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CG506451/ Spring 2015 / Naperville, IL / Designer: Brianna
Baby, it's cold outside! Grab your friends, family... and some chestnuts - it's time to cozy up and get your heat-and-glow on this season!
Fireplaces are no longer just for family rooms. It's now commonplace to see fireplaces in living rooms, dining rooms, dens, bedrooms, bathrooms, patios, commercial lobbies and restaurants! It's true, El Niņo has certainly brought us some unseasonably warm weather and, frankly, a balmy Holiday Season. However, as colder weather begins to settle, creating a cozy escape to warm your toes and spirits will allow you to wistfully reminisce on warmer days that have come-and-gone.
This month's project features Realstone Systems™ White Birch Ledgestone. These 6x24 panels are rugged, yet refined. Its cleft-face texture provides great interest and depth - while its soft-natural color doesn't overpower the room. As limestone typically brings a sense of richness, weight and tradition to a space, this pale grey color choice adds an updated, contemporary flair. Also, did you know this collection has matching hearth and corner pieces?! Quite the facelift ;)
Adding your style to a fireplace proves that you can incorporate function with beauty! So, whether you are roasting chestnuts, toasting marshmallows or simply warming up - create an enticing focal point that will not only help lower energy bills - but, inspire style. In a time fueled by hope and yearly resolutions, let's remember: "Every revolution begins with a SPARK." - Katniss (Hunger Games).
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Tips on caring/maintaining your Fireplace:
- Invest in a rain cover/chimney cap. It helps keep animals from nesting + debris from blocking the chimney and causing carbon monoxide to flow into the house. Plus, over time, rain can erode mortar joints and damage fireboxes.
- Schedule an annual inspection with a certified sweep. Did you know that National Fire Protection Code 211 requires all chimney systems to be annually inspected?
- Keep combustible materials (ie: carpets, drapes, furniture, etc.) away from the fireplace when a fire is burning.
- Purchase a guard in front of the fireplace to help keep children and pets from harm.
- Burn seasoned wood, not 'green' wood. Seasoned wood is wood that has been cut and dried for 6-12 months (ie: less than 20% moisture). 'Green' wood will not burn as thoroughly - therefore, creating more soot and cresote.
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Burn hardwoods, not soft woods. Examples of hardwoods = oak, ash and maple species. Examples of softwoods = pine, poplar and cedar species.
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