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According to data from the US Census Bureau, a little over 40% of new homes come with a fireplace installed. One of the issues when installing one is that there are so many different fireplace options available. So long as you have the budget it can be hard to choose which one to install.
So, how can you choose from the fireplace designs available to find something that works for you? This article will give you information on ten of the most popular contemporary fireplaces available. As you read through, you will learn of some of the most advanced fireplace designs you could investigate and you can plan to upgrade your home today.
1. Double-Glass Fireplaces
Many people think of fireplaces as an area that only sits on one wall. Instead, the double-glass fireplace uses two sides of a room separator. You can feel the heat coming from the fireplace on both sides of a wall, allowing it to heat many locations at the same time.
This is not only a novelty but has a practical purpose too. As the heat from the fireplace leaves on two sides of the location instead of only one, it can heat the area faster than a single-sided fireplace. It can also have pride of place in the middle of a large area, heating the center of the room rather than one edge.
2. Open Fires
Traditional fireplaces are set into walls and pushed back from the main areas of a room, often behind glass or metal grates. These create a separate space that is explicit in being “not where people are”. Open fires try to subvert this.
These styles allow the fire to radiate in all directions, rather than only out of an inset fireplace. They also act as a centerpiece or talking point of a room. Often, they can be in the center of a room instead of to the side, creating a social space to be proud of.
3. Tabletop Fireplaces
Despite being a very contemporary style, these fireplaces have their origin in the Viking long halls of old. Coals and fires burned in the center of a room, where they would radiate out as people sat around them, were commonplace in those days.
Today, you can have a fireplace atop a central coffee table-like protrusion in your home. This way, you can enjoy the feeling of being snug sitting around an outdoor-style fire without going near the outdoors.
4. Wood-Burning Stove
Many fireplaces in the 21st Century are new gas burners. These allow you to have a much greater level of control over your fireplace, and you do not need to worry about cleaning them in the morning.
Still, there is something to be said for an all-natural wood-burning stove. The very ritual of putting logs on the fire can be both empowering as well as calming.
There are many modern wood-burning options for contemporary homes, giving you a vast number of options. You can even get wood deliveries, so there is no need to hike into the woods for firewood.
5. Ribbon Fireplace
Fireplaces do not need to all be the same size and shape. Instead of the short and squat fireplaces of medieval times, you can consider ones of different shapes.
One such example is the ribbon fireplace. This would stretch much further along the wall, giving you a visible flame that runs along the edge of a room. This heats a much larger area, allowing the full room to heat more equally, and is also a beautiful way to light the room itself with a fire’s light.
6. Bathroom Fireplace
It is not only the living room or dining room that benefits from warmth. What could be more relaxing than slipping into a warm bath with a book and a glass of wine as the flames crackle from a nearby fireplace?
A bathroom fireplace also offers a great place to dry off. A fire puts out enough heat so stepping out of the bath or shower will not suddenly make you feel cold.
7. Vertical Fireplace
Much like the ribbon fireplace, you could aim for a different shape for your fire, but in an even-less expected manner. A vertical fireplace takes this idea to the extreme.
With a fire at the bottom of the space, heat distributes itself through the vertical channel in the wall. This is the perfect choice if you have concerns about space in an apartment or a single small room.
8. Elevated Box
Not all fireplaces need to be cut into the wall. Instead, you can have a fireplace in a protrusion emerging out of the wall. This allows you to create a space underneath the fireplace where you can store things related to it, such as extra fuel.
Or, you could leave the space underneath free to give the fireplace a sense of hanging in the air.
9. Floating Burner
Speaking of hanging in the air, there is no need for a fireplace to always connect to the floor. A burner could descend from the ceiling. After all, the smoke is the only thing that needs to escape, and it will go upwards.
Using the chimney as the method for hanging the fire allows you to kill two birds with one stone.
10. Candle Fireplace
Who says wood and gas are the only things you can burn in a fireplace? By installing candle holders or similar in the fireplace, you can swap the thick fire and smoke for a more relaxed ambiance. Use as many candles as you can to create more light, but remember you will not get as much heat from this.
Install Contemporary Fireplaces
The above are only a few examples of contemporary fireplaces that could match your aesthetic. If you feel as though any of them would match your needs, you might want to think about getting one installed.
Lucky for you, we are ready to discuss many different fireplace styles with you to get your home heating into the 21st Century. So, give us a call today and see what we can do for you.
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