Choosing Your Fireplace

There’s a lot involved when it comes to choosing the design you want for your fireplace, more so than just picking something. Fireplaces these days come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and styles – so many in fact that it can be difficult to come to a decision at times. For starters, you have to pick which room you want it in, and more specifically, which part of the room.

First things first with any installation, whether it be a new bathroom sink or a fireplace, getting the location ironed out. Sure, it may seem simple enough, but there are other things to consider than just where you would like it to go. For starters, you have to make sure that the venting needs are taken care of. This means both where the smoke goes and is funneled to as well as where new, cooler air is going to come in from. Without proper venting, fireplaces are just impractical and wind up being a disaster.

When choosing the location of your new fireplace, I like to suggest starting with why you want a fireplace in the first place. What purpose is it going to serve? Is it going to be for recreational use an entertaining, or is it going to be more of a heat source for a room or area of the house? Knowing what you’re going to be using it for and what main purpose it’s going to serve will help not only find the perfect spot for it, but also give a place to work with for venting needs.

For instance, if you’re looking for more of an entertaining fireplace, one that will have a decent number of people around it on a regular basis, it may be best to go with an outdoor fire pit. If yard space is an issue, or not readily available, than another option to look into is a patio heater. The patio heater, unlike the fire pit, will be gas powered, meaning you don’t have to worry about the surface on which it’s placed too much. Now that you have the purpose ironed out, it’s easy to choose the location.

Once you know what your fireplaces purpose, you can start thinking about designs and styles. The greatest thing about the day and age that we live in is that there is basically no limit on designs or styles to choose from, regardless of what you’re looking to purchase. Fireplaces, cars, clothes, electronics – everything comes in a wide range of styles and designs to fit anybody’s personal taste. Styles and designs range from elegant to simplistic, contemporary to abstract, and everywhere in between. When it comes to fireplaces and fire pits, though, there’s another aspect that will greatly influence the available design options – the fuel source.

Fireplaces run on two basic fuels – wood and gas. Gas fireplaces require a little more installation and equipment than wood burning ones, but the convenience they offer is astonishing. Simply being able to flip a switch or turn a handle and have fire burst to life is a wonderful thing after getting home from a long day. Wood burning fireplaces have their appeal, as well, and it all boils down to personal preference.

When choosing your new fireplace, be sure to take all these things into account and do some research before making any decisions. Roll around the options and see what fits right for you and your situation. After all, you want to enjoy your fireplace, so why not put a little forethought into it to make sure it turns out amazing.