Take a look at the fireplace in your home. Somehow it doesn't look right. Perhaps the design is out of date. Or perhaps you have gotten tired of the existing look, and you yearn for a new fireplace design. If so, maybe it's time to take a look at how to update your ugly fireplace. Here are some issues that you may wish to consider.



Design and style of the fireplace.

Early in the planning process, now is the time to browse through as many designs as you can to get a better grip on what you like. These may be designs that look traditional and classic, or they may be designs that look modern. Also consider the overall design of your home while you are browsing.

You can look for fireplace designs in lots of different places. Take a walk to your local bookstore or library and pick up the latest home improvement magazine. Home heating magazines may also provide tons of interesting designs for you to choose from. You can also switch on your computer and go online. There are literally thousands and thousands of websites with beautiful pictures of fireplaces. If you see something you like, remember to bookmark the web page or print it out for future reference. You may need to show it to your contractor.

Many contractors also offer fireplace catalogs for browsing. These may or may not be available on their websites. So you may need to call them up to request for a free catalog. Most will be happy to send you one.

Choice of materials for your fireplace.

A fireplace can be made from many different types of materials. Stone fireplaces seem to be back in style these days. There are many types of stone you can choose from - granite, limestone, and even marble. Of course, the type of material you choose will affect the cost of the fireplace. But fireplaces are meant to last for a very long time, so perhaps it's a good idea to choose something that you really like.

The fireplace mantel.

Don't overlook the fireplace mantel when installing your new fireplace. Unlike the actual fireplace, which needs to be made from fire resistant materials, you can choose to have a wooden mantel mounted on top of the fireplace. The benefit of having a wooden mantel is that you can replace it easily whenever you want to. A beautifully crafted fireplace mantel can make all the difference to the final appearance of your new fireplace.

Classic or modern fireplaces.

Traditional fireplaces use actual burning to generate heat. However, this leads to several problems. First, there is the smoke problem. Secondly, the burning leaves an unsightly mess in the fireplace.

Modern fireplaces are much cleaner because they actually generate heat from electricity. All you need to do is to flip a switch and the fireplace starts working. For such fireplaces, there is no real fire. A fake fire may even be simulated to help achieve the illusion of having a real fire burning in your home!