Fashion or traditional?
So, you’ve bought your new house, or are in the process of renovating or face-lifting your current one. You’ve planned the new kitchen, and the bathrooms and the wet rooms, and now you’re looking to make your living space something special.
It’s hard to deny, that as a focal point, a fireplace is hard to beat. In the winter, the warm glow of flames helps to lift the gloom of our long dreary and grey winters. The actual type of fire isn’t really important: You can for gas-fired log or coal effect (more decorative than functional) or you can go for a wood stove, which has the benefit of being a ‘real’ fire, and also of being a very efficient provider of heat. If you can secure a supply of good dry logs, then it can also be very easy on your pocket too. Finally, you can go the whole way, and have a proper, fully open fire, perhaps in a cast iron dog basket, or even in true medieval style, and burning straight on the hearth. There is no doubt that the open fire is the ultimate centre piece to a living room, but it does have the disadvantage of being less efficient than the wood stove, and of course a bit more messy. It’s your choice.
The choice of surrounds for your fireplace is even more complex. You can have a contemporary hole in the wall type, or you could go for an old English style inglenook. A timeless stone fireplace surround does take some beating. It is timeless and ageless; goes well in houses old or new, and never fails to impress, as a focal point in your room