Fireplaces have lasted the test of time, even with central heating now in most modern and old properties, the fireplace, whether you have a traditional fire or an electric fire, they remain a focal point within a room and in some cases, dictates the style and layout of a space. In previous years, the fire was used for several daily functions including cooking, warming water for laundry and baths, and of course, heating the home. Now, for many of us, they are primarily used as a feature and are redundant of their previous functions, or like our electric fires, they are used to warm the room and add elegance to your home. Here are some top tips, to help you make the most of the fireplace by thoughtfully selecting the surroundings and dressing the area to draw your eye to the true heart of the home; the fireplace.
Colour
The focal point within your room, the fireplace, can be enhanced by adding a touch of colour. You may choose to paint the chimney breast if you have one, or the walls either side of the fireplace. Both techniques will highlight your fireplace and draw the attention to that part of the room. Bold colours work equally as well as more neural tones, so don’t feel you need to choose bright or daring colours for this to work. Another subtler method of using colour is to select smaller segments around the fireplace to add the shade to, this could be a shelf above the fireplace, or fixed shelves on the walls surrounding it. Or, if the idea of bold colours appeals to you, paint the surrounding area with two contrasting colours, for a full and daring decoration.
Rugs or Tiles
If painting the surrounding walls feels too permanent, then an interchangeable way of achieving colour around the focal fireplace within your room is to place a rug or tiled section on the floor in front of the hearth. This allows the style of the room to be more adaptable to seasons and your preferences. The soft furnishings such as cushions, curtains and rugs can quite easily and affordably be changed, giving the room a new lease of life each time you do. Colour on the floor in front of the fire place can also make the room feel much larger as it naturally draws the eye to the floor.
Accessories
Like soft furnishings, accessories can easily be rotated, to ensure you don’t get bored of looking at the same thing. The accessories you select should be objects that you appreciate the look of, as typically, the top of the fireplace is just slightly lower than eye level, so you will be spending a lot of time looking at them. Often, creating symmetry from the objects is preferred, although it is not always necessary. If the accessories complement each other when they are placed, whether that is in their form, colour or size, it is highly likely that symmetry isn’t essential.
Wall Space Above the Fireplace
Rather than leaving the wall space above your fire empty, it is beneficial to decorate and accessorise this part too, to enhance this focal area of the room. Mirrors are a practical addition to any space; not only are they handy for your last-minute checks before you leave the house but they can also make a room feel much lighter and in some cases, much larger. An attractive piece of art, or several pieces of art, can also be placed above the fireplace, adding decoration and a point of interest to the area.
How have you adapted your interior design to make the fireplace the focal part of the room? We would love to hear any ideas or methods you have to achieve this via our social media channels!