What could be more wonderful than sitting by the fireplace on a cold day? The warmth of a living fire attracts you and gives you a feeling of complete peace. There are many people who believe that without this, home comfort is simply impossible. Unfortunately, the use of a real stove is only permitted in a private home, since a chimney installation is required. But apartment dwellers shouldn’t be upset. If you install a decorative fireplace in the living room, then friends and family will happily gather around its artificial flame. After all, even a dummy can create an atmosphere of comfort and family unity.
Strict decorative fireplace made of wood Source livemaster.ru
Advantages of a decorative hearth
A false fireplace is sometimes distinguished from a real one only by the absence of a chimney. Otherwise, the design repeats all the external features of a fireplace for firewood. The body contains a firebox, and the portal itself is covered with a natural mantelpiece. The dimensions of the fuel chamber vary significantly. Usually the decoration does not exceed 20 cm in depth. And additional volume is created with the help of mirrors glued inside.
Creating volume using a mirror in a fake fireplace insert Source rerooms.ru
The imitation was invented for city apartments, in which the installation of a real fireplace is prohibited due to the difficulty of ensuring safety. Mainly due to the fact that it is impossible to install a proper chimney. Well, maybe on the very top floors. But there, as elsewhere, it is prohibited by law to light an open fire.
Since the need for additional heating of the room, as a rule, disappears, it became possible to use only aesthetic components. Such decor can decorate a room decorated in any style. By purchasing a decorative fireplace in your area, the living room benefits significantly in many respects.
Fake fireplace with the illusion of fire Source yandex.ru
The advantages of a fake hearth include the following:
- The construction of the decoration does not require significant expenses. Except for the moments when it is necessary to create a copy of a luxurious design for an elite design style.
- For the rest, you can even get by with used materials. For example, partitions from an old sideboard. Or even cardboard packages from purchased equipment.
- Wide selection of decorative elements. Because, in addition to store-bought parts, there is the possibility of making them yourself. It is enough to use your imagination and use available materials.
- Imitation allows you to hide utility lines. Such as various wires and unsightly elements of the heating system.
- Design functionality. If desired, the decoration can be used for purposes other than its intended purpose. Organize a bookcase or storage for unnecessary things in the portal.
- With the installation of decorations, the interior acquires a share of originality and additional pieces of home comfort.
To implement the last point, a reliable illusion of living fire is created in the hearth of a decorative fireplace. After all, it is the opportunity to admire open flames that adds comfort to the room. There are several methods for convincing imitation, which will be discussed in detail below.
Interior fireplaces with imitation flame Source evrookna-mos.ru
Types of false fireplaces
But sometimes, to create the necessary atmosphere, it is enough to simply outline the design. It happens that there is no need to build anything. Both the mood and the feeling of comfort comes only from the very sight of the fireplace.
Drawing of a fireplace with fire on the wall Source truck-sodruzhestvo.rf
Therefore, fake fireplaces are divided into three types:
- Full imitation. It exactly replicates one of the existing design options, but without a functioning chimney. And to achieve all the natural effects, either an electric heater or a biofuel combustion module is placed inside the fireplace. In the second case, there is a real live fire (completely safe), and heat even enters the room. When using an electric heater, you have to be content with just the image of a flame.
- Conditional imitation. It just looks like a real fireplace. This can even be determined visually, since the depth of the firebox is reduced to 20 cm. But this is enough to also use an electric heater. But most often candles are installed in a false hearth. Or they simply decorate it with firewood.
- Symbolic imitation. Mostly this is just a hint of design. This role is played by the image of a fireplace on the wall. Sometimes a simple reproduction of a fire is enough. A person’s imagination will fill in the rest and this will help increase the feeling of comfort.
From here it becomes clear that false fireplaces can be divided into full-fledged heaters and simply decorative structures. The latter often do not carry any functional load. They act as a stand for a TV panel, shelves for a collection, or simply as a beautiful decor.
TV stand with fireplace Source estanocheyoinvitro.com
Methods of placing decorations divide decorative fireplaces into:
- wall;
- corner;
- hanging.
