A fireplace gives a home a warm, cozy atmosphere while keeping your house toasty during the cold winter months. It can act as a centerpiece in the living room and help enhance the home’s décor. What’s more, a fireplace can also add value to the house, although just how much is hotly debated. While surveys by companies like Angi say that homebuyers generally want fireplaces, just how much they are willing to pay or how much it adds to the monetary value of a home is debatable. In short, fireplaces are all about vibes.
Regardless of monetary value, a fireplace on its own won’t enhance your home. You’ll need to maintain it and upgrade it from time to time to ensure the fireplace looks great and works well. Lifestyle changes, changes in home décor, and passage of time are all good reasons to consider renovating the fireplace to improve its looks and efficacy.
What are the Best Ways to Upgrade a Fireplace?
There is no single fireplace upgrade that is better than all others. However, some of the best fireplace ideas include:
Adding a Door or Screen
This improves the safety of the area, which is especially important if you have young kids or pets. At the same time, a new door or screen can have a significant effect on the fireplace’s appearance, improving its looks at a relatively low cost.
Remodeling the Exterior
Repainting the surround is a simple yet effective way to change the fireplace’s ambiance and style of décor. It’s also relatively affordable, especially if you do the job yourself instead of hiring a professional. However, if you’re looking to give the area texture and make the fireplace the centerpiece of your room, you may want to consider replacing the surround entirely.
Renovating the Hearth
The hearth is not just a safety feature. It also plays a key role in determining the fireplace’s style of décor. If your fireplace doesn’t have a hearth, you may want to consider adding one to protect your kids, pets, and the home’s floor. If you do have one, upgrading it is a good way to modify the living room décor.
Upgrading the Mantel
The mantel is a great place for photos, knick-knacks, and decorative items. Upgrading it can add a bit of extra storage space to the living room while creating an ideal centerpiece for displaying prized items.
Putting in a New Fireplace
The average cost of putting in a new fireplace ranges from $800 to $3,500, but can be as high as $30,000 if you want a wood-burning fireplace and your house doesn’t have a chimney. Even so, there are times when putting in a brand-new fireplace is worth the hassle and expense. If your fireplace is old and in need of expensive repairs, is no longer safe, and/or doesn’t warm the house properly, investing in a new one could be your best bet.
How Can Homeowners Decide Which Fireplace Upgrade is Right for Their Style and Budget?
The home’s existing style of décor will determine which fireplace upgrade is the best fit. If your living room has sleek, modern furniture, putting black tiles around your fireplace will give the area a clean, classy appearance.
A stone surround, on the other hand, could be your best bet if your home is meant to have a rustic, natural appearance. Bear in mind that you don’t need to use the same materials for the fireplace and the flooring; in fact, contrasting materials add texture and vibe to your living quarters. However, you do want to make sure the walls, flooring, furniture, and fireplace complement each other.
It's also a good idea to consider future plans for your house. If you plan on selling the home in the near future, you might pick subdued colors and a classy hearth that will look good with most furnishings. Most potential home buyers don’t care for black, orange, or violet, so avoid these shades if you want your house to sell quickly and at a good price.
At the same time, don’t automatically pick a high-end upgrade just to increase your home price, as not all home buyers are willing to pay extra for a fireplace. A simple upgrade that improves your fireplace’s appearance may be all that’s needed to sell the home at a good price.
Budget is another important factor to consider when upgrading your fireplace. You’ll want to make sure you can afford your desired upgrades before you start work. Calculate not just the cost of the building materials but also the cost of labor. While some fireplaces upgrades can be DIY projects, it’s best to hire a professional if repair work isn’t your forte, you don’t have the time to complete the project, or you're concerned about home insurance issues.
The good news is that even mid-level upgrades don’t have to be expensive. Salvage shops, reclaimed wood stores, and local ReStores can be great sources for high-quality yet affordable building materials for your fireplace surround and hearth. You may even be able to find one-of-a-kind, unique materials ideally suited for a fireplace that’s meant to be the living room centerpiece.
Fireplace FAQ
What are Some Modern Fireplace Ideas that Can Add Value to a home?
While old-fashioned wood fireplaces have a rustic charm and appeal, they can require a lot of care and maintenance. If you want to add a new fireplace to a room or completely renovate an existing fireplace in the living room or a large bedroom, a gas model might be the best choice. Gas fireplaces are energy-efficient, can heat large spaces with ease, and are easy to maintain.
