You'll want to measure the area where you plan to install the fireplace, so you know the size you're looking for. If you're going to a physical store to get some fireplace design ideas rather than just browsing online (which is a great way to get ideas), take a picture of the room and the spot where you plan on putting the fireplace. This way, you can look at any designs and better see how they might fit into your home. It's an easy way to eliminate certain designs, as well, because you'll immediately be able to imagine how it would look.

A fireplace will almost always become the focal point in a room. So finding a good match with your existing décor is crucial. If you have a room that's decorated cabin-style or country, a very modern, sleek and shiny fireplace will look awkward. An old-fashioned looking fireplace design won't look right in very modern, glass and metal surroundings, either.

Pay attention to the shape and height of the fireplace design ideas you're looking at, too. If you have a large room filled with very large and tall pieces of furniture, a low-profile fireplace will look dwarfed and out of place. A small room with shorter pieces of furniture can easily be swallowed up by a fireplace that's too large or has a hearth that climbs too far up the wall. A rectangle is the standard opening for a fireplace, but today's fireplace design ideas incorporate other shapes as well.

Gas, Electric or Woodburning?

Electric fireplace design ideas are ideal for a small room, an apartment or any structure where you don't want to have to run gas lines for a gas fireplace. The cost is less than a gas fireplace, but still not cheap. If you've ever used a large, electric space heater, this is the principle and will cost about the same to operate.

A gas fireplace also offers the warmth and ambiance of a regular fireplace without the hassle of wood. Just like electric fireplace design ideas, you can choose an insert for a fireplace or a freestanding model. And like electric, operation is essentially push-button. If the appearance is a big factor for you, gas fireplace flames tend to look more real than electric. The operation will probably cost a bit more, however.

Both gas and electric have the advantage over wood fireplaces that you don't have to acquire and store the wood necessary for burning, and there's no smoke. But if you love traditional fireplace design ideas and the smell and crackle of a wood fire, you may want to incorporate your chosen design into a regular, wood-burning fireplace.

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Photo Credits: speric

You may also want to check out a wood burning stove.

Originally posted 2009-09-13 03:07:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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