The latter are more like paintings in a beautiful frame depicting a fire. But such symbolic imitation shares a useful detail with other conventional constructions. They can be made portable. And when you get tired of admiring the fireplace in the living room, it is moved to the bedroom. Or to the office.
Corner placement
We decided to give the corner of the room a new look: we are making a corner fireplace from plasterboard, the task is simplified by the need to install only the front part, taking the existing walls as the side ones.
Cover the top part with a tabletop or other material to get additional space for placing souvenirs that will add a special touch.
Materials for creating a decorative fireplace
Literally any raw material is suitable for props. But the financing of the project will depend on the immediate choice. After all, a dummy can be made temporary. For example, making decorations for Christmas. And at the end of the holiday, send the craft for scrap. For such purposes, the cheapest material is used - paper or cardboard.
False fireplace made just for Christmas Source ww79.elgolfantasma.com
You can create portable structures that are used according to your mood. And when not needed, they are stored in the utility room. In this case, the choice of raw materials is much wider. From cardboard boxes to wooden panels.
But when decor is integrated into the interior on a permanent basis, more serious materials are used. From brick to metal profile for frame. Let's look at how to make a decorative fireplace using various raw materials.
Imitation of a fireplace made of decorative tiles Source laminatepol.ru
Location
In any house or apartment there is unused space that we would like to fill as efficiently as possible and it is desirable to provide multifunctional use.
If you have made the right decision, watch the video on the Internet “how to make a fireplace from plasterboard” - choose an option that is interesting to you.Don't try to copy, you'll waste your time, just take the idea and do the rest yourself. Only the frame is identical, but finishing the fireplace with plasterboard allows you to show your imagination 100%.
First, decide on the location. It is better to do this with the whole family, as it is necessary to take into account some nuances: do not arrange it under the window, do not block the doorways.
It is advisable to position the fireplace so that it is immediately noticeable and does not create difficulties in movement.
Carton boxes
The work will take no more than one day, and in addition to packaging you will need PVA glue and a tool for cutting cardboard. The whole process boils down to this:
- A drawing is drawn up indicating the dimensions.
- The side columns are made first. They are glued from tall boxes and, if necessary, reinforced with wooden slats.
- Build a flat base. In this case, the box can be replaced with a piece of polystyrene foam 10 cm thick. Sometimes the base is weighted with any weight for stability.
- The side columns are glued to the sole and the connection is additionally secured with wide tape.
- The back wall is mounted from a sheet of cardboard.
- Using a large cardboard sheet, form the facade. If desired, make it in the form of an arch and glue it to the columns.
- For the fireplace cover, choose a long and narrow box. It is strengthened from the inside with stiffening ribs and glued to the top of the columns.
For decoration, use wallpaper, light moldings or foam bricks. You can simply paint the entire structure in different colors.
Styrofoam
The process completely repeats the previous one. There are nuances when working with material. It is better to take dense transport foam and cut it only with a hacksaw. Regular PVA glue will not provide reliable connections, so a special composition is needed.
Glued foam fireplace Source pechiexpert.ru
Like the previous paper construction, the dummy is afraid of fire. Therefore, lighting candles in the fireplace is strictly prohibited. Foam false fireplaces can only perform a decorative function. But it is not recommended to place heavy objects on the shelf.
Drywall
Working with the material requires a certain skill. You will have to assemble a frame from an aluminum profile, and then sheathe it with plasterboard. Moreover, it is necessary to decide on the finishing in advance. If the surface will be covered with light materials (wallpaper, foam brick), then gray sheets will also be suitable.
Niche for a bio-fireplace made of plasterboard Source sdelai-lestnicu.ru
When you plan to decorate the structure with tiles, you will need green (moisture-resistant) sheets, which are much more expensive. The material allows you to build a stationary decorative structure in which you can install an electric heater. But a more common solution is a fake fireplace with a false chimney, in the niche of which a television panel is installed.
