How to Design Fireplace Surrounds
When considering home design, fireplace surrounds are a feature that merit special consideration. The welcome glow and relaxing warmth of a fireplace make it a natural place for guests to congregate and an obvious focal point for any room. With so much heightened focus on the fireplace, designing an especially attractive surround may be well worth the effort. Creating a fireplace surround that fits your home and style can turn a bland fireplace into a piece that truly makes a statement. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Select materials for your fireplace surround, allowing the home's overall style to guide you. For example, contemporary homes may be well suited to the design flexibility, sleek lines and dramatic motifs of glass tiles or concrete surround. Classic materials, like natural stone or wood, may complement the elegance of more traditional-style home designs.
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Decide whether resale value is a factor in your decision. For example, homeowners who intend to occupy their homes for many years may have more flexibility in selecting a highly personalized mosaic tile pattern. Homeowners anticipating a move may opt for more neutral, classic materials that appeal to a wider variety of potential buyers.
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Consult a stonemason, a specialty contractor or a fireplace expert about installation. Putting in a new surround may be a do-it-yourself task depending on the materials selected, but hiring a professional may help ensure proper installation and adherence to local fire codes.
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Bring together all of the room's design elements with finishing touches to the fireplace surround. A wooden surround may be stained or painted to match the furniture or molding in the room, while a natural stone surround may have veins of color that emphasize other design elements in the room, like rugs or curtains. Painting the walls darker or lighter may also draw more attention to the fireplace surround.
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Personalize the fireplace surround with a mantel. Mantels can exhibit art, photographs or other treasures that make the fireplace surround's overall design truly individual.
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