Accessories might not be something you normally identify with fireplaces or stoves, but if you own any kind of heating appliance there are a number of tools that can really help you keep it running efficiently and cleanly, or at least complementing the look of your room. Even if you have a gas fireplace, you can choose from the following range to compliment the authentic look in your home.
To start with, let’s consider fireplace screens. You’ll need to protect your soft furnishings and floor coverings from spitting embers or falling logs, and a fireplace screen can also cover up an old or unattractive fireplace while it waits to be updated. By the way, did you know that the regulations these days state that all glass fronted fireplaces that ship has to have a fireplace screen supplied too? It’s a good way to keep pets and young children protected from the heat. A fireplace screen is wise to have, whatever your fireplace.
If you have an open fire, the chances are you already have a log holder or a bucket for the logs. But even if you have another kind of appliance such as a gas fireplace, accessories can help to make your heating feel more authentic and your room design more homely. A sturdy metal bucket can be just the thing for collecting ash and the remains of yesterday’s blaze, and you can fill it with pinecones, wood chips or natural fireplace stones. Or how about a decorative log or two.
For open fireplaces, there are toolsets that offer the full range of cleaning you’ll need - brooms, shovels, pokers and irons, all in heavy duty finishes that are both practical and stylish. With the right toolsets, you can make it look like your brand new fireplace has been there for decades.
A more unusual look is a kettle or a steamer. With an inglenook fireplace or a stove, these can have a practical use too, and can really help to harken back to the days when the whole hearth was used for cooking. So it’s a nice accessory if you have a cottage or a house of some age. With the right heating appliance, a kettle could be invaluable as a backup in the event of a power cut.
If you need more space for your logs, an indoor rack could be just the thing in your living room, and to test the moisture in the logs you’re using, how about a purpose-built digital meter. More low tech accessories include gloves and sacks for carrying fuel from the outside.
Of course, if you prefer a heating solution that doesn’t require extra accessories and that needs very little maintenance, a gas fireplace is a great idea. No carrying logs, no sweeping the ash, no need to do anything much more than flick a switch and enjoy the instant heat and the real flame effect.
But many people enjoy the chance to get more hands-on with their fireplace, and so accessories are a great way to extend the look of your fire into the whole room design, as well as providing you with exactly the implements you need to hand, whenever you need them.