The house fireplace can become apartment highlight, the place of attraction for family members and guests. That the center did not look alien element, it needs to be issued correctly. The decorative portal made with own hands will help to enter fireplace in interior.
What style to choose
The electrofireplace from imitations of flame will be suitable for the normal city apartment. It has mass of advantages: the affordable price, compactness, reserved design which can be issued in any style. Besides the electric fireplace or fan heater quickly warms the room and struggles with the increased humidity.
If in the house there is flue, it is possible to organize the real center with live fire. It will perfectly look in spacious kitchen dinning room, the hall or the living room. Option for the people who are not needing additional heat, but persons interested to decorate interior – false-fireplace. In beautifully issued niche put the lit candles, put books and magazines, place bouquets of flowers or houseplants.
Than the room is more spacious, especially the fireplace has to be noticeable. The mini-design will be lost in big living rooms. Color of the portal can repeat coloring of walls or contrast with it. It should be taken into account that contrasts visually reduce the room.
Material for the portal: the ideas from designers
Having decided to create in the apartment corner with fireplace, it is necessary to choose material correctly. The portal revetted with marble or granite will be suitable for classical interior with prevalence of expensive natural materials. It looks magnificently, but not too provocatively, well is in harmony with bronze, pictures in frames, porcelain, glass.
The chimney box trimmed with tile or decorative plaster will perfectly fit into design of the dining room or bedroom. He creates not striking cosiness, is combined with abundance of textiles and soft pastel tones. Fireplaces in wooden registration will be suitable for small halls. They give to the room special charm, perfectly being in harmony with floors from unpainted boards, parquet, upholstered furniture.
At material selection it is necessary to consider also the general nature of interior. The rooms issued in style Provence will decorate fireplaces with plaster stucco molding with decorative pads. Offices in empire style demand the portal from the polished light stone without excessive decor. Those who prefers interiors hi-tech will like the fireplaces revetted with mirror tile or metal. And lofts will perfectly add box from red or white brick which look brutally, but is very stylish.
Useful tips beginner
Before starting creation of the portal, it is necessary to get fireplace. It is difficult to change frame design, in most cases elements of framework fasten to floor or wall. The form and color of product should not contradict design of the portal. The special centers inserts are very convenient. They are issued extremely simply, have no legs acting parts, bright logos on the body.
Before getting to work, it is necessary to draw the sketch and to specify the exact sizes of product. The drawing will help to enter correctly fireplace in interior and to calculate how many materials are required.
The fireplace has to be convenient in use. If over it it is going to hang up the TV or mirror, it is not necessary to do the portal too high. It is important to think over in advance where there will be sockets, openings for electrical wires and ventilation. Ventilating inserts will not allow to be formed to condensate, the air which is constantly circulating in design will provide uniform warming up of the room.
If the room small, it is worth thinking of angular or wall fireplace. The mini-design looks originally and does not take the scarce place on floor. The suspended fireplace is safe for children and pets, but it is important to fix correctly design and not to do the portal too heavy.
Designers are not recommended to be fond of variety of materials. It is desirable to use no more than 2 finishing options which are well combined among themselves: tree and shod parts, tile of various invoices, the opaque and polished stone of different shades. For inspiration it is possible to look through catalogs with finished products, there will always be several fresh ideas.
For creation of the portal it is possible to use both expensive, and quite available materials. Among the most popular:
- gypsum cardboard;
- wood plates;
- scraps of parquet boards;
- metal;
- ceramic tile;
- construction or decorative brick;
- glass blocks;
- plaster;
You should not use plywood or natural wood. These materials are suitable only for false-fireplaces. The electric insert will heat the portal, over time it will crack and deformed.
The portal from gypsum cardboard
The simplest and reliable option for beginners is to make the portal of gypsum cardboard. At this material set of advantages:
- low price;
- simplicity of processing;
- variability of finishing;
Sheets of gypsum cardboard are easily cut, on their basis it is possible to make the portal of any height and form. The final type of fireplace depends on the chosen finishing. The product can be painted opaque or gloss paint, to plaster, cover with ceramic or glass tile, decorative stone or imitation of brick. The chimney portal turns out easy and mobile, it can be attached to wall and floor or to establish on support which is simple for moving in any corner of the room. Do classical wall and angular fireplaces of gypsum cardboard, if desired they can be added with the built-in furniture: the top panels opened by regiments, lockers.
