Fireplaces play a special role in the interior. If previously it had only one function - heating the room, now it is one of the main design elements that creates a special atmosphere. It’s nice to spend time in a living room with a fireplace, especially in the cold season, when it’s frosty outside, but your home is warm and cozy. The soothing crackle of wood, the mesmerizing flame of fire and the soft light emanating from the fireplace create the right atmosphere. In any home, an electric fireplace will become the center of attention. In modern design projects, the wall or niche where the fireplace is installed stands out. This could be decorative brickwork or stylish shelves with firewood. Often, original paintings, decorative items, or mirrors are used for decoration, visually enlarging the space.
Nuances for different types of fireplaces
In order to achieve a competent design of a living room with a fireplace, you should pay attention to the features of the room, its layout, dimensions, decoration and even the arrangement of furniture.
When choosing a classic built-in fireplace, first of all you need to familiarize yourself with the rules for installing the fireplace. For safety reasons, a high-quality chimney and ventilation grilles must be equipped for proper air supply.
An electric model or false fireplace is the most suitable option for rooms with a small area. For these products, it is better to organize a place near the internal main wall. The electric fireplace is very compact, safe, lightweight and does not cause any difficulties during the renovation of the room.
A gas fireplace simultaneously performs two functions: it becomes an original decoration and heats the room. Such a fireplace does not produce soot or soot. There are open, closed, built-in and stationary models, which, due to their versatility, can be located almost anywhere, for example, near the hay or on a special stand.
The photo shows the design of a bright living room with an artificial false fireplace.
The bio-fireplace is an ideal solution for the interior of an apartment. Such a product does not have any special requirements for location and is absolutely harmless to the environment. The airy transparent eco-fireplace built into the wall partition looks truly original and unusual.
What can it be made from?
Almost any materials are suitable for making a fake fireplace: from cardboard to brick. The whole question is in the expenditure of effort, finances and time.
From boxes
The simplest and most budget option. Such a decorative fireplace portal can be made in one day, spending only on PVA glue and finishing materials.
Corner fireplace
To make a corner fireplace, it is best to stock up on at least one box of large appliances: a refrigerator, washing machine or dishwasher, etc. The rest of the list of tools and materials is similar to the list of preparations for the New Year's fireplace.
From paper
To make a small craft, it is better to find a “cut and glue” pattern on the Internet. There are a lot of options available: straight and angular, with and without a chimney.
Everyone can choose the right design. But here you need to take into account the scale. When printed on a regular A4 sheet, the finished craft will be the size of a pack of cigarettes.
And if you plan to glue a fireplace with a chimney with your own hands, then the portal will be no larger than a box of matches. This format is suitable only for decorating a dollhouse, or as a New Year’s craft for a kindergarten or school.
If you use A3 format to print the sketch, the product will turn out to be larger. To make larger crafts, it is better to transfer the design onto thick cardboard, so the fireplace will better hold its shape.
New Year's fireplace
Any boxes are suitable for production: from household appliances, building materials, food, office paper (A4), etc. The final appearance of the finished product will depend on the number of boxes, their shape and size.
For production you will need:
- boxes;
- glue (PVA or wood glue);
- stationery knife;
- ruler;
- pencil;
- scotch;
- press (a stack of books or something heavy but compact);
- level.
For the first time, it is better to choose models of the simplest shapes, without arches or complex elements. But if you have confidence in your own abilities, you can aim for an exclusive design.
From cardboard
Their cardboard can be used to reproduce any fireplace model. The main thing is that the material is dense enough.
The list of necessary tools and materials may vary depending on the chosen fireplace model, but the basic set remains the same:
- stationery knife;
- glue;
- pencil;
- ruler;
- cardboard;
- scotch;
- finishing materials.
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A diagram of a cardboard fireplace is drawn up and thought out in advance. Based on the selected design and size, the required amount of materials is calculated.
Next, the pattern (taking into account the scale) is applied to the cardboard. The closer the parts are located to each other, the less waste will be left.
The parts are cut out and glued together. Additionally, all joints are secured with tape. For greater reliability, in areas with the greatest load, cardboard can be glued in several layers, or a frame can be built from slats.
How to place a fireplace?
The fireplace should be located so that it does not interfere with the practical use of the rest room.
