Fireplace Hearth Designs for Function and Style
When entering a room, one of the most noticeable features will often be a fireplace surround. A fireplace just naturally becomes the focal point of any room and people spend countless hours considering the design of this important feature. However, when it comes to fireplace hearth designs, many people will just use the same material on the exposed portion of the hearth as they do the fireplace surround. While this is certainly the most common method of overall fireplace design, it is not necessarily the only way to accomplish the design of this critical feature.
While using the same material on the hearth as the surround may be the usual way to go to maintain symmetry with a raised hearth, a hearth on a same level as the floor makes it easier to choose a contrasting material to the surround. Since the floor will already provide for a difference in the two materials, people tend to be more adventurous with their hearth choices on these fireplaces. By being flexible in selecting this material, the opportunity to create a truly unique fireplace hearth design presents itself.
When choosing the material for a fireplace hearth, you are really only limited in your choices because of the need for the material to be fireproof. Otherwise, you should not let your selection be influenced by the material on a fireplace surround. There are many materials that make for great hearth choices. You could choose to use brick, of course, but you could also consider tile, slate, marble, granite or any number of different combinations of these materials if you would like. Just be sure that whatever material you choose, it extends far enough into a room to prevent damage to your flooring from embers that may pop out, or a log rolling out of the fireplace. If you are unsure or how far your hearth should extend into the room or that the material you chose is proper, a call to your local building code authority will produce the correct information.
After you have chosen the material for the construction of your hearth, you can now consider the overall appearance of your fireplace hearth design. By adding a fireplace screen or doors, a set of fireplace tools, and any other special set around items of choice, you can create a truly beautiful focal point for your room that will display your own unique imagination and sense of style. Those all some presentation of fireplace hearth designs which can be used to beautify your interior. Make sure to ask some professionals to create a good one.
Fireplace Hearth Designs which Complement Your Interior
Most people are unaware that the hearth is actually the surface on which the fire is built. The hearth begins in the back of the firebox and commonly extends out into the room a minimal distance depending on local code requirements. The interior surface of the firebox is commonly lined with fire brick. Depending on whether the hearth is raised or on the same level as the floor determines whether the exposed hearth material is the same as the fireplace surround. Many brick fireplace surrounds are used on fireplaces that are raised above the floor level and brick is used to build up the exposed hearth to the same level with the firebox hearth. This certainly serves to make for a very attractive fireplace design, but with a little imagination, it is possible to create a more unique looking hearth by utilizing a contrasting material to a fireplace surround.
While using the same material on the hearth as the surround may be the usual way to go to maintain symmetry with a raised hearth, a hearth on a same level as the floor makes it easier to choose a contrasting material to the surround. Since the floor will already provide for a difference in the two materials, people tend to be more adventurous with their hearth choices on these fireplaces. By being flexible in selecting this material, the opportunity to create a truly unique fireplace hearth design presents itself.
When choosing the material for a fireplace hearth, you are really only limited in your choices because of the need for the material to be fireproof. Otherwise, you should not let your selection be influenced by the material on a fireplace surround. There are many materials that make for great hearth choices. You could choose to use brick, of course, but you could also consider tile, slate, marble, granite or any number of different combinations of these materials if you would like. Just be sure that whatever material you choose, it extends far enough into a room to prevent damage to your flooring from embers that may pop out, or a log rolling out of the fireplace. If you are unsure or how far your hearth should extend into the room or that the material you chose is proper, a call to your local building code authority will produce the correct information.
After you have chosen the material for the construction of your hearth, you can now consider the overall appearance of your fireplace hearth design. By adding a fireplace screen or doors, a set of fireplace tools, and any other special set around items of choice, you can create a truly beautiful focal point for your room that will display your own unique imagination and sense of style. Those all some presentation of fireplace hearth designs which can be used to beautify your interior. Make sure to ask some professionals to create a good one.