Fireplaces are usually one of the main focal point of any room, given that they are intricately connected to media walls. As such, they are usually inserted into feature walls alongside televisions, beautiful cabinetry, and other decorative features. However, the function of a fireplace is not only based on aesthetics, but also on pragmatics – t is not an ornamental feature, until and unless you deliberately want it to be one. It has function, and contemporary design likes to combine it with aesthetics. A gas fireplace is not exactly a modern advent, but it is one of the most commonly used methods to affix a fireplace to the hearth. A gas fireplace insert is not a hard thing to install. In this article, we would be discussing 5 easy steps to design your perfect modern gas fireplace.
1. Designer Fronts
As mentioned before, a fireplace is not about either aesthetics, or function as individual characteristics. It is about both of them coming together to form a single entity that combines both of these qualities. While designing your fireplace, you have to keep in mind that you are not manufacturing this product – you are designing it. Henceforth you can add come personal touches, shy away from the conventional, and absorb yourself in the creative process of designing an overall optimum from that falls true to your aesthetics.
When it comes to fireplace fronts, there is a lot you can choose from. There are so many designs, so many aesthetics and styles that you may get confused and the end product may come out choppy and incomplete. So before you start designing, make sure to know what kind of style you’re going from. There is a wide variety to choose from – Deerfield, Millennia, Tuscany, Andover, Victorian, and many more. Each of these styles has their individual characteristics, and elements. You have to be well versed in the details of these styles to know what you’re going to design, and what kind of impact it would have on the interior of your home.
Another thing to be careful about while designing the front, is that you make sure the color scheme of the mantle matches that of the entirety of your room. A few colors that would look universally good with anything are gold, gun metal, Swedish, and Vintage Iron.
2. Doors
Fireplace doors are not exactly a new phenomena, but the variation in material and color scheme is definitely new. They are not only decorative but also functional, and while designing one for your fireplace, make sure that you take the exact measurements, because if even a single one is even an inch wrong, you might end up with a door that would not fit. Fireplace doors could be custom designed according to your fireplace, or if you have one with universal measurements, then they are also very easy to get.
3. Overlays
Decorative overlays come in handy when designing a mantle. It is optional – if you want to have a simple minimalistic fireplace, and it goes with your aesthetic, then you can definitely have that. But if you’re looking for something a little bit more elaborate, and a little bit more ornate, then overlays are the way to go. There are a lot of materials you can use for overlaying – most of them provide a decorative element that enhances the front of your fireplace. It can be anything from carved marble, mosaic, fresco’s, tiles, stucco, etc. Just keep in mind that all of them should correspond with the existing interior design theme.
4. Interior Linings
Interior linings are important when it comes to designing a fireplace. Where the mantle and the surround act as a decorative foreground, the lining acts as a backdrop. The backdrop needs to be designed in such a way that it not overcompensate, or become an overbearing front to the mantle and the surround. The most commonly used material for interior linings in antique red firebrick. It is dull enough in color that it stays as supportive backdrop, but is bright enough to escalate the warmth of the actual fire when the fireplace is lit up.
5. Surround
Aside from the mantle, the most important thing when it comes to show casing the formation of your fireplace’s front design is what kind of surround you design the hearth in. in retrospect, you have only two options when it comes to this formation – either arched, or rectangular. Both of these options come with their own inhibitions, their own personalities, and their own impact on the interior design of your home. Whatever you choose, choose carefully, and match it with the style of decorative front that you’re going for.
With an arched formation, you can recreate a classical, or neo classical style that would go well with Tuscan, or Victorian. The rectangular surround is more compact and modern in design – if you choose that, make sure that you fit it appropriately, with the right kind of aesthetic.
