Home is where the hearth is, especially in the cold, winter months, when most activities revolve around the fireplace. You huddle around it with food, wine and friends; play board games with your family; or simply curl up for warm comfort with your loved one to enjoy a quiet, romantic evening. Whether this cozy spot is at the center of your home or in one corner of a room, it is special for all, inviting everyone to congregate, converse and feel at home.
If you have decided to install a new fireplace or replace an existing one, why not look at a location that brings out its best and exhibits the unique design that you so carefully selected. Here are some tips to determine the best location for your fireplace to create maximum impact.
6 Ways to Decide the Ideal Location for your Fireplace
For a traditional, wood burning fireplace, the location of the chimney and your home’s safety and building norms may not leave you with too many options to decide a location. However, if you are looking at other hearths such as gas, electric or wood stoves, you can consider the layout of your home, existing heating solutions and your lifestyle. If your home has an open floor plan, you have higher flexibility in the placement of your hearth. In the case of a compartmentalized home, you may have to think of creative solutions that meet your heating requirements, design aesthetics, as well as lifestyle.
- Center of your Home: A large fireplace in the heart of an open floor plan will not only add a stunning visual effect, but also helps in even heat distribution. Such units create a natural partition between two areas such as a kitchen and a living room, or a family room and a formal dining space. Depending on where you and your family spend the most time, you can decide a perfect spot to add a standalone unit or a partial wall feature with an embedded design.
- On the Side: If you want to create a balanced heating and design effect, install two fireplaces on either side of the floor. However, if you choose to have only one unit on one side of an open floor plan, you may be restricting the heat access to a smaller area. In the absence of other forms of heating, consider installing a duct system that will distribute the heat to the far corners.
- Double Sided Heating: Once you have decided to install your fireplace on one side wall of your home, check if you happen to have scenic vistas through the gap. Consider installing a see-through unit that gives you unobstructed views of the outdoors and allows the natural light to brighten up your home. Several units also come with two-sided heating functions which may be the perfect solution for adding warmth to the inside as well as outside areas. If you are looking to add a hearth to your bedroom, a two-sided fireplace may be an interesting option to heat up both your sleeping area as well as an attached bathroom.
- In the Corner: If you do not want the fireplace to become the grand feature of your home, a corner placement will help keep it functional yet understated. A corner unit can fit into several areas of your home, including the kitchen, bedroom, living room or dining space. It can beautify a small section without taking up an entire wall or a significant portion of the home.
- Suspended: Instead of a freestanding fireplace in the middle of your home, why not add a modern, dramatic effect with a suspended one? Apart from being minimally intrusive, some suspended fireplace units come with a rotation feature that allows you to shift the heat in the direction you desire.
- Outdoors: If you and your family spend a significant amount of time in the backyard, an outdoor fireplace may be an ideal solution. It allows you to maintain this lifestyle through the greater part of the year. This placement also allows you to add warmth and style to the exterior of your home when you entertain guests or enjoy uninterrupted views from the comfort of your backyard.
Trust your local experts, Elite Fireplace, for all your chimney and fireplace needs. Our technicians will be happy to advise you on the location or type of fireplaces that best fit your needs and lifestyle.
Call us at (610) 489-4274 today or contact us online to learn more about our services and products. A representative will be in touch soon.