Watching the fire, the alluring and bewitching flames, we are filled with strength and calm. Thanks to the fireplace, you can sit by the fire to warm up and enjoy life. A classic fireplace is best suited to aesthetically fill the space of your home.
Modern manufacturers offer many varieties of fireplaces, different styles and designs to suit any interior design. At the same time, classic options are not influenced by fashion trends; they occupy a central place among all the diversity.
Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine a classic-style fireplace located in a city apartment. They are usually installed in country houses, for which they are the center of attention in the interior. In the old days, special rooms were created for the fireplace, but in the modern world, a living room or office is used.
What should the floor and ceiling be like?
As mentioned earlier, it is advisable to use molding on the ceiling; you can decorate it in white.
When choosing a chandelier, it would be preferable: a volumetric chandelier with a large number of hanging components. Preference is given to crystal elements. Or use a lush lampshade.
The floor covering should be approached with appropriate care. If wooden parquet is used, it should be treated with varnish, this will add shine. But it is important to leave the natural texture.
When choosing a ceramic coating, slabs of several shades are used. And different patterns are created. Light-colored baseboards will help emphasize the English style.
Finishing a classic fireplace
The classic version of the fireplace, regardless of the type and location, must meet certain rules of external decoration. It is customary to use natural materials, most often marble. Brick, natural stone, tile and wood are allowed. Color in this case does not play a special role, but it is still preferable to leave the material unpainted, as this emphasizes its naturalness.
When using natural stones, basalt is often preferred because it has a unique pattern and structure. You can also use granite, onyx and malachite. These stones are durable and not subject to deformation at high temperatures, and are also beautiful and have a wide variety of shades. Marble will emphasize individuality and add special elegance to the fireplace; in addition, marble attracts with its richness and luxury, since in itself it is not cheap.
Cladding fireplaces with natural stone
If you use wood to decorate a classic fireplace, then the most suitable would be:
- pine;
- juniper;
- oak;
- spruce;
- alder.
To give wood an antique look, it is painted with special paint in several layers and the top one is rubbed down or other techniques for aging objects are used. This type of finishing is typical of the French Provence style, into which the classic version fits quite harmoniously.
Wood fireplace trim
Another feature of a classic-style fireplace is the presence of shelves and niches for placing various decorative items:
- flowerpots;
- paintings;
- books;
- fresh flowers;
- figurines and figurines.
If a traditional fireplace is installed, it would be appropriate to equip a vertical shelf for storing firewood; this does not necessarily have to be a material for the firebox, but rather an interior item, especially when using electric and false fireplaces.
Very beautiful and original wooden fireplaces
Furniture elements
Furniture for the living room in the English style is selected from the highest grades. The main indicator of quality is wood. Subsequently, it is treated like the floor. In this case, the colors are varied and can be selected to suit every taste.
A subtle touch of England are antique elements; if they are not there, the furniture is aged artificially.
English-style sofas for the living room are selected in large sizes. Various racks and chests of drawers are applicable. An important furniture component is: a table upholstered in leather or tapestry.
In form, the elements should have strict, smooth lines. Patterns are often found on the upholstery of sofas. For special connoisseurs, there are sofa models with legs inlaid with pearls, but not everyone can afford such a pleasure.
Additional requirements
There are ready-made diagrams for constructing an English fireplace. Any furnace is built strictly according to a specific drawing. Its main parameters are the dimensions of the firebox and the area of the smoke channel. Depending on the volume of the room, these parameters change so that they remain dynamically related to each other.
Good to know: Cladding the fireplace with artificial and natural stone
On various sources you can find calculation tables of fireplace dimensions for different room sizes. The order of masonry is also presented there, which is an algorithm for all manipulations for construction. But for general information it is useful to know that the main dimensions are related to each other by certain patterns.
The cross-sectional area of the chimney is 8 times less than the area of the combustion opening. These indicators are valid for an unplastered structure. Why are these two nodes connected? The fact is that fireplaces are a good device for ventilating indoor air. Due to convection, warm masses rise up the chimney and leave the room, giving way to cold air. Such circulation is quite productive, but large volumes of circulating air negatively affect the efficiency of the fireplace. Wood-burning models with an open firebox have indicators not exceeding 25%.
Beautiful wooden portal
The area of the fireplace portal is 1/50 of the entire area of the room. Based on these data, a fireplace model with its own dimensions is built. An error in the calculations will lead to the fact that the draft will be too weak or the fireplace will not warm the room due to its insufficient power.
Much later, after the English fireplace appeared and gained popularity, it was supplemented with convection channels. These are holes in vertical walls that have an entrance at the bottom and an exit at the top. Air constantly circulates through these channels, heating from the walls. Such a device is considered a classic today, and ready-made projects can no longer be found without channels.
Textile elements
Curtains must first of all be of high quality. Velvet and brocade are the best choices. Curtains are decorated with fringes, tiebacks made in the form of wide stripes or cords with lush tassels. It is advisable to hang curtains on a wooden cornice.
The color of the fabric either has one tone or there are patterns on it. By the way, the sofa pillows are made from the same fabric.
The flooring is partially covered with carpet. It is possible to use patterns on it. And it should consist of natural wool. This is how the British keep their feet warm while sitting by the fireplace.
Wall paintings and sculptures standing majestically nearby will help complement the interior. Lighting elements, mostly antique. There should be shelves with books and sideboards with expensive dishes.
Above the fireplace you can make a shelf with family photos and elements intended for Christmas: fir branches, candles. And on a wooden table there should always be a large plate of fruit and a vase of flowers.
How to fit a fireplace into a classic interior
A fireplace made in a classic style will fit perfectly into almost any style of room. Of course, it will look most harmonious in an interior designed in the Empire and Baroque styles.
The Empire style is distinguished by its special grace and solemnity. In this case, it is better to make a fireplace made of light marble with columns and even stucco. Bright and rich red and gold shades in the interior will harmonize with the white marble fireplace.
And baroque is distinguished by its scale, majesty, and the predominance of vertical symmetrical lines. Therefore, a massive fireplace installed in the wall will perfectly emphasize and complement the chosen style.
A fireplace made in a classic style will look appropriate with many modern architectural trends, such as:
Baroque style interior
- high tech;
- constructivism;
- bio-tech;
- minimalism.
These styles prefer straight lines, symmetry, the use of natural materials, especially the bio-tech direction. Minimalism goes well with a fireplace built into the wall, without a ledge, columns, shelves or niches. In this case, you can use false models.
Classic versions of fireplaces are not at all suitable for interiors made in the styles of postmodernism and deconstructivism. Since these directions almost completely exclude straight lines, but accept extraordinary and original solutions.
