There’s a point every autumn when the evening suddenly feel different. The lights go on earlier, the blankets come back out and, for the first time in months you think about lighting the fire. During the spring and summer months the fireplace gets forgotten about but as Autumn arrives and we spend more time indoors, […]
There’s a point every autumn when the evening suddenly feel different.
The lights go on earlier, the blankets come back out and, for the first time in months you think about lighting the fire.
During the spring and summer months the fireplace gets forgotten about but as Autumn arrives and we spend more time indoors, the fireplace naturally becomes one the focal points of the room.
If yours is looking a little tired, dated or simply doesn’t suit the rest of your home anymore, now could be the perfect time to give it some attention.
And you don’t necessarily need to replace the whole fireplace to make a significant difference.
When you think about renovating a living room, often the focus is on paints colours, flooring, furnishings and lighting.
But changing the fireplace hearth or surround can have just as much impact.
Perhaps you’ve inherited an old tiled hearth that doesn’t suit your style. You may have installed a new wood burner but get the original surround. Our perhaps the fireplace feels out of proportion with the rest of the room.
Replacing these elements with bespoke stone can completely change the look of the fireplace. And, because it a natural focal point, the room around it too.
There’s something particularly appropriate about pairing a fireplace with stone.
Both have a sense of permanence, which is perhaps why stone has been used around fireplaces for centuries.
But that doesn’t mean the finished results needs to look traditional.
A simple dark granite hearth beneath a contemporary wood burner can create a clean understated look. A beautifully patterned marble can turn a fireplace into a much more decorative feature. In the right setting a simple neutral stone can allow the architecture of the room or the fire itself to take centre stage.
The key is choosing a material that works both with the style of your home and the requirements of your particular fireplace or appliance.
Stone fireplaces can work particularly beautiful in period properties but there is no reason they should feel dated.
In fact, one of the most effective approaches is to combine traditional materials with much simpler contemporary detailing.
Rather than an elaborate surround you might choose a straightforward stone hearth and slips around a wood burner. Or you might retain an original fireplace but replace tired hearth with a piece of stone that complements the age and character of the property.
Equally, in a contemporary home, taking a stone surface across a fireplace can become a strong architectural feature.
The material may be traditional but the way you use it doesn’t have to be.
Granite is a popular choice for hearths because of its durability and the range of appearances available, from understated dark stones to much more characterful natural patterns.
Marble can create a very different effect. Its natural veining makes every piece individual and it can work particularly well when the fireplace is intended to become a decorative feature within the room.
What matters is that the material is suitable for the particular fireplace, stove or fire you’re installing. Heat exposure, appliance specifications and installation requirements all need to be considered before the stone is selected and fabricated.
One of the advantages of choosing bespoke stone fireplace hearth is that it can be made specifically for your room.
This can be particularly important in older properties.
Walls aren’t always straight. Floors aren’t always level. Fireplace openings aren’t necessarily perfectly square and standard sizes don’t always work.
Accurate measurement and fabrication allow the stone to accommodate the realities off the room rather than trying to make the room accommodate an off-the-shelf product.
The dimensions, shape and edge details can all be considered as part of the overall design.
It’s a relatively small area of stone compared with a kitchen worktop, but precision still matters.
A fireplace or hearth can also be an excellent opportunity to consider an offcut of stone.
Fabricating kitchen worktops inevitably leaves pieces of beautiful material that aren’t large enough for another kitchen. These can be perfect for smaller projects.
It can give you access to a material you might not otherwise have considered while also making good use of stone already sitting in the workshop.
We keep a selection of stone offcuts at our Bicester workshop so it’s always worth asking what’s available or even coming along to take a look.
There’s another practical reason why Autumn is a good time to look at your fireplace.
Once the cold weather arrives properly, you’ll want to use it.
Planning any changes before winter gives you the opportunity to consider the material, measurements and finished design rather than make a rushed decision once your relying on the fire.
If you’re installing a new stove or fire at the same time, it’s also worth discussing the stone requirements with your installer and fabricator early so that everything works together.
As Autumn turns to Winter we close our doors, switch on the lamps and spend more time in rooms that felt almost secondary in the summer months.
And once the fire is lit, it inevitably draws people in.
If you have spent another year looking at a fireplace you’ve never quite loved, perhaps now is the time to change it.
A new stone hearth is necessarily the biggest renovation you’ll make to your home. But on a cold November evening, it might be one you appreciate the most.
Visit The Granite House showroom in Bicester to explore granite, marble and other stone options for bespoke fireplace hearths and surrounds. Our team can advise on material choice, design and fabrication for your project.
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