5 Tips for Updating Your Outdoor Fireplace in Wheaton, IL
Due to its sheer size and vertical prominence, a fireplace almost always command its rightful place as the focal point of a room, whether it’s indoors or outside. Your outdoor fireplace should complement the rest of your Wheaton, IL, home as it’s bound to receive lots of attention from onlookers and guests. Whether your outdoor fireplace has become outdated or you’re looking to make updates, here are a few tips for transforming it:
Instant Aging
Giving your favorite hardscape feature a rustic, time-worn look and feel is just one way to imbue your property with unique character. Not only does an antiqued design defy modern trends, it also presents numerous opportunities for adding charm, whimsy, and personalized touches to the hardscape. Whether in the form of expertly chosen lighting or new but weathered looking materials around your fireplace, you could find that dated designs are the richest in character.
A brick fireplace, for example, could be treated to resemble the look of distressed brick typically found in Old European architecture. Or tumbled concrete pavers, with purposefully worn surfaces that mimic those of antique brick, could be acquired. Consider opting for a collection of dark brick interspersed by light gray, unpainted mortar for a powerful visual impact.
Dainty Details
An old fireplace can be completely reanimated by the addition of a few personalized decorations. Consider the fireplace itself to be a canvas for the creation of an artwork unique to your hardscape. For example: tiles and other heat-resistant materials can be used to create a colorful back panel that peeks through the belly of the fireplace.
Candles, ornaments, and planters are just a few examples of decorative items that can be placed on the mantle of your fireplace to give it a new personality. For example, a smoky gray fireplace can be brightened and enhanced by both warm- and cool-toned colors, like light blue and burnt orange. Consider the difference between striking white planters and gem-toned mason jars for your mantle as these small details go a long way in determining the aesthetic theme of a particular outdoor room—be it modern, bohemian, or rustic.
Going Minimal
Consider allowing the frame of your fireplace to fade into the background, giving the flames within it even more attention. By having your fireplace constructed from the same material as all your other vertical hardscape features, or opting for very simple monochrome pavers, you can create the impression that a raging fire is emanating from the very essence of the outdoor room itself. The dynamic nature of the flames will also be much more noticeable, as will its near-endless array of ever-changing shades.
Include a Storage Compartment
Fitting a storage compartment for logs into your wood-burning fireplace can make keeping the fire going rather convenient. What’s more: There is something refined and tasteful about the appearance of a symmetrical assembly of tightly stacked logs on either side of the hearth. This addition to the framework of your fireplace can also add a personalized touch to its design. The logs will become the focal point of the fireplace during the day, when it isn't lit.
Give It a New Purpose
Look into converting or expanding your outdoor fireplace into a pizza oven. Being able to host make-your-own-pizza nights could stretch out the use you get out of your fireplace investment.
