Fireplace Accessories – Picking a Great Screen

[ad_1]

In many parts of the country, fireplaces are as much a part of the décor as they are a source of warmth when the seasons inevitably change from warm summers to bitingly cold winters.

While every homeowner loves a roaring fire, keeping the fire where it’s supposed to be is really important. This is where the right fireplace accessories are so important, particular the right fire screen.

While many fireplaces already have a custom glass or wire screen in them, other homeowners prefer to use a portable fire screen, one that is as much a work of art as a safety feature.

There is a huge selection of fireplace accessories on the market today, especially fireplace screens. Probably the best place to find screens is online, as online retailers can offer the best selection and stock some styles that you just won’t find anyplace else.

Selecting the right screen depends largely on the type of fireplace you have as well the style of your home. Like all fireplace accessories, screens come in a wide variety of styles, from those that would fit well in a Victorian home to those that are perfectly suited to a modern or contemporary home.

Bowed screens are very popular fireplace accessories. They give the fireplace a three-dimensional look and they are easy to lift out of place to add firewood. They are not well suited to uneven hearths, however.

Door screens are also highly popular right now. These sit in front of the fireplace, but like a custom installed doored unit, the screen has two doors in place. This allows you to add firewood or tend the fire with your other fireplace accessories without moving the screen out of the way. This is a really nice option for homeowners who may not have the strength to move a heavier screen back and forth.

Folding fireplace screens offer similar convenience. Instead of having to move the screen, you can simply fold it back on one side. And added benefit is that these screens store easily since their bi-fold or tri-fold design takes up less space in a closet or down in the basement.

If you have small children, you want to consider adding a fireplace screen that is also a child gate. These screens have optional panels that can extend the screen so that it circles the fireplace. There’s a heavy-duty gate with a childproof latch on it that allows you to tend to the fire. One of the great things about this gate is that it works well with either a built-in fireplace or a wood stove.

Just because summer has arrived doesn’t mean that you need to put let the fireplace languish. Manufacturers have come up with summer screens that turn your otherwise pedestrian fireplace into a work of art in the off-season. Summer screens work extremely well with a fireplace candelabra in the firebox.

If you have a small hearth or a lovely carpet or throw rug you want to protect, you may want to make sure that you add a spark guard. These prevent sparks from flying over the screen and onto your carpet or wood floor.

Finally, you can choose to use a fan screen. These aren’t made to use with a fire, but rather, are purely decorative, much like summer screens.

When shopping for a screen, start by measuring your fireplace then add about a foot to the width. For the height, add three to six inches to ensure that your fireplace is adequately covered by the screen so the screen can do the purpose that it’s designed for. Remember that a fireplace screen is first and foremost for keeping the fire where it’s supposed to be, in the fireplace.

[ad_2]