Fireplace in the corner of the living room
The corner model has a special design that allows it to fit harmoniously into any type of living room interior. Such a fireplace can be decorated using any materials, placed next to it a couple of cozy armchairs or complemented with a corner sofa.
To ensure that the fireplace does not get lost in the room, it should be installed in a corner that is best visible from different parts of the room.
The photo shows the interior of a classic living room with a fireplace located in the corner.
Fireplace in the center of the living room
Island fireplaces are rare, but they have a very interesting appearance. Such models are mainly used for the design of large rooms. The design is distinguished by the presence of a suspended chimney and the possibility of excellent visibility in all directions, therefore it most often serves as the central element of the living room interior.
The fireplace placed in the middle is visually highlighted due to color or decoration and the main pieces of furniture are placed around it.
Fireplace between windows
It is an effective way of arrangement. However, this option has its drawback: due to heating the external wall, a certain amount of heat will be lost. Thermal insulation of this area will solve the disadvantage.
A fireplace installed between two French windows will look beautiful. It is also appropriate for front or corner placement between two window openings of different sizes.
In the photo there is a fireplace portal between two windows in the design of the hall in the fusion style.
Between two doors
A fireplace placed between two doorways may not be a very convenient option for the living room. Since there is usually a relaxation area around the fireplace portal, family members constantly passing by can interfere with a comfortable rest. Therefore, before arranging such a fireplace, you should carefully consider the layout and furnishings of the room.
Fireplace on free wall
The most traditional solution. It is better to place the fireplace insert near the internal walls to retain heat in the house. A portal with an open flame cannot be installed near wooden objects.
Ideas for a small living room
Do not think that it is not possible to place a fireplace in a room with a small area. Of course, setting up a wood-burning fireplace with an open fire in a small living room would be the height of frivolity.
For cozy small spaces the following are suitable:
- Electric heaters. Such a portal is practical, safe for children and animals, and naturally imitates live fire.
- False portals. They are installed for beauty, creating an atmosphere of comfort. You can place safety candles on and inside this fireplace.
In a small space, it is important to fit each element into the overall design solution. At the same time, the fireplace will become the unifying link that will set the tone for the interior.
Expert opinion
Olga Kovalenko
Since 2010 I have been engaged in interior design and architectural design.
The uniform arrangement of pieces of furniture relative to the portal will emphasize the uniqueness of the design solution.
Photo in a private house
In the living room in the interior of a country house, it is possible to install a real wood-burning fireplace. To do this, you need to take care of the good strength of the floor and walls, pay attention to the height of the ceiling and take care of fire safety. Due to the live fire, warm energy is formed in the home atmosphere, and the atmosphere is filled with comfort and acquires individual characteristics.
The layout of the house often involves a living room combined with a kitchen. In the design of a combined room, it will be interesting to look at the hearth, which acts as a dividing element between two functional zones.
The photo shows a living room in a country-style house with a corner fireplace lined with brickwork.
For the design of a spacious hall with a high ceiling, a portal made in a rustic country style is perfect. This D-shaped fireplace is large in size and has a design that is particularly rural in simplicity and naturalness. In order to achieve maximum effect, the portal is lined with stone or wood, and firewood is laid out in the fireplace niche.
Examples of fireplaces in the interior of a city apartment
The interior of the living room is ideally complemented by an electric fireplace. If you apply high-quality finishing, the artificial model will look no worse than a real hearth. Such designs, as a rule, have several ways to simulate flame. The combustion effect is depicted using a display, carried out by backlighting or a fan, which causes the rag tongues of fire to move.
The photo shows an electric fireplace in the interior of a living room in a modern-style apartment.
In the living room of an apartment, the fireplace can be located along the entire wall or occupy only a small amount of space. It would be appropriate to hang a TV above the fireplace, and put a sofa opposite. The wall above the portal is also sometimes equipped with shelves, decorated with a mirror or beautifully framed paintings. A functional solution would be to install a modular wall as a continuation of the horizontal fireplace.
Modern option
glass fireplace in a modern interior
The basis of these centers is the classic, but it is present in a lighter form. The design, including the one with bas-relief decorations, looks “light”, and its portal has a more rectilinear shape. It fits perfectly into minimalist interiors, even though such a fireplace in the living room of an apartment completely fills the space from the floor to the ceiling.
