Fireplace Lowdown

Vineyard Fire Tool Set Perks up Hearth

There are lots of purely decorative items people place on their mantels and around the hearth in order to spruce up their fireplaces, but you can start by perking up some of the functional items as well.  If you burn wood, chances are you have a set of tools: shovel, poker, brush, etc.  If they're the plain black utilitarian kind, you might try shopping for a set that's a little more interesting, something that complements your interests or the decor of your home.

This vineyard fireplace tool set would be a nice choice for a wine lover or anyone who's got a Tuscan theme in the living room. 

It's available from Littman Bros, though at $1,700 it might be cheaper to buy the vineyard.

Log Holder and Tool Rack in 1

If you use your fireplace or wood-burning stove often, you know how much room kindling, log holders, fireplace tools, and the various related accouterments can take up in your living room.  One way to save space is to combine several tools into one set. 

For example, this front-loading log rack includes a rack that supports a poker, ash shovel, and broom.  There's room on top for a separate kindling section, and on the bottom you can stack a few old newspapers, which are of course the cheapest fire starters in this day and age.

The piece is available from Carolina Rustica through Amazon for $265: Front-Loading Rack with Fireplace Tools

Timber Wolf Fireplace Screen

The fireplace screen (which is a useful accessory since it's designed to keep sparks from leaping out of the flames and landing on your floors, rugs, passing cats, etc.) is an opportunity to add some flair to your living room.  Sure, you can get a plain old mesh thing that does the job, but why not accent your decor?

This fireplace screen features timber wolves traipsing through the forest and would be a great touch in a log home.  It's available through the store at the National Wildlife Federation and sales support the cause.  The cost is $99 (though it was on sale for $60 when I stopped by):

NWF

Fireplace Screen That Will Have You Singing...

A fireplace screen is a great place to add a bit of your personality.  Don't get something drab and plain if you can afford something that will impress guests and--more importantly--please you every time you look at it. 

This screen has three tiles with beautiful songbirds embedded in it.  The tiles are actually interchangable, too, so you can insert different tiles with different pictures on them depending on the season (or your mood).

Created by the Motawi TileWorks Company, the fireplace screen itself is crafted of durable heavy-gauge steel and powder coated with a heat resistant matte black finish, so it will stand up year in and year out.  The price is $650, which includes the tiles.

Motawi

Cute Acorn Match Holder

Don't you hate it when you're going to light a fire or a candle and you look all over the house and can't find any matches?  You know you have some, but where the heck did you put them...

Well, this acorn match holder is a fun accessory that could also help you keep track of your matches.  It's designed to hold wooden matches, so you'll also have a nicer quality to use to light a fire than what you're used to if you just have the freebies from the convenience store. 

Even if you don't usually use matches that often, it's kind of a nice autumn decoration idea.  Stick it up on your mantel for a reminder that it's acorn harvesting season.  Just don't let any squirrels see it through the window, or they might do some damage trying to get in to take a bite...

The acorn match holder is $10 from Collections, Etc.

Buying a Bellows

Everybody knows a little targeted air can perk a fire right up, but how many people actually own a bellows?  If you've got a fire lover in the family who subscribes to the hunch-over-and-blow method, a bellows could be a fun and practical gift (or maybe you're just looking to buy one yourself).  There aren't any hard fast rules to buying one.  Basically, spend more than $5, and you should get something that will last a long time.  Of course, you may want to spend a little more for something that looks handsome next to your hearth.  You can get old-fashioned wood bellows on the Internet for around $100. 

Ash Containers

What tools do you have next to your fireplace?  Many folks with wood stoves or fireplaces have the three-tool combo set with a shovel, poker, and broom, but what about a container for the ash?  (My dad used to just dump ashes into a paper grocery bag--but a metal container might have been a smarter choice.)  Though you should wait three to four days after a fire burns out before cleaning up ashes and embers, a metal container is still a good bet, because it isn't flammable.  The Jan. 2006 issue of Old-house Interiors recommends you choose one that "has a raised or double-walled bottom lining" and says "a tight-fitting lid prevents ashes from blowing about and starting another fire."

