest and most popular ways of making them yourself, and also find out which materials are preferable to use.
Content
What is a decorative fireplace?
In apartment conditions, there is usually no opportunity to install a full-fledged fireplace: a large load on the floors, nowhere to hold the chimney, nowhere to store fuel. In addition, it is unlikely that anyone will dare to turn modern housing into a repository of bundles of firewood and buckets of coal.An open flame in the room is also dangerous, especially since not only the owners of the room are at risk, but also all residents of the apartment building. In such cases, they use available analogues - bio-, electric fireplaces and gas-powered models. A full-fledged construction will inevitably be associated with additional costs, and the budget option will cope with the main task - decorating the room, but as a result it will be inexpensive. A similar element will fit organically into the interior, since the models differ not only in size and materials, but also in performance styles.
Varieties of decorative fireplaces
There are three main types of decorative fireplaces and one separate view:
By location, decorative fireplaces are classified into three types:
Electric fireplaces in the interior of the apartment
Electric fireplaces according to the type of installation are divided into three types:
Electric fireplaces do not need constant cleaning, they do not give smoke and soot. Compared to their gas "relatives", these models are safe to operate, since they do not have a "live" fire. Models equipped with screens boast an image of a dynamically moving flame.
Biofireplaces in the interior
Bio or eco fireplaces have become a real fashion trend in recent years. They do not imitate flame, but give real fire. The combustion process is not accompanied by the release of odor, smoke and soot, that is, no by-products are released into the air. A similar wonderful effect is achieved through the use of a special type of liquid fuel - denatured ethanol. During combustion, it releases water vapor and carbon dioxide. Both substances are absolutely safe for humans. The hearth is located in a reliably protected "nest" made of stainless steel, and the intensity of the flame is regulated at will. The range is rich and presented as models with glass panels and wood elements in the best traditions of eco-style, as well as antique versions. Prices for such equipment have so far “bit” the wallets of customers. The constant purchase of fuel cans will also entail additional costs, although ethanol is a renewable resource. Biofireplaces are universal and able to decorate the decoration of the kitchen, living room or bedroom.
Gas fireplaces: live fire in the urban interior
Gas fireplaces at one time replaced wood burning.These units can not be called cheap, as they themselves, and their installation will be fraught with high costs. It is more convenient to install such models in apartments where central gas heating is supplied. Otherwise, you will have to additionally purchase fuel in cylinders, and they, in turn, must be stored somewhere. The design of the fireplace includes a firebox and a chimney, and there is no ash pan as unnecessary. Gas fireplaces are classified into closed and open types. In the first case, the flame flames up behind the partition of refractory glass. The requirements for a gas model chimney are less stringent than for wood-burning fireplaces: it can be narrower and have fewer “knees”. The device perfectly heats the room. Actual use of them in apartments where conventional batteries can not cope with the main task. There is also another classification according to the number of glass walls:
Gas fireplaces do not require constant fuel tossing, but its imitation usually decorates the hearth to create a greater resemblance to a wood original.
False fireplaces
An exciting process will be the creation of an exclusive fireplace on their own. In modern design, such interior solutions are often found. You can make them from drywall, decorative brick, plywood, polystyrene, polyurethane or a simple cardboard box. Imitation of course has two drawbacks:
Imitations are made quickly enough, if the “box” is made qualitatively, then the decor will last for more than one year. Also false models are classified into three types:
Do-it-yourself decorative false fireplace
To make an imitation is quite realistic on your own. If you do not have building skills, then resort to the simplest options, work on which is more related to needlework. By the way, such a piece of furniture is able to hide obvious wall defects, they just close them. If there is a niche in the room, then it is used as a natural recess for arranging a false center. Since such models do not require additional installation of the chimney and are small in size, they can be built and installed even in bay windows. The role of the mantelpiece will be performed by the decorated window sill. Consider step-by-step master classes where they work with different materials.
