Decorative fireplace trim

The fireplace is an amazing and charming home corner where the whole family enjoys spending time.

This place is truly magical. His presence uplifts the mood and at the same time calms, relieves fatigue and sets you in a philosophical mood, allows you to feel protected and peaceful. How pronounced this effect will be largely depends on how the fireplace is finished. It is to this nuance of the organization of the hearth that further discussion will be devoted.

Fireplace finishing options

Building an expensive fireplace or adding its imitation to the interior is only half the battle. The next question is about its design. How and with what can this non-trivial piece of furniture be ennobled so that it harmoniously fits into an existing interior? What is the decorative finish of the fireplace?

In principle, any materials can be used here, including wood and glass. Consider the advantages of basic decorative solutions.

tiling

Ceramics is quite popular in the decoration of decorative fireplaces. Finishing elements made of baked clay are similar in their qualities to refractory bricks, which are the main material in the laying of existing furnaces. The surface of the tile is always perfectly decorated. It is often covered with glaze, which gives the material not only a great look, but also makes it water-repellent.

With such a fireplace finish, it will be easy to wash off dirt and remove soot. The range of ceramic tiles is incredibly wide. It has not only color, but also shaped diversity. All this can and should be used. Extraordinary finishing of the furnace will make its appearance unique and allow you to easily fit the object into the overall interior solution of the room.

What types of tiles are popular?

• majolica;
• terracotta;
• porcelain stoneware;
• clinker.

Majolica

This representative of ceramics is distinguished by its small size, glazed coating and the presence of a pattern. Enamel decor makes it colorful, bright and shimmery. Majolica is mainly chosen when decorating decorative fireplaces in classic interiors.

Terracotta

This is no less interesting option for finishing the fireplace than the above. In fact, terracotta is an analogue of majolica. A distinctive feature is the absence of a layer of glaze on the front side.

Porcelain stoneware

The material is created from a mixture of high-quality clay and cement, therefore it is characterized by increased strength. Outwardly, it is a magnificent imitation of natural stone. Decorating a fireplace with porcelain stoneware is the easiest way to turn it into an art object.

Clinker

“The fact that ceramic tiles are presented in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and patterns allows even non-professionals in masonry to do the fireplace decoration with their own hands”

This representative of the ceramics group is also made of fired clay. Ego characteristic feature is the large thickness of the elements.

The fact that ceramic tiles are presented in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and patterns allows even non-professionals in masonry to do the fireplace decoration with their own hands. To implement decor ideas, you do not have to resort to using some kind of complex technique and a specific tool. Cutting elements to fit on the surface can be done with an ordinary grinder. To fix the tiles when finishing the stove, you will need to use heat-resistant glue or clay mortar with the addition of salt and sand.

Facing master class

Do-it-yourself fireplace decoration with ceramics is laborious and takes place in several stages.

First of all, prepare the surface. This can be done in two ways. It is possible to remove dust, remnants of the old finish, if any, and degrease the treated area from the area being drawn up. In the second case, the part to be trimmed is reinforced with a metal mesh, along which the solution will then be thrown.

Next, you need to try on the tiles and cut some elements, bringing them to the required dimensions. In addition to a grinder with a diamond disc, this can be done with a tile cutter.

Decorative tiling of the fireplace starts from the bottom. It is important that the first row lies flat, without distortions and displacements. To do this, it is better to beat off the start line by checking its evenness with a level. Do not hide the tool far away. Subsequently, it will check the horizontalness of each laid row.

The final touch will be grouting. Grouting compositions for finishing furnaces are applied with a rubber soft spatula. It is important to immediately remove the remains of adhesive mixtures from the masonry surface, as they can damage the integrity of the enamel finish.

When working on finishing the fireplace, you can more accurately remove the seams using special beacons in the form of plastic crosses. They will make it possible to make the width of the seams uniform over the entire surface of the masonry.

So that the tile does not crumble, heat-resistant adhesives must be taken to fix it.

Mosaic

In the decoration of decorative fireplaces, mosaic masonry is often used. For such a decor, any materials that are at hand with heat-resistant characteristics will fit. Mosaic can also be bought ready-made, even already assembled according to the type of tile. But you can’t lay out the exclusive from the packaging. If you have already taken up the decoration of the fireplace with your own hands, then it is better to tinker with shards and fragments. And save on the material, and the effect will be stunning.