What’s more, with a gas fireplace, you can control the level of heat emitted from the fireplace by turning a dial to add more or less gas to the unit. Electric fireplaces, while often easy to install and operate, usually don’t generate as much heat as gas models. Even so, they might be just right if you’re renovating a small home or room. They’re also the option of choice for homes that don’t have an existing gas line.
Which Materials or Finishes Can You Use to Give a Fireplace a Fresh, Updated Look?
You don’t necessarily have to install a brand-new fireplace to get the fresh, updated look you want. If you’re looking for simple yet efficient upgrades, consider the following fireplace ideas:
- If you’re after a modern yet elegant ambiance, consider large marble or granite tiles. They give a room a sleek, classy appearance and match well with stone, tile, or LVT flooring. Alternatively, a hardwood oak or walnut mantel also matches well with modern furnishings.
- If the room is meant to have a modern yet casual style of décor, consider a shiplap surround. It’s classy and stands out, which helps to make the fireplace the centerpiece of your living room. At the same time, it’s not overly flashy and looks good with just about any type of contemporary furnishings. Subdued paint shades and mosaic tiles are other great options for a room with a modern vibe, as well as a softwood pine wood hearth.
- Contrasting black with white is a lovely option for a home that’s meant to have a minimalistic, modern style of décor. You can use paint, veneer, or tiles for the job. A concrete surround is yet another great choice for a room that’s meant to be classy yet simple in design.
- Don’t be afraid to go bold if you want to create a room with a unique vibe. Colorful mosaic tiles pair nicely with brightly-colored walls and furnishings. Iridescent glass tiles look great with subdued walls and brightly-colored furnishings and carpets.
Safety Considerations Should to Keep in Mind When Upgrading a Fireplace?
Wood fireplaces are the least safe option. It is an open flame inside your house, after all. They can cause house fires if you don’t regularly inspect and clean the chimney, dispose of ash properly, or keep flammable objects or furnishings far from the fireplace. Do your research into creosote buildup. You’ll also need to make sure any fire in your fireplace is completely extinguished before leaving the house.
Gas fireplaces are usually safer, but you’ll want to install carbon monoxide alarms to prevent accidental poisoning. Both gas and wood fireplaces should have a hearth to protect your family and belongings from fire.
Electric fireplaces are the safest option, but you’ll still need to take a few precautions. Keep flammable items far from the fireplace and use a gate or door to keep small kids and pets at a safe distance. Check to see if the manufacturer of your electric fireplace model recommends a hearth and have one put in if recommended.
How Different Types of Fireplaces Impact the Upgrade Options?
The type of fireplace you own will have some impact on the type of upgrade options you can consider. Wood fireplaces can get up to 2000ºF while gas fireplaces can get up to 900ºF. If you own either of these two types of fireplaces, you’ll need to make sure any materials you use in your upgrade are non-flammable and heat-resistant. Since all wood-burning and most gas-burning fireplaces need a hearth, you’ll need to consider this when making fireplace upgrade plans.
As wood-burning fireplaces have a rustic feel and ambiance, you may want to ditch the ultra-modern materials in favor of natural materials. A gray brick surround has a classy appeal that matches well with a modern style of décor. Alternatively, if you already have a brick surround, you could paint it white to give your home a contemporary feel. A wood mantel looks great over a wood-burning fireplace as long as you pick a shade that matches the room’s existing ambiance.
What Kind of Impact Does a Gas or Electric Fireplace Have on Utility Bills?
If you’re installing a gas or electric fireplace with the end goal of lowering your utility bills, you’ll likely be disappointed. While gas-insert fireplaces are energy-efficient, most other models won’t lower energy consumption. In fact, many people with a gas fireplace wind up using more energy rather than less. Electric fireplaces are essentially large electric heaters that use a lot of power but only warm a person directly in front of the device. While some electric heaters generate more warmth than others, electric fireplaces aren’t designed to warm large areas.
Granted, the energy-efficiency level of a gas or electric fireplace also depends on the make and model you purchase. Ventless gas fireplaces can be up to 99% efficient. Direct vent gas fireplaces come in second place with an average efficiency rating ranging from 60% to 80%. The most energy-efficient electric fireplaces use no more than 1,000 watts. However, you’ll want to not just look at wattage but also the amount of heat the fireplace generates to determine if it’s a good buy.
A fireplace can be more than just a convenient appliance. It can also be an opportunity for you to showcase your creativity and unique style. The design options are endless, making it possible for any homeowner to create the perfect ambiance for any room in the home. If you’re thinking about a fireplace upgrade, consider the above ideas and evaluate your budget to create a plan that’s a perfect fit for your house.