Drywall
You can make a drywall fireplace in a couple of days. Before performing basic work, it is necessary to prepare a project: draw a future product on a piece of paper, having worked out all the little things. Some go further and make cardboard mockups to visually evaluate the appearance and make adjustments if necessary.A place under the future fireplace is freed from furniture and begin to create a frame. They make it from metal or wooden bars. Then plasterboard sheets are cut into modules of the required size. They are attached to the frame and primed so that the cladding is better laid on the surface. The final stage is decorative decoration. Any materials can be used here: from polystyrene to artificial stone. Widely practiced the use of imitation bricks with stucco elements. Such fireplaces will believably portray the classics of the genre: wood originals that were used in the last century.
Out of a cardboard box
When choosing a box, they are guided by its dimensions and cardboard thickness. The denser the material, the longer the design will last. On the wall of the box, which will be the front, a contour of the future focus is applied with a pencil. It can be square, semicircular or combined. The excess part is cut out, but in such a way that gaps remain on the front sidewalls and the "ceiling" part. They must be bent inward and glued to a double-sided tape. Only in this case, the contours of the focus will get a neat appearance. If you plan to create a complex relief on the surface, then other smaller boxes will help in this, from which the necessary elements are cut. After the cardboard frame is ready, it is decorated. Since cardboard is not particularly strong, it is not necessary to clad the structure with heavy finishing materials. The best option is foam. Using a stationery knife, a soldering iron and paint, you can create a high-quality imitation of brickwork. The inner back wall of the focus is painted over in black. The decoration is completed by laying the slides of real little creatures. Putting candles inside the structure is not recommended. Such a fireplace is good for its mobility, if necessary, it is transferred to another place.
Made of bricks
Although the design cannot be used for its intended purpose, it is monumental. Brick fireplaces perfectly imitate real ones, but have neither a chimney nor an ash pan. Keep in mind that this interior element can already be moved, so you should decide on a place to place it beforehand. To create such a decor, cement mortar and brick itself will be required. The work is carried out by analogy with the construction of walls. For decorating a fireplace, ceramic tiles are usually used, which tightly fastens to the surface. Candles are lit in the hearth or light bulbs are installed, as the material is not afraid of real fire.
Polyurethane
A polyurethane fireplace will last a long time and you won’t be afraid of it with mechanical damages. The material will withstand “blows of fate” in the face of random kicks or heavy objects falling on it. When heated, it does not burn, but melts, so the focus will be of a purely nominal nature. The fireplace is made by the analog of drywall, but without a frame. It is better to fasten the modules with self-tapping screws, rather than glue, because sooner or later the parts can simply “fall off” from the structure. The main advantage of the material can be considered a variety of forms of its surfaces. The finished fireplace can have many bends and neat details that mimic stucco molding. Finish the work by painting the structure in the desired color. Usually choose a shade in harmony with the rest of the interior.
From laminated boards
Perhaps the most difficult to work with this material will be to cut it into modules. For these purposes, hacksaws and saws with small teeth are used, and the plates are held at a certain angle to facilitate the process. Creating a fireplace from this material is similar to making a drywall product.The frame is installed at will, if it still will be, then the design will gain additional strength. During the final design, the boards are painted or pasted with foam that mimics brick or stone.
What to put inside
Inside they put candles, electric lamps or “bare” lamps, miniature eco-fireplaces. The latter option will require additional costs, since the equipment still belongs to the category of expensive. The meaning in such a combination is only in those cases when the bio-fireplace is small and looks too modern for the interior in one of the classic styles. Decorative “box” will correct the situation. Candles can only be placed in the hearths of brick fireplaces. Models made of other materials can cause a fire in direct contact with the fire. The best solution is electric light, but even with it you should be careful. Keep the bulbs away from the walls of the hearth, since when they are turned on for a long time, they tend to heat up and can passively affect temperature-sensitive materials.
Decoration of false fireplaces
When decorating, the following tools are used:
This list is not final, since any of the materials at hand can become part of the design. All that is required is fantasy.
Conclusion
The living fire in the house will become the attractive center of the room in which the family and guests will gather. Unconsciously, a person is drawn to heat and to the tongues of flame that give it.The sense of comfort by designers is achieved in various ways, but the most “true” is the arrangement of the hearth in the room. He can "grow" the environment from any interior, but will remain an independent element outside his framework.