Working with mosaics is more difficult than with standard tiles. Here you yourself will have to think over the drawing, look for successful combinations of colors, but in this case there are also more options for finishing the fireplace.

How to work with mosaic

"The pattern of mosaic elements chosen for the decoration of the fireplace is pre-assembled on the floor"

The surface for masonry is prepared in the same way as when decorating a fireplace with tiles. After cleaning, the surface is plastered for leveling. The uniformity of the application of the layer is checked by the level. To prolong the life of the decorative coating, it is better to throw the solution on a metal mesh. Initially, it is attached to the surface with self-tapping screws. For plastering work on finishing the furnace, you can take ready-made compounds, clay. Of the budget options, it is allowed to use a standard cement masonry mortar, mixed with cement, sand and water.

The pattern of mosaic elements chosen for finishing the fireplace is pre-assembled on the floor. This should be done to ensure that all elements are present and that the pattern colors match. If the picture has developed flawlessly, you can begin to apply markings on the decorated area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fireplace.

The next step is actually laying out the mosaic. To do this, an adhesive solution is applied to each element from the back side with a layer of up to 4 mm and the part is pressed tightly against the wall in the right place. When decorating the fireplace, the exit of the solution at the junction of the constituent parts should be avoided. It will be difficult to remove it from fine-grained components, as a result of which the appearance of the composition will lose its attractiveness and presentability.

A rock

As an option for finishing the fireplace, stone can be used. Natural materials are quite expensive and require specific skills and tools to process them, but the hearths in this design look simply majestic. Most commonly used:

• granite;
• shell rock;
• slate;
• marble;
• limestone;
• sandstone.

Granite

It is magnificent in the decoration of the fireplace and in the "wild" form (without processing), and in the polished. Granite is easy to care for, because it can be washed with detergents, and its extreme strength makes it invulnerable to mechanical damage. The only thing that stops fireplace owners from choosing it as a design solution is the high cost and the inability to finish the fireplace with their own hands. The stone is difficult to cut and grind.

shell rock

This is the optimal solution for finishing the furnace. The stone is not so difficult to process, affordable, has an attractive texture. A significant drawback of the material is its softness and porosity. The shell rock decor is easy to damage, and dust and soot will constantly accumulate in the pores. In order for the fireplace not to look sloppy, it will have to be seriously looked after.

Sandstone and limestone

These two types of stone are distinguished by a large variety of varieties, which makes it possible to easily choose the finish of the fireplace in such an aspect that the hearth decorated with it becomes a harmonious addition to any environment. The design of the portal turns out to be beautiful, but requiring special care, as both sandstone and limestone are ready to literally absorb soot.

Slate

Pretty durable, original appearance facing stone. It can be considered a worthy alternative to the usual options for finishing fireplaces, however, it is far from possible to organically fit a hearth with such a design into every interior.

Marble

This mineral is a true leader in the decorative finishing of fireplaces. Natural beauty, reasonable price, varietal diversity - these are its leading characteristics, allowing you to easily select the type of stone for a specific design project.

Fake diamond

Artificially created identifiers of natural stones are no less in demand in the decoration of the fireplace, as they have characteristics similar to natural counterparts. In their composition, in addition to Portland cement and expanded clay, there is an additive of natural stone chips. Artificial stone slabs are obtained using vibrocasting technology, which makes them moisture resistant and endows them with excellent strength characteristics. It is better to work with such material when facing the fireplace with your own hands, because the laying process will not require special skills.

Facing brick

A good master is able to initially lay out a brick fireplace so that it does not have to be specially decorated. Over time, such masonry will simply need to be updated. We'll have to re-wipe and sand the seams. To revive the color of the fireplace and make it more saturated, applying a hydrochloric acid solution to the surface of the masonry will help.

Brick can also be considered as an option for finishing the fireplace. In this case, they are surrounded by an existing structure. The material of choice should be representatives of the refractory group.

Drywall

They can also be used in the decoration of furnaces, but not of an open type. Designers resort to plasterboard decors in the case of finishing decorative fireplaces, which only imitate active hearths. Since the plasterboard sheet is not highly decorative, then upon completion of the assembly of the frame structure, the resulting surface will have to be completed with embossed plaster, tiled, etc.

Plastering fireplaces

Finishing the stove by plastering is the easiest, fastest and most budgetary way to design it. Such decor will not additionally make the object heavier, so you don’t have to worry about strengthening the foundation. When changing the general interior of the premises, the owner will always have the opportunity to bring the color scheme of the portal to new requirements.