Plates from old furniture
You can build a reliable structure from plywood and chipboard that will fit well into any room design. In terms of work, the material is similar to the previous one, only for cutting you will need a jigsaw. And the best solution would be to order cutting according to prepared drawings. The cutting will be perfect and this will help during assembly.
Wooden false fireplace frame Source pechiexpert.ru
Decorative fireplaces can be made in two versions. The first involves fastening chipboard sheets at the joint, without a frame. In the second, a frame is assembled from bars and then sheathed with plywood. The corners are leveled, then the surface is puttied for further finishing. If you have little experience working with wood, then it is better not to take on complex structures, but to focus on projects with straight lines.
Polyurethane
Sheets of this material are not yet as popular as polystyrene foam or plywood. Polyurethane panels are lightweight, durable and come in a wide variety of sizes. Therefore, it will be easy to select the necessary ones, according to the drawn up drawing.
Imitation fireplace made of polyurethane with decorative moldings Source yandex.by
To assemble a fake fireplace, you must do the following:
- Cut the material with a hacksaw.
- During assembly, the parts are connected with self-tapping screws.
- You can additionally glue the elements, but you will need two types of glue. One for connecting polyurethane to each other. The other is for attaching the dummy to the wall.
- Decorating the structure is easy, since there are a large number of different moldings made from native raw materials on sale.
Brick
An imitation of a brick fireplace is considered complete. It’s difficult to call it a dummy, since the material allows you to create a structure that can last for decades. The work requires not just skill, but exclusive craftsmanship. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to build a decorative stone fireplace yourself. And it's better to hire a specialist.
Imitation of a fireplace made of stone and brick Source yandex.ru
Required Tools
To work with this material you will need the following tools:
- Roulette
- Square
- Metal scissors
- Pliers
- Drywall cutting knife
- Screwdriver
- Mounting level
The purpose of the first is clear, a square is necessary for marking the profile, it is better to use a professional knife, with a short, locking blade.
You will need a screwdriver when assembling the structure; you can rent one. Pay special attention to the level before starting and during the work process.
It often happens that the floors are displaced in the horizontal plane, so the structure must be leveled by increasing or decreasing one of the sides.
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Ways to create fire
It is believed that false fireplaces cannot perform the main function of a real stove. Since they are only decoration, they cannot be melted. In fact, this opinion is not entirely correct. True, it all depends on the materials and design of the shell.
The problem is not that you can't start a fire in a cardboard or wooden dummy. Even if you assemble a metal body, operating the fireplace is still impossible without installing a chimney. And with it we are already talking about a full-fledged stove, which is equipped only in a private house.
Imitation fireplace made of brick Source dekoriko.ru
But the fact is that even in country mansions, real fireplaces are increasingly being replaced with fake decorations. This is due to the fact that the room does not require additional heating, since modern heating boilers cope with their tasks perfectly.
Therefore, the fireplace has only one important function - demonstrating a live fire. And a decorative fireplace can cope with this. True, you can’t light a full-fledged fire in it, but that’s what’s required. Sometimes it’s enough just to light a candle in a niche.
It is better to install several pieces in the alcove, and they will significantly enhance the visual effect. But if you place candles between beautifully laid logs, you can create a complete imitation of a burning fireplace. The fire will appear to be coming straight from the wood.
And if you decorate the back wall of the fake firebox with mirrors, the illusion will intensify several times. You just need to make sure that the flame does not come into contact with the wood under any circumstances. Otherwise, it's not far from a fire. Therefore, it is recommended to treat logs with an anti-inflammatory compound.
A completely safe method involves purchasing an electronic photo frame of a suitable size. Many models support animated GIF files, so the imitation of live fire will be almost natural. A Chinese device with a diagonal of 17 inches will not hit the family budget. And since the frame is installed in the depths of the niche, the image of fire is quite misleading to an ignorant person.
Image of fire in a false fireplace Source kampecher.ru
But there is a method that is both 100% safe and ensures that the fire is completely natural. The method is expensive because high-tech equipment is used. It does not create an illusion, but runs on biofuel, which is converted into a real flame.