All necessary materials can be bought in construction hypermarket. Also the remains, remained after repair will approach. Are necessary for work:
- sheets of gypsum cardboard of standard thickness;
- metal sections;
- screw driver and screw-driver;
- electrofret saw;
- self-tapping screws and dowels;
- tape measure.
Sheets of gypsum cardboard knife the fret saw or wallpaper according to previously made sketch. It is important to observe parallelism of lines that has not warped design.
At wall the framework from metal sections on in advance made marking gives all the best. Openings are drilled by drill, constructive parts are fastened with self-tapping screws. Accuracy frameworks is carefully verified by level then on it plasterboard preparations fix. At first sidewalls and the portal for fire chamber gather, the top chimney board in conclusion fastens.
In the course of work it is necessary to try on insert – electrofireplace. It is established when the internal portal is built. On back wall openings under wires are cut out.
The ready fireplace is covered with plaster. It is dissolved according to the recommendations of the producer. Varying batch density, it is possible to experiment with the invoice of covering. Than mix is more dense, especially the fireplace surface will be impressive. If desired it is possible to imitate manual molding or wild stone.
The final stage – painting. Color depends on the general idea of interior. It is the most convenient to use opaque or water-based gloss paint. It quickly dries, is not toxic, durable. For the best safety the surface can be covered with transparent or tinted lacquer with pyleottalkivayushchy properties. It will save the portal from moisture, burning out, cracking.
The plasterboard portal can be decorated with ceramic or glass tile, imitation of brick, decorative stone. It is important to choose light materials which fasten to basis on superglue or liquid nails.
Fireplace from parquet board
After repair quite often there are scraps of parquet boards which can be used for creation of the original chimney portal. He will successfully fit into interior and will give to the apartment what chic element. The parquet board can become frame for the electric center, it more often it is used for creation of imitation of fireplace. It is decorative element, instead of flame in fire chamber put thick candles.
It is possible to leave parquet board raw. If there is a wish to make fireplace more original, the tree is painted mordant. Color levels will create interesting pattern and will not merge with parquet floor.
At first on wall portal contours are outlined. Then on marks the contour from wooden bar gives all the best. It is necessary to fix it by means of electric drill, dowels and screws. The lower part of framework is fixed on floor, it is better to remove plinth this place.
Parquet or the floorboard is cut on pieces of the necessary width. They can be identical or differ by the size, everything depends on the general design idea. Fragments are pasted to framework and attached to each other by any strong glue. Work needs to be begun with the lower part of the portal. In the center the opening for imitation of fire chamber is left.
For the best fixing the elements press to framework struts. It is necessary to leave ready design for drying for 12-24 hours. The portal from parquet board can be covered with colourless lacquer, it does not need additional jewelry.
If desired in upper part of design the chimney board is established. It should not be too wide, for its best fixing fix to wall by means of dowels and screws. In opening for fire chamber establish candles.
The portal with facing from ceramics
Very stylish the products covered with opaque or glazed tile look. They remind the real furnace and perfectly fit into classical interior.
The framework for fireplace is collected from chipboard. Plates should not be too thick. For fastening use wooden rails, as chimney board the parquet block will approach. The portal gathers by means of electric drill and self-tapping screws, the design surely fastens to wall and floor. After assembly the fireplace is ground abrasive paper and covered with parquet lacquer in 2-3 layers.
The most crucial moment – facing by tile. The tile, ceramic or glass mosaic are glued on liquid nails. The sketch needs to be thought over in advance, than it will be simpler, so more beautiful ready fireplace. If desired the tile makes out also floor before the center. With ceramic finishing fragments from cast iron, imitation of bronze sputtering, the made old tree, lacquered perfectly are in harmony.