LIGHT MY FIRE
HOMES & GARDENS
LIGHT MY FIRE Get fired up with our guide to the hottest must-have fireplaces come winter. By Chris Salzano
Cocoon Aeris Fireplace www.wharfside.co.uk
hether you want flickering flames, an extra heat source or just a dramatic surround to anchor your interior scheme, here are a few ideas to get you fired up...
W
MAKE A STATEMENT There’s been a distinct move back to the fireplace as a focal point in interiors and quite rightly so. Who wants to look at a big black flat screen when you could be watching dancing flames and getting cosy at the same time? Mike Johnson, of English Fireplaces, has seen a resurgence in demand for marble fireplaces this year, as well as simple contemporary designs. A dramatic fireplace and surround makes a great focal point for furniture to
be arranged around – even when it’s not on. Wood-burning stoves look great in luxe industrial spaces and work with the Nordic aesthetic perfectly. SLEEK AND SLIM The latest designs tend to be sleeker and slimmer to take up less space in our evershrinking homes. While some fireplaces without mantels may have more to do with wall-mounted flat screen TVs than aesthetics, hole-in-the wall or inset fireplaces with non-reflective glass sit beautifully within on-trend feature walls of stone or wood. Log burners, too, are getting linear with bigger viewing panels to make the most of those flickering flames.
The Bolection Marble Fireplace www.englishfireplaces.co.uk
55
HOMES & GARDENS
Charnwood C FOUR www.ludlowstoves.co.uk
FREESTANDING If your home doesn’t lend itself to an inbuilt fireplace then check out the latest freestanding fires. Balanced flue gas fires don’t need a chimney so offer plenty of options in design terms. While bioethanol fireplaces can be portable as they do not need a flue, gas supply or permanent ventilation. Consider a double-sided fireplace in open plan homes to act as a room divider or opt for 360-degree glass to fully appreciate the flames. For a real showstopper that will take your interior to the next level, how about the latest suspended fireplaces that are hung from the ceiling? Think cosy ski chalet chic.
Charnwood Tor Pico Puppy www.ludlowstoves.co.uk
FUEL YOUR PASSION There have been great leaps in fireplace technology from clean burn technology to bioethanol and all with great green credentials. So there really is no excuse not to feast your eyes on some flames, hunker down and get cosy this winter.
RADIATORS For rooms like bathrooms think about upgrading your heating with some gorgeous towel rails or statement radiators. Stainless steel is a great choice in the bathroom as it never rusts. Or opt for a gold finish, which is brass plating on top of polished stainless steel.
“In the past, radiators were always something to be seen and impress. During the ’70s people were ripping out these beautiful radiators and covering up all period features. The design era is back, and it’s staying: opulent aged-gold radiators in entrance halls, deep low and long radiators in windows used as seating and subtly replacing ghastly steel panel radiators back to their former glory.” – Jayson Branch of Castrads 56
King George 470mm cast iron radiator www.castrads.com
LIGHT MY FIRE Get fired up with our guide to the hottest must-have fireplaces come winter. By Chris Salzano
Cocoon Aeris Fireplace www.wharfside.co.uk
hether you want flickering flames, an extra heat source or just a dramatic surround to anchor your interior scheme, here are a few ideas to get you fired up...
W
MAKE A STATEMENT There’s been a distinct move back to the fireplace as a focal point in interiors and quite rightly so. Who wants to look at a big black flat screen when you could be watching dancing flames and getting cosy at the same time? Mike Johnson, of English Fireplaces, has seen a resurgence in demand for marble fireplaces this year, as well as simple contemporary designs. A dramatic fireplace and surround makes a great focal point for furniture to
be arranged around – even when it’s not on. Wood-burning stoves look great in luxe industrial spaces and work with the Nordic aesthetic perfectly. SLEEK AND SLIM The latest designs tend to be sleeker and slimmer to take up less space in our evershrinking homes. While some fireplaces without mantels may have more to do with wall-mounted flat screen TVs than aesthetics, hole-in-the wall or inset fireplaces with non-reflective glass sit beautifully within on-trend feature walls of stone or wood. Log burners, too, are getting linear with bigger viewing panels to make the most of those flickering flames.
The Bolection Marble Fireplace www.englishfireplaces.co.uk
55
HOMES & GARDENS
Charnwood C FOUR www.ludlowstoves.co.uk
FREESTANDING If your home doesn’t lend itself to an inbuilt fireplace then check out the latest freestanding fires. Balanced flue gas fires don’t need a chimney so offer plenty of options in design terms. While bioethanol fireplaces can be portable as they do not need a flue, gas supply or permanent ventilation. Consider a double-sided fireplace in open plan homes to act as a room divider or opt for 360-degree glass to fully appreciate the flames. For a real showstopper that will take your interior to the next level, how about the latest suspended fireplaces that are hung from the ceiling? Think cosy ski chalet chic.
Charnwood Tor Pico Puppy www.ludlowstoves.co.uk
FUEL YOUR PASSION There have been great leaps in fireplace technology from clean burn technology to bioethanol and all with great green credentials. So there really is no excuse not to feast your eyes on some flames, hunker down and get cosy this winter.
RADIATORS For rooms like bathrooms think about upgrading your heating with some gorgeous towel rails or statement radiators. Stainless steel is a great choice in the bathroom as it never rusts. Or opt for a gold finish, which is brass plating on top of polished stainless steel.
“In the past, radiators were always something to be seen and impress. During the ’70s people were ripping out these beautiful radiators and covering up all period features. The design era is back, and it’s staying: opulent aged-gold radiators in entrance halls, deep low and long radiators in windows used as seating and subtly replacing ghastly steel panel radiators back to their former glory.” – Jayson Branch of Castrads 56
King George 470mm cast iron radiator www.castrads.com
