Fireplaces are found in homes across the world in all countries that witness severe cold during the winters and rains. A cozy and warm fire in the fireplace is enough to warm anyone's heart on a chilly cold day or night. Traditionally built with either stone or brick, these fireplaces had brick faces and wooden mantels with ornate and carved designs on them. The entire fireplace could take up an entire wall of the room. This was considered all right as rooms too were large sized.
Creating a rustic charm
Brick fireplaces are generally found in great numbers in rural houses and cottages in the countryside. With winters being severe and no gas or electricity to provide heat and warmth, fireplaces were an important structure in every home. These fireplaces usually had a wooden mantel, which was decorated with carvings or with other prized treasures by the members of the house. Since the fireplace was generally considered as the place where all the family members gathered, one finds many old paintings, which feature a brick fireplace when depicting a village scene or portrait.
Brick fireplace designs
Brick fireplaces were designed and built along with the other structures in the house. There are few examples of houses, which added a brick fireplace later on. A brick fireplace also meant a chimney as an outlet for the smoke and soot that was generated from the fireplace. Any thing wrong with the fireplace meant that the room could be filled with soot that could darken the room and make it difficult to clean up the place. The size of the room and its location were considered before a fireplace could be built.
Replacing a brick fireplace
When wood was the only available material for burning, fireplaces were much in demand. Hence the idea of replacing a fireplace would never arise in the first place. But the invention of gas and electricity led many households to stop using and building brick fireplaces and adopt newer ways of heating up the room. Newer cities and towns also adopted gas and electricity and brick fireplaces came to serve a mere decorative purpose rather than a functional use.
