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Where to start when choosing your natural stone fireplace....
One of the best things about winter is snuggling up next to a fire with your
favourite movie on and a delicious hot drink in your hand. Winter bliss. If you’re thinking of adding a fireplace to your home, or you’d like to update the one you have, it can be difficult to know where to start. With hundreds of designs and materials to choose from, and safety and sizes to consider, it can be a lot to think about. Using our 25 years of experience creating and fitting bespoke fireplaces we’ve come up with some important things to consider when choosing one. To get the most out of your fire, it’s important to get the right size for your space. If it’s too big, it will dominate the room and it could be too hot, but if it’s too small, it will be overloaded and could jeopardise the lifetime of the stove or fireplace. When you go to a showroom or contact a fireplace installer, go armed with information – the size and use of the room, the insulation in your home, how many windows are there, potential fire type (for example open fire, wood burning stove, electric fire), fireplace placement and the ceiling height. When choosing a material natural stones are perfect for fireplace surrounds and hearths. They’re noncombustible and hard-wearing. Stones like marble, limestone and slate have been used for fireplaces for centuries. Granite and slate make perfect hearths, they’re heat resistant and if a bit of coal or burning log falls on to them, they won’t be easily scratched or stained. They also come in many different finishes including polished or flame brushed for modern or rustic looks. Fireplaces are the focal point of a room so next you’ll need to think about the design. Some recent trends include using black natural stones like slate and Belgian Fossil or pairing traditional stones like marble or limestone with brightly coloured tiles. Websites like Pinterest provide lots of design inspiration, or visit your local fireplace showroom where you may be able to take samples of stones home which can give you a better idea of how that material will work with the light and colours in that room. If you’re thinking of renovating or updating your fireplace but don’t know where to start, Coulon Stone offer a complete service, from helping you choose a material, providing samples to take home, working with you to create a bespoke design, taking measurements, then creating and fitting the fireplace. We can also sign post you to local stove and flue system companies. Visit our Stokenchurch showroom, or get in touch through our website www.coulonstone.com or by phone on 01494 484333.
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