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Is there anything better than cosying up around the fireplace with friends and family? Definitely not. There’s a reason why fireplaces have been a signature staple of our domestic households for so many years. We’d all want to snuggle up with a warm blanket and enjoy a hot drink or two in the cold winter months. Who could resist? It’s one of the unique ways to add some charm to your living space.
While all of this does sound incredibly tempting, we’re still talking about a potentially hazardous situation since you’re dealing with actual fire. So if you want to make everyone feel safe and secure, you need to do everything in your power to avoid potential accidents. What’s the best way to do that? Well, you’re asking the right question because we’ve got just the answer for you – it’s all about installing a protective fireplace hearth to keep unwanted scenarios at bay. Here’s all the information you need to find the right one for your home.
What Part of the Fireplace is the Hearth?
In simple terms, the hearth is the foundation of your fireplace that’s located on the floor. It’s made up of non-flammable materials that protects your home from open fire. Most models extend outside of the fireplace edges and out into the room. In this way, the possibility of you burning down your home just because you want to enjoy the blazing view becomes much lower and less likely to happen.
What Material Is Best for a Fireplace Hearth?
While there aren’t that many non-combustible materials out there, the choice depends entirely on the type of fire you’re using. Are you using a solid fuel burner? How about gas or electric heating methods? Once you have the answer to this question, you can think about which materials you can use for your fireplace hearth.
Granite
This is most commonly used for solid fuel burners. It’s advisable to look for slabbed granite, which means that the material has been cut into pieces and stuck together using concrete to make room for expansion once it heats up. Plus, granite has quite a modern and stylish feel to it so it’ll definitely up your interior decor to the next level.
Marble
Essentially, this consists of a man-made stone that’s crushed into small pieces and mixed with resin to complete the final look. As a result, you get a durable and highly resistant material thats super easy to clean. It’s mostly found in combination with electric fires as well as a few specific types of gas burners.
Ceramic
You might be pleased to hear that ceramic tile hearths are compatible with all types of burning fires due to the material’s strong fire-resistant capabilities. Plus, it’s extremely easy to clean and maintan. A few wipes with the mop every now and then should be more than enough to keep your hearth looking fresh and spotless.
Brick
If you want to stick to traditions with a quaint and rustic hearth style, then getting a brick-based one is the way to go. It’s also the cheapest option out there, which is definitely appealing to those of you that are on a tight budget. Do you want to know the best part? Just like ceramic fireplace tiles, brick is also compatible with all forms of fireplaces so you won’t have to compromise in that department.
How Can You Decorate Your Fireplace?
With the materials out of the way, let’s do a deep dive into all the ways you can spruce up your fireplace and give it the finishing touches it deserves.
Vases
This is a simple yet effective way to add a bit of sophistication and pop of colour to your home. If you really think about it, there are numerous ways you can include elegant and unique vases into your room decor style, regardless of whether it’s modern, traditional, Scandinavian or industrial.
In other words, it should be easier than ever to find an appropriate place to display your vases. Want to find a stylish way to store those new flowers your partner just gave you? A glass vase will definitely add a bit of spice. Looking to play around with different shapes and sizes for an asymmetrical decoration? No worries, whipping out a few unique vases will surely do the trick. You can even use them as candle holders or storage units for basic everyday items like pencils, sewing kits and even accessories. It all depends on the type of vase you pick and how you intend to make use of it.
In any case, whether you decide to go with large or small, spacious or slim, super colourful or monochromatic vases, you can definitely find something that will tickle your artistic side and boost your creativity. This is because glass vases are an extremely versatile and practical addition to your home. There’s no limit to the ways you can mix and match them with your existing decor without adding any unnecessary bulk or cluttering up your space. And we all know how easy it is to get carried away when shopping for decorations.
Artwork
This is another classic decorative solution you can hang just above your fireplace. Whether you choose to play around with all the colours of the spectrum or keep it minimal with a few basic shades, you’ll undoubtedly freshen up the space by adding chic canvas artwork as part of your decor.
These days, abstract art prints are quite popular because of their extraordinary and eye-catching design. Most of them have an elevated and ethereal vibe to them because they normally depict something that’s beyond the human realm. As a result, you’re left to your own devices when trying to figure out what it all means. This leaves room for all sorts of subjective interpretations and ideas which is exactly what makes them so appealing.
Another popular form of canvas artwork includes depictions of landscapes and sections of uncharted nature. So if you want to marvel at the beauty of the Aussie coast or admire a bit of lush greenery from the comfort of your own home, then you definitely can’t go wrong with nature art prints. Putting up a few depictions of serene landscapes is the perfect way to contrast the busy and bustling city life we all have to deal with on a daily basis.
Last but not least, if you really want to play around with shapes and colours, you can add a few animal art prints to the mix. Whether it’s minimalistic depictions of small and elegant birds or bold representations of daring wild animals, you’ll be stepping up your interior decor game in the right way.
Mirrors
Finally, who says that you can’t admire the lovely piece of artwork that is yourself? If you really want a boosted confidence and stroked ego, hanging a mirror or two above your fireplace will definitely make a significant contribution.
