Best Fireplace Ideas and Where to Place Them in a Modern Way

What is a Fireplace?

It is a place in your house used for domestic fire, to keep the area warm and cosy especially in winter season. It is made up of hearth or grate at which the burning substance is placed. It can be anything like wood, coal or gas to serve the purpose of producing the flame that heats the surroundings and induce a warm feeling around the house.

Components of a Fireplace

To better understand that how a fireplace works, you may want to know about its various parts.

1. Hearth

The place where the material is lit and fire ignited. It is made up of fireproof material such as bricks, steel casing or aluminium joints.

2. Surround

It refers to the walls surrounding the fireplace and is usually made up of decorative materials. It adds to the overall beauty.

3. Flue

A flue is a passage from where the smoke leaves the fireplace and Is made up of baked clay or stainless steel. It serves as a ventilation compartment for the smoke.

4. Chimney

Also known as the outer protective layer around the flue, which keeps the heat contained inside and prevent it from spreading inside the house or doing any damages.

5. Ash Dump

Some fireplaces are equipped with an ash dump, it accumulates the ash inside and allows you to perform an efficient cleanout.

How Does a Fireplace Work?

When you ignite a fire inside the fireplace it is placed on the hearth, after burning the wood, heat is generated. About 80% of the heat generated does not radiate inside the house, and thus heat is dissipated out of the chimney. To prevent it from happening, you can use blowers which blow the heated air out of the fireplace and circulate it thoroughly. The uninvited heat and smoke leave the room through a chimney. And the ash dump takes care of the ash produced in the process. You no longer need to worry about ash itself. This is the proper mechanism upon which a fireplace operates.

Types of Fireplaces

There are many types of fireplaces available on the market, but you should choose the one which suits best with your description. Here is a list of different fireplaces.

1. Wood Burning Fireplaces

This particular type of fireplace focuses on the use of wood as a mean to light the fire. The crackling sound of the wood gives you a comfortable feeling of being in the home. It has an open-hearth style and also provides an excellent source of heat. Enclosed fireplaces and fireplace inserts are some options to consider.

2. Gas Burning Fireplaces

These are cleaner and easier to install and uses clean biogas to operate.

3. Electric Fireplaces

These fireplaces are plug and play type, give them electric current and sit back to enjoy the warm hearth. But are also very costly in the end.

4. Masonry Fireplaces

The number one choice of many people around the globe, these are good old-fashioned fireplaces made up of bricks and clay. It operates as a single unit and connects with the chimney.

5. Factory Built

The factory-built fireplaces are made up of enclosed metal boxes and mainly use gas to produce heat. Many modern houses are equipped with factory-built fireplaces.

How to Place the Fireplace in the Living Room:

Many people are content with having a fireplace in their T.V lounge or study room. But some people want to install a fireplace in their living room for many reasons.

• They might need some privacy.
• The living room offers more space and has the necessary accessories of daily use.
• One feels relaxed in the living room than anywhere else in the house.

And the reasons go on. But the question persists that what is the best position for a fireplace in the living room? There is a number of possibilities, and some of them are as follows:

1. Central Heating

If you have a small living room or space issues, you can go for central heating by placing the fireplace in the centre. This gives you a large sitting area as well as a perfect heating source to warm the room. You can put a large sofa and two small chairs across the fireplace to make room for you and your guests. This particular arrangement acts as a centre of warmth and gives you the best possible results.

2. Off to the Side

In case you need a large sitting arrangement and prevent yourself stumbling into the fireplace more often when it is placed in the centre, you can adjust it to a corner or particular side. In this way, you will make space and will have a beautiful off side focal point towards the fireplace.

3. Open View

If by any chance your living room has an unobstructed view like a Window which opens into the outside environment, you are a lucky person then. It is advised to make your sitting area by the Window and place your fireplace alongside a wall. So, you can have two focal points and enjoy the warm blazing heat from the fireplace when looking towards nature.

4. Traditional Approach

If you are more of a traditional person and want your fireplace in a good old way, get your sofas facing each other and your fireplace inside the place between them. It will create a large sitting area and a perfect heating destination to the centre.

Hope, you get the idea to place your fireplace best inside your living room. There is no best and professional way of doing it, just the choices and amendments you are comfortable with can give you the best results.