Wall Fireplace  

The fireplace surround can be an area to exhibit your decorating talents or to show some creative flair in your decorating choices.  The surround is the area a couple of feet around your wall fireplace and in a lot of inserts it is a basic black.  Although the fire is a good eye-catching element on its own, it is nice to add a bit more visual appeal with a unique surround that provides some interest when there is no fire.

An approach to designing an interesting and appealing surround is to first determine your personal taste.  Are you attracted to more outgoing and wacky styles of clothes or are you a more conservative dresser?  Do you like to do the things that the majority of people do or are you a rebel who likes to step outside the box?  Is your decorating in the rest of the house all themed and following a certain decorating genre or do you have bits and pieces of different genres that all combine to create the most appealing look for you?  Your answers to these questions should help you determine the preferences in other parts of your life which should be reflected in your surround selection.

There are a few different options available for around the fireplace but keep in mind the heat generated in that area and plan accordingly.  Whether you’ve got the authentic wood fireplace or have a wall insert gas or electric fireplace you can still get creative with the surrounding area.  There are various stone options that can create a mantle or be flat with the wall.  Popular stone surrounds are limestone, fieldstone and marble, which can be designed into various different styles.  You might even want to take a look at the furniture you already have in the room with the fireplace to get inspiration for colours and design.  Sharp lines of wood or a deep rich colour in your upholstery can all be integrated into the surround design.  All you really need are your preferences and some ideas for a professional fireplace designer to work with and then they will be able to provide you with a few complete designs to choice from.

There are many more options available if you are hiring a trained professional to do the work, and not so many if you want to add your personal touch to your fireplace surround designing.  One fairly easy option that almost anyone could do and get a great looking results is a mosaic surround.  You’ll need a flat base to start with, but as long as you’ve got that as your starting point you can personally decorate the fireplace area in assorted colours of mosaic tiles.  You can erratically place the tiles or plan out a pattern or simple picture to incorporate into your mosaic design.

Searching around for surround design ideas will provide you with a wide array of ideas to create a unique surround for your wall fireplace.  Whether you are looking for a surround for a new fireplace or you want to perk up your existing fireplace it’ll be an exciting experience making a creative and intriguing area around the fireplace.