Fireplaces

Custom Home, Jan-Feb, 2005

Old Man Winter is here once again, and many homeowners couldn't bear to be without their fireplaces. But the fireplace is not just for winter anymore. Inhabitants of balmier regions love their fireplaces as well, whether on a cool night inside or out on the patio with friends. The warmth and ambiance of a glowing fire has a unifying and renewing quality that home-owners love, whether they live in New Hampshire or New Mexico.

Today's manufacturers offer builders and homeowners the most advanced fireplace technology available, plus a wide variety of decorative elements to suit any style. Read on to learn about the latest in fireplace products.

Surround Your Fireplace With Beauty

A roaring fire looks even more inviting when viewed through a beautiful surround. Architectural Products by Outwater now offers handcarved, unfinished solid maple and cherry-finished solid mahogany fire surrounds. Individually handcarved and crafted from a single piece at wood by master European artisans, no two fire surrounds are ever alike. Inspired by and reproduced from popular historical and classical designs, the meticulously detailed, deep-relief design of every wood surround conveys a physical and visual texture that transforms ordinary, unembellished fireplaces into dramatic works of art.

The Perfect Fireplace Lining

The external features of a fireplace get a lot of attention, but the inside should not be overlooked. Mariana Soapstone, exclusively imported by Stonetrade[R], has special mineral properties that make it ideal for lining fireplaces. It can withstand great changes in temperature without cracking, plus it is so dense that it absorbs heat and then radiates slowly, for hours, improving your fireplace's efficiency. But perhaps the best thing about Mariana Soapstone firebrick is the look, a soft dove gray with natural veining and texture--a perfect finishing touch to a high-end custom fireplace.

Style and Substance in Chimneys

An unadorned chimney won't get much notice but it can be enlivened and made an interesting element by adding a chimney pot. Superior Clay offers chimney pots to fit any style of architecture. Positioned on the highest part of the house, they break the sky boldly and bring to mind the cheerful hearth and the warmth of gathering around the fireplace.

Love fires but hate the smoke? The Exhausto Chimney Fan is the ultimate solution to smoking fireplaces. Mounted on top of the chimney and equipped with a motor speed control, it ensures a perfect draft in the chimney. The fan can be used with wood or gas fuel, and it is suitable for masonry or metal chimneys. Free dealer package is available.

Nothing Like A Real Masonry Hearth

When selecting a woodburning fireplace, conventional wisdom says that large, expensive custom homes get the real, site-built masonry type, while more budget-conscious homes get a factory-built, sheet metal one. But one product has rendered that thinking obsolete. Meet the new, award-winning Georgian Masonry with patent pending Snap-Lock[TM] firebrick lining system from FMI--Fireplaces for Builders, the industry's only factory-built masonry fireplace. The Georgian features true masonry design with large opening sizes and no visible sheet metal, and is finished with real firebrick for the richness and beauty of on authentic site-built fireplace. Best of all, it installs at a fraction of the cost and time of site-built fireplaces.

The Majesty of Marble

The strength, durability, and beauty of marble make it the material of choice for a variety of applications. As a direct importer of natural stone, Jerong Products provides builders, distributors, and homeowners with remarkably low prices on marble from around the world. The company's marble fire-place mantels are carved out of solid marble blocks in a broad range of contemporary and classic colors and designs. They are sold as a complete set--mantle, center, legs, and hearth.

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Continue reading through this special section 1 to learn more about the latest fireplace products.

Architectural Products by Outwater: Call 800-835-4400 or visit www.outwater.com

Stonetrade: Call 401-885-6608 or visit www.stonetrade.com

Superior Clay: Call 800-848-6166 or visit www.superiorclay.com

Exhausto: Call 800-255-2923 or e-mail info@exhausto.com

FMI: Visit fmifireplaces.com

Jerong Products: Call 510-782-7132 or visit www.jerongmarble.com