Frontal biofireplace in the interior Source bioplamya.ru
The device burns bioethanol vapors, which are harmless to others and do not emit unpleasant odors. The biofireplace is equipped with automation, and it completely controls the process. Sensors ensure complete safety. Deviation from operating parameters immediately leads to an emergency stop of the device and extinguishing the flame.
Bio-fireplace built into the wall Source dizainexpert.ru
The module with a fuel tank and its own combustion chamber is placed in a false fireplace. Directly into the hearth itself, albeit decorative. Therefore, the fake fireplace turns into a real one. It even gives off heat that can warm your hands.
By choosing an option according to your financial situation, you can enjoy a real live fire or its imitation.
Automatic bio-fireplace in the interior Source bioplamya.ru
Briefly about the main thing
Fireplaces always decorate a home and make it cozy. If there is good heating, they do not necessarily have to work for heating; it is quite enough to make a decorative hearth from plasterboard and install an electric fireplace or even a photo frame with “fiery” video files in it. By placing candles in the firebox and making its back wall mirror, you can also get a spectacular illusion. It’s easy to make such a structure with your own hands by constructing a frame from metal profiles, covering it with plasterboard and finishing it to your taste in accordance with the style of the room.
What else can you fill the firebox with?
But if you don’t want to constantly admire the dancing flames, then you can leave only decorative functions to the fireplace. Or use it for other practical purposes. At first glance, the fireplace has only two uses. In fact, everything is limited only by the riot of imagination.
False fireplace decorated with a mirror Source remont-samomy.ru
Here is a giant list of how you can use the firebox of a false fireplace:
- Lay out the wood as for a fire. You can add a little bit of everything to the logs.
- Figurative dry branches, candle lanterns and even indoor green plants.
- Lining the inside of a fake fireplace with ceramic tiles will increase its appeal. In addition, you don’t have to worry about ignition from a burning candle.
- But if the fear of fires remains, then burning candles can be placed in separate cases. Several lanterns of different sizes in the firebox will look very original.
- If you use low candles and place each one on its own small log, you can even create a festive atmosphere.
- During the Christmas season, it is good to complement the hearth with candles with fir branches.
- Using fireplace paraphernalia, you can further embellish the fake decor. For example, place dry ikebana in a poker bucket. Place a firewood stand inside the fireplace and place candles on it.
- If you rank items, you can get an original effect. In the hearth, candles are placed on stands, in glasses, or just like that.
- You can install a work of art in the fireplace portal - a small painting or figurine.
- A thematic poster surrounded by decorative bottles will look more than original.
- If the false fireplace turns out to be massive, then it can be used instead of a cabinet. In this case, a good solution would be to place a chest for things inside the portal.
- The bookshelves inside the fireplace look extraordinary.
- When the decoration is installed in the kitchen, it can perform practical functions. A rack is installed in the portal, and dishes or jars of spices are stored on its shelves.
- Children rarely have such decor. But if it is already there, then a dollhouse can fit inside. Or the hearth becomes a storage area for toys.
- It is symbolic to close the portal with a door. It will act as an entrance to the magical world.
- If there is a large toy animal, then the firebox can serve as a kennel.
- Both the mantelpiece and the shelving unit inside the hearth will help to display a collection of figurines or objects.
- A giant letter or a whole word will look quirky in the fireplace.
- A wicker basket works well for a rustic look. You can put anything inside. From chopped firewood to imitation of the harvest.
- The firebox filled to the top with pumpkins of various sizes looks extraordinary.
- A false fireplace in the kitchen will attract attention and fulfill a practical role if a hob with oven is installed in it.
- A large vase with dried or artificial flowers looks beautiful.
- Place a wine bar eccentrically in the firebox.
- The watering can for watering plants inside the fireplace looks unusual.
- Super original - hide the air conditioner in the fireplace niche.
And the classic option would be a hearth filled to the very top with firewood. The logs can even be painted. Moreover, you need to use colors that predominate in the interior of the room.
