Word Count: 664 Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:34 AM
Make The Most Use Of Your Fireplace With Candles
A fireplace in your living area can make it more inviting for family and friends. It can also make it much messier. Firewood is dirty and can leave debris scattered through your home. If the wind changes, you can get back drafts of smoke filling your home. While you could convert the fireplace to electric or gas, it is expensive and many people do not enjoy the look of the fake logs. Why not try using candles in your fireplace.
To begin with you will need to clean out the firebox. If you have had a fire recently, make sure that all the coals are extinguished before disposing of the ashes. Sweep and shovel as many ashes as possible from the fireplace. Then use a shop vac to remove all the remaining dust and ashes.
Close the damper of the fireplace and be sure to clean up any ash that this may cause to fall. By having the damper closed, you will avoid drafts of warm air in the summer and cold air in the winter.
Use flat black spray paint designed for wood stoves and barbeques to paint the interior of the fireplace a stark black. Before painting, be sure that you mask off any area where you do not want paint. In particular, cover the hearth and bricks that form the fascia of the fireplace. Use of this paint should not affect the use of the fireplace in the future. You will still be able to burn wood with no ill effects.
After the paint dries, remove all the masking materials and arrange three-inch pillar candles of various heights in the fireplace. Choose white or off white candles for their contrast with the black fire box. Candles can be set onto the floor of the fireplace or arranged on matching candleholders. A large wrought iron candleholder that is designed for multiple pillars can also be used effectively. For Christmas, you may wish to use red or green candles.
While the display looks great without ever being lit, it does truly come to life when you light the candles. Since you will not have trouble with smoke, the damper can remain closed to keep the cold air outside. The flickering light of the candles mimics a real fire, but you are not left with ash, smoke or firewood debris.
According to research, a fireplace actually removes more heat from a room than it provides for the home. Without careful use, air that was heated by your furnace is lost up the chimney. By closing the damper and placing a candle garden in your fireplace, you can enjoy the effect of a real flame, but not lose any of your heated air.
Fireplaces are a romantic addition to homes. Just remember that you may be losing a lot of warm air up the flue. By adding pillar candles to the firebox with the damper closed, you can enjoy a warm cup of cocoa with your sweetheart in front of the fire.
Candles are available in a variety of different shapes, colors, sizes and scents. They have been around since before 3000 BC, and people use them for many different reasons, from personal use to worship.
Candles that have a scent to them are great because when you light them the scent will slowly diffuse throughout the room. They have a variety of uses in today's world, some people use them as part of their worship rituals, and some just simply use them as home decoration. Candles are sometimes the only source of light for people.
I love scented candles; they come in so many different scents that no matter what you like you can find it. When they are lit the smell just slowly diffuses throughout the room. Candles are also great for adding to the ambiance lighting while creating a romantic setting.
About the Author
Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is bed frames and chair
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