Fireplace Furniture

Fireplace Furniture
Tom Cox
General Manager Fireplacemantels123.com

Recently I was speaking with an interior designer who was selecting a fireplace surround for a client. In the course of the conversation she repeatedly used the phrase "fireplace furniture" when referring to the type of surround she was searching for. I was able to help by directing her to a few of our more elegant surrounds which seemed to fit the description of "fireplace furniture."

She chose the Deauville Fireplace Surround from Pearl Mantels and once we had finalized the order I had to ask why she used the term "fireplace furniture" versus “fireplace surround.” She was surprised by my question and gave me an in-depth lecture on the historical significance of fireplaces, from cooking to heating, truly one of the most significant elements in the home. She further discussed how the fireplace continues on in this tradition, however the majority of the time there is no flame burning so what draws us in is “the piece of furniture” that surrounds it.

Her design philosophy when decorating any room with a fireplace was simple. First she determines if the fireplace will be a focal point and if so, what sort of statement it should make (i.e. traditional, ornate, modern…). Then in the same manner that she would select furniture for a room, she selects the furniture for the fireplace. She explained that the selection of fireplace furniture was even more important to her than chairs or tables because this furniture was more permanent and not as easily replaced.

She gave me a nice little lecture on selecting the correct type of wood and finish for the room as well as the correct shape and style to best complement or contrast with other furniture and trim. It was really a very interesting conversation and from now on, I will think of fireplace mantels as furniture for the fireplace when helping customers.