Your fireplace is one of the most important features of your home. It’s usually the centerpiece of the house, a place where family and friends gather for conversation and camaraderie in front of a warm and cheery blaze, and it’s also a useful practical tool for heating your home and cutting down on utility expenses. But if you have an older home then your fireplace is probably out of date too. Maybe it doesn’t have all the convenient appliances you’d like to have, or maybe it just looks used and antiquated. Luckily there are lots of things you can do to spruce up and update a fireplace, and it will also increase your fireplace value and thus the value of your home. Here are a few good ideas to get the creative juices flowing.
Tips For Modernizing An Older Fireplace
Inspection, Cleaning, Maintenance, & Repair
To paraphrase an old saying, before you come in with the new, you have to go out with the old. The first thing you should do is have an expert perform a complete inspection of your chimney and fireplace. They’ll be looking for damage that needs to be repaired, creosote buildup, and any necessary maintenance and upgrades that need to be done. If there is a significant buildup of creosote in your chimney it will need to be removed as it poses a serious fire hazard, as does some types of damage. Making sure it’s safe and in good working order is an essential way to modernize a chimney and fireplace.
Add A New Mantelpiece
The mantel does a lot to make a fireplace stand out as a focal point in a room, and it serves as a place for pictures and other decorative items. Many types of mantels can be removed and replaced fairly easily, and there are a lot of new ones on the market in styles ranging from modern to retro. Or you could go retro for real with an old salvaged mantel, which can often be found in antique shops and vintage architectural dealers.
Brick, Tile, Stone, And Wood
Surround your fireplace with a material that fits your decor and taste. There’s a large variety of stick-on tiles available in all types of materials that are easy to install yourself. A cast stone or brick veneer looks like the real thing. If you already have brick and stone around your firebox consider simply painting it a different color. A quick online search will show you plenty of ideas to update a fireplace aesthetically.
Install Glass Doors
Decorative glass doors on a fireplace not only look nice, but they also serve as an important safety feature on a traditional wood fireplace, keeping hot coals inside and the kids and pets out. These are relatively inexpensive and make a big difference.
Add An Insert
One of the best ways to modernize a chimney and fireplace is to make it more efficient as a heating appliance. An insert allows you to change your fireplace to gas or pellet-burning, and because they are sealed and usually include a blower they are much better for heating purposes.
Modernizing a chimney and fireplace is a great way to increase your fireplace value in many ways. Ask your local expert for advice.