Under the condition of finishing a working type fireplace, one should not forget that neither facade nor wall plaster mixtures can become consumables. They do not have the effect of heat resistance.

The decorativeness of the plaster layer is given with organosilicon, resistant to temperature extremes, paints.

Wood as a decorative fireplace

The fact that wood clearly does not belong to heat-resistant materials is known to everyone, however, you should not rush to discount it as an option for finishing a fireplace. The hearth sewn into the tree looks noble.

When deciding to do the work on finishing the fireplace with your own hands, consider the following.

The tree of the selected sample must certainly be impregnated with flame retardants. This will prevent the ignition of the finishing layer.

It would be more correct not to completely sheathe the fireplace with wood, but to make only decorative inserts out of it.

Equip the firebox with a protective screen. He will not allow sparks to fly beyond its limits.

Do not use ash and alder in the work on finishing the fireplace. When heated, their wood cracks and twists.

If a tree is chosen for decorating an electric fireplace, then it is important to ensure that the ventilation processes are not disturbed during the operation of the device, then it will not overheat and the wooden portal will not be at risk of fire.

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Stylish decoration of decorative fireplaces

Hearths in the English style

English fireplace - Mr. perfection. It is laid out in a U-shape and endowed with classic features. In design, priority is given to straight lines and even, clearly defined corners. The firebox itself is small, but voluminous. The accent zone in the decoration of the furnace is a large portal. It is decorated with tiles, forging elements, expensive wood.

Hearths in Provence style

No frills, no pomposity - just the simplest forms. When creating such a fireplace, its design is worked out in the smallest detail. The color scheme of the decorative finish of the fireplace is certainly in a calm shade. Ideally, the hearth is made in white, although the light, calm tones of the portal of the green, blue, and yellow spectrum will fit well into the interior composition.

A good solution is to age the paint, giving it a faded look. You can veneer the Provence fireplace with stone or ceramics. Wood, although not alien to style, is not so common in the decoration of a fireplace of this type. If it does appear, it is exclusively precious rocks. Forged parts can become decor for the stove.

Hearths in country style

Rustic style fireplaces, with all their simplicity and uncomplicated decoration, become real carriers of home comfort. They are heavy and have impressive dimensions. For this reason, building and decorating a fireplace with your own hands is difficult.

Portals are designed in a D-shape.The hearth has a niche under the firebox where kindling firewood is stored. A powerful beam is laid above the firebox, more often from a stone monolith.

A country oven can be made not only wood-burning, but also gas-fired. It is recommended to decorate the portal with artificially aged sandstone, brickwork, shell rock.

Hearths in ethnic style

Ethno-fireplaces are distinguished by species diversity. They can be interpreted in a strict old German, Scandinavian style or presented in a bright Indian color.

The finish of the fireplace is responsible for ethnicity, which will give rise to the need to look for specific elements for its decor. They will help to make an association with the chosen stylistic direction. As an option for finishing the furnace, chalk whitewash, stone, and clay mortar can be considered.

The fireplace can also appear in the form of an actually open hearth, which almost unfolds in the center of the living room like an ordinary fire pit.

High-tech hearths

Innovative materials, advanced technologies, shocking solutions - these are the leading landmarks in high-tech fireplace decoration. They can be created in the form of a coffee table, a prism, suspended with a fireball on a metal chain. Such stoves can stand on the floor, hang from the ceiling, or be attached to the walls. Often these are rotating and mobile elements of the interior.

The decoration of decorative fireplaces can combine incongruous, for example, fire and water.

The material of manufacture is metal, refractory glass, which are characterized by high heat transfer.

Hearths in a classic style

The stylistic visions of the decorative finish of the fireplace are absolutely identical to the basic principles of classicism: geometric clarity, straight lines, neutral color design. To add respectability to the hearth, its portal is decorated with unobtrusive stucco compositions and moldings.

A classic fireplace can contain elements typical of the Baroque in its decor. In the work on the image and decoration of the furnace, you can use columns, forged protection elements.

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Conclusion

The presence in the house of a functioning fireplace with an open fire in itself already changes the atmosphere in it, but if the carrier of home heat in the literal and figurative sense is also well designed, then the effectiveness of this element of the situation increases significantly. The options for finishing the fireplace are countless. Find yours among them, and new colors will appear in your life!

Photo gallery - fireplace decoration

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