Fireplace in Interior: 5 Things You Should Know

How to Choose a Portal

In fact, the appearance of a fireplace is determined not so much by its "filling" as by the portal. Classic or modern, it can be made from different materials and suit various interior styles. A modest white portal made of gypsum board will suit lovers of minimalism, while a model decorated with moldings will complement classical design. Wooden portals or items with stone cladding will appeal to lovers of a rural cozy atmosphere, and for those who have progressive views on interior design, even concrete models exist.

How to Find the Right "Filler"

In city apartments, a chimney is usually not provided, so reliance is placed on adapted analogs of fireplaces for these conditions. If your goal is to have a real flame at home, choose bio-fireplaces — they operate on eco-fuel and produce heat, without requiring a chimney. A simpler option is an electric fireplace, in which case you must be satisfied with a moving image of flames. Often, people don’t even attempt to install a fireplace in the portal; instead, they decorate the fire area with candles or cover it with a mirror (which, by the way, visually expands the room space).

How to Incorporate a Fireplace into the Interior

A fireplace can occupy an entire wall or be limited to a small space from floor level up to about the middle of the wall. Often, a niche is created above the portal for a television, and opposite it, a sofa is placed. Another functional option is to hang shelves above the fireplace and make a cabinet an extension of the portal. Alternatively, you can simply place a mirror with a beautiful frame above the fireplace or arrange pictures. By the way, a fireplace is suitable not only in the living room. More and more often, beautiful portals can be seen in bedrooms, where they serve the same function — creating a cozy atmosphere in the room.

How to Decorate a Fireplace

A fireplace is the perfect spot for decoration. In Western countries, it is customary to decorate it for the New Year and even for seasonal changes. Spring and summer are ideal for compositions made of fresh flowers and herbs, autumn brings seasonal vegetables and bouquets of leaves. Winter is perfect for wreaths made from pine branches, candles, fur, and any Christmas decorations.

How to Make Something Unique

Even such an exotic item of urban interior as a fireplace can be made even more original if you approach the portal’s decoration with creativity. Sometimes it is built into the wall so that only a screen with flames is visible from the room side, or an asymmetrical niche made of gypsum board is chosen. The interior space of the portal can also be decorated in a non-standard way — for example, by replacing the fireplace with an image of fire or using the portal as storage with horizontal shelves inside. Another original idea is a portable bio-fireplace. For such an item, no portal is even necessary: a glass aquarium containing fire can be placed on the floor or table.