TREATMENT OF FIREPLACES
Nothing is ever more attractive than the big open fireplace, piled
with blazing logs, and with fire-dogs or andirons of brass or black
iron, as may accord with the character of your room. If yours is a
_period_ room it is possible to get andirons to match, veritable old
ones, by paying for them. The attractiveness of a fireplace depends
largely upon its proportions. To look well it should always be wider
than high, and deep enough to insure that the smoke goes up the
chimney, and not out into your room. If your fireplace smokes you may
need a special flue, leading from fireplace to proper chimney top, or
a brass hood put on front of the fireplace.
Many otherwise attractive fireplaces are spoiled by using the wrong
kind of tiles to frame them. Shiny, enamelled tiles in any colour, are
bad, and pressed red brick of the usual sort equally bad, so if you
are planning the fireplace of an informal room, choose tiles with a
dull finish or brick with a simple rough finish. In period rooms often
beautiful light or heavy mouldings entirely frame the three sides of
the fireplace when it is of wood. _Well designed_ marble mantels are
always desirable. This feature of decoration is distinctly within the
province of your architect, one reason more why he and the interior
decorator, whether professional or amateur, should continually confer
while building or rebuilding a house.
For coal fires we have a variety of low, broad grates; as well as
reproductions of Colonial grates, which are small and swung high
between brass uprights, framing the fireplace, with an ash drawer, the
front of which is brass. If you prefer the _old_, one can find this
variety of grate in antique shops as well as "Franklin stoves"
(portable open fireplaces).
If your rooms are heated with steam, cover the radiators with wooden
frames in line with the period of your room cut in open designs to
allow heat to come through, and painted to match the woodwork of the
room. See Plate XIX.
Let the fireplace be the centre of attraction in your room and draw
about it comfortable chairs, sofas and settles,--make it easy to enjoy
its hospitable blaze.