I browsed ash containers at Amazon, just to see what's available online (and easy to find).  I saw a number of brass and pewter jobs with open tops.  Though some of them were handsome, that open top sounds like a spill waiting to happen.  I like this one because of the lid:

It's available for $102 (actually it was on sale for $51 when I visited): Fireplace Hearth Lidded Ash Bin

Firebacks

What's a fireback, you ask?  Basically, firebacks are decorative cast-iron panels made to stand behind the fire.  Their purpose is to absorb heat and radiate it back into the room.  Firebacks also protect the bricks in the back of the firebox from turning black with soot.

In ye olden days when masonry fireplaces were commonly used to heat homes, they were used all the time.  Today, when fireplaces are more for ambiance than heat, firebacks are less well known.  They are still a good idea for increasing heat output, whether you're burning wood or flicking on gas logs in your fireplace.  Also, they can look cool.  Antique firebacks are highly desired if they can be found in good condition.  Decorations stamped in the cast-iron could be anything from a hunting scene to a family crest. 

Of course, you can always buy new ones via Internet stores.  Homeclick has a variety of firebacks such as this Large Oak Fireback (last I checked, they offered free shipping, which is nice, because these suckers are heavy!).

Source: Ideas for Great Fireplaces

Fireplace Doors

Fireplace doors are a way to add a decorative element to your fireplace, but they are also a good idea for safety reasons, as they keep sparks from flying out of the hearth and landing on carpets and such.  They also safeguard pets and children from getting too close to the fire.  Glass doors can contribute to the efficiency of your fireplace, too, by keeping warm air from escaping up the chimney.

Here is some information to keep in mind when shopping for them:

Glass fireplace doors should be made to precisely fit the firebox opening.  (If you're buying a new unit, most manufacturers of prefab fireplaces will offer doors as part of the sale.)  For standard-sized fireplace openings, arched or rectangular glass doors usually work.  The glass can come clear, smoked, or tinted, but it should be tempered.  The best fireplace door frames are made out of brass or steel (these are sturdiest); cheaper models may be made from aluminum.  There are a wide variety of finishes for the frames, so the choice is up to you.  Examples include antique brass, copper, brushed steel, and nickel. 

Just to confuse you further when you're trying to decide, here's a quote from a book on fireplace design:

"Doors may be cabinet-style, bifold, or full-fold; models with no center bar give a clean, all-glass look and a full view of the fire.  Some glass doors come with integral wire-mesh curtains, and some have top and bottom louvers for fire control."

Source: Ideas for Great Fireplaces

Fireplace with Waterfall from Hearthfalls

If the Max Blank combination fireplace waterfall is a bit pricey (or you're not looking to replace your existing fireplace), how about a waterfall water feature you can add to an existing fireplace?  Featured last night on HGTV's I Want That, the Hearthfall is a freestanding waterfall mantel that can be integrated into your existing hearth.  If you just want a water feature and aren't interested in the fireplace part, the unit can stand alone as a focal point against a wall in your home.

Hearthfalls offers a choice of marble, granite, or a stone aggregate for the mantel and surround.  The unit is 48" wide, 37" tall, and 14" in depth and comes with controls to adjust water flow and lighting.  It runs off its own water source, so there's no need to run a plumbing line to it.  The cost of the fireplace waterfall varies depending on the material you choose, but runs around $2,000.

http://hearthfalls.com/

Log Holders

If you do it right, your logs can enhance the area around the fireplace rather than looking like throwbacks to an era before electricity.  All you might need is a log holder. Log holders come in a number of styles and can add a cool look to the fireplace area (not to mention they're handy for storing the night's logs).  Materials vary for log holders, but wrought iron is pretty standard.  Some of the more thoughtful models may have detachable canvas portions with straps so that you can more easily carry logs from the wood pile up to the fireplace.  Here are examples of a few log holders out there:

Antique Copper Wrought Iron Log holder w/ Canvas Carrier

Brushed Stainless Steel Log Holder

Antique Copper Log Holder w/ Leaf Design