Ideas in different styles
Installing a fireplace is appropriate in a living room with a wide variety of stylistic concepts presented in real design projects.
Fireplace in a living room interior in a classic style
In a classic hall, a monolithic fireplace with a chimney, finished with granite, marble or clinker bricks, is most often erected. You can place a couple of armchairs made of natural wood around the hearth, decorate the mantelpiece with different decor in the form of antique clocks, photographs in metal frames, or decorate the portal with bronze candlesticks.
The photo shows the design of the area with a fireplace in the living room in a classic style.
Living room in loft style with fireplace
A full-fledged gas model with rough outlines and without unnecessary finishing is perfect for a loft. A steel stove coated with black or silver heat-resistant paint will allow you to advantageously decorate an industrial space.
A budget option for an industrial living room is a false fireplace with an aged effect, decorated with metal candlesticks.
Living room with fireplace in Provence style
The fireplace portal should be in harmony with the declared style, which is characterized by simplicity, unusually sweet appeal, delicate plant motifs and pastel colors without sharp accents.
A fireplace lined with materials in the form of decorative stone, ceramic tiles, aged brick and other coatings with a matte texture will be advantageously combined with light tones.
The photo shows a Provence-style room with a corner fireplace lined with tiles.
Living room in high-tech style
For high-tech, a classic hearth with a U-shaped portal is not suitable. In the design of the hall, it is appropriate to install an ultra-modern fireplace of a triangular or spherical shape, as well as a model combined with a coffee table. The product can be attached to the wall or hung and placed in the center of the living room.
Neoclassicism in the living room interior
In the neoclassical style, the hearth is the main detail around which the entire interior composition is built. The symmetrical and monochromatic fireplace portal is complemented with various characteristic ornaments and decorated with thematic curls, rosettes and reliefs.
Fireplace in the living room in a minimalist style
A strict and laconic portal with metal, plastic or glass elements in combination with functional furniture designed in a minimalist style will give the living room a stylish look. A minimalist fireplace is considered a budget option, since it can be made in the form of a flame located in a wall niche without additional cladding or accessories.
The photo shows a long bio-fireplace built into a furniture wall in a minimalist room design.
Impeccable symmetry
the arrangement of various objects emphasizes the significance of the area
In the design of a room with a fireplace, strict symmetry often looks great. It is typical for classic furnishings and interiors in the spirit of Provence. In this case, the fireplace is installed at the end wall. The axis of symmetry becomes the carpet lying on the floor. A long coffee table is placed on it. There are sofas on both sides of the table. Shelves or other furnishings can be placed along the walls behind the sofas.
Interior design ideas
In the interior of a small living room with a fireplace, the main task is the rational use and saving of usable space. An artificial model will fit perfectly into such a room. In this case, you do not need to take into account the height of the ceilings and the number of free square meters in the room.
For the hall, you can choose a minimalist electric, gas model or a compact bio-fireplace. The design of a country house or cottage will be successfully complemented by a mini-fireplace, which is an excellent alternative to a stationary portal.
The photo shows the interior of a small room with a false fireplace.
An equally suitable solution for small spaces would be a corner model. Such a fireplace will not only effectively use a corner in the hall, but will also advantageously transform and adjust the configuration of the room.
A wall structure with a thin glass or plastic body would also be appropriate. A similar product in the form of a plasma screen with an imitation of the combustion process is conveniently hung on the wall in the living room, which can significantly save space in the room.
For a large living room, an island model located in the center or a wall stove is suitable. In the spacious room, near the fireplace, a seating area is set up, chairs, a sofa and a coffee table are installed.
The photo shows a fireplace placed between two window openings in a large living room.
Visual and compositional dominant
When installing a corner fireplace, you should stick to the golden mean between inconspicuousness and pretentiousness. Such a model should neither be conspicuous nor lost among other interior items.
It is important to remember that, no matter where the fireplace is located, it is still the semantic and compositional center of the interior, and therefore it should not be blocked by bulky cabinets, sofas, or tables. The hearth should be clearly visible from different places in the living room, and if something interferes with this, then this obstacle must be removed and not moved.
