Hi! I am Irwin of Design 2 Share and the following episode is our final episode of the season. We are going to be back with our second season of Design 2 Share after short break. In fact, Nicola is already in vacation. See you then.

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Design 2 share Q&A
Episode 17
What Value Does A Fireplace Add To A Home?

Hosted by Irwin Weiner, ASID & Nicola Chernicoff

Nicola: Welcome to design 2 share Q&A. I am Nicola.

Irwin: And I am Irwin. The question we are asking today is what value does a fireplace add to one’s home?

Nicola: Well, I think they offer a great deal of value to your home. I mean it is typically a focal point to any room I think and certainly if you are selling a house, that is one of the things that they always list. Does it have a fireplace? Exact amount of fireplace, it really is a selling point for any home.

Irwin: Yes. I do not think one can say actually what the monetary value is. Obviously, if you are going to spend a ton of money adding a fireplace to a home once you be careful of it though. And if it is a, you know, I mean incredibly, incredibly amazing home, adding an extra, you know, 10 or $20,000.00 dollar fireplace does not make a difference.

Nicola: Right.

Irwin: But if the value of the home is not that much, well then, try to be a little bit careful with that.

Nicola: Yes.

Irwin: And try to be imaginative. I have a few tips for fireplace and some of them are that if you are going to put a TV of course above a fireplace, you should about 12 inches missed above from the bottom of the TV to the actual firebox and there some States actually have codes on that.

Nicola: All right, also the mantle piece.

Irwin: Right. If the mantle have project about--at least about six inches from the face of the TV is very helpful.

Nicola: Yes. Also, it depends where the fireplace is in the room and also what height is set such as the fireplace behind you slightly raised off the floor. And, having a piece of artwork above the fireplace is quite lovely here. But since, it is so high and the ceilings are high which means this actual fireplace can take that whereas a small apartment or –

Irwin: This small house with a low ceiling—

Nicola: --an 8 foot ceiling, you are going have to--

Irwin: Right, try to minimize the height of it just to give a sense of height. So, the height would be perhaps flushed with the floor and the fireplace mantle perhaps as low as possible.

Nicola: Yes.

Irwin: Also it is very popular these days to put TV as we are speaking beforehand, a TV above the mantle.

Nicola: Yes. It is quite actually--

Irwin: If it is too high, then you are sort of lot looking at--almost like in a hospital bed. So you like to keep, you know, bear that in mind. And of course, those TVs might be the type that has the speakers in either side of the TV or either beneath the TV, so, that sort of saves and extra inch or two of that height of the speakers.

Nicola: Also there are different kinds of fireplaces which we have not touched on such as--this is a coal-burning, wood-burning fireplace. I actually grew up with a coal burning fire which was lovely and have very fond memories about that but there is a downside to that and such as the upkeep it is a lot to maintain that daily and also, you have to get it swept. But do you know there is nothing that can recreate that feeling of a real fire with a crackle and the burn and the smell of it.

Irwin: Absolutely. As well in fact the guest, fireplaces which we think of terrific and they work well specially in a place where you cannot put in a chimney going up all the way and also it is expensive having wood burning fireplace; and the maintenance. So, the gas fireplaces are terrific. I have noticed actually on the internet, I have found a little device where I think about $20 or $30, which is battery operated. A device that makes the sound of the crackle. But, you know the smell of this sort pine and some wood, we do not have that but maybe you could get that in an aerosol can but I have not seen that as yet.

Nicola: [Laughs]

Irwin: So, I mean the people, you know, having a focal point of a fireplace works well.

Nicola: Also, we see it fairly often in master bedrooms now and sitting rooms that you know, people are also incorporating that.

Irwin: And master bathrooms.

Nicola: And bathrooms also.

Irwin: Yes, which looks terrific? They say that in terms of the value, I was speaking about it earlier is the--it is most valued and adds most value in a family room. It would tend to be used more there in a family--in more a family room than in a living room or a dining room. So, that is why I think that that if you are going to choose one place where to put your wood, do it absolutely in the dining room. I mean in the family room. I beg your pardon.

Nicola: [Laughs] At dining room too is also nice.

Irwin: Oh, absolutely! And of course the one of the other types I told them of green, there is particular type of a of a--oh, what a good crackle over there—

Nicola: [Laughs]

Irwin: There is a particular type of fireplace fuel which is odorless and smokeless fuel that is actually a type of gel that is quite terrific. And you can get a very stylish fireplace somewhat quite sculpture and quite contemporary.

Nicola: Yes. And mantels are I think are also to consider. You know whether they worth, whether decorative or stone I mean lots of beautiful designs now.

Irwin: Right. And sort of buying antique mantle, you can actually trim them and reduce them in size or actually putting a few little blocks underneath can increase the size if necessary. So, playing with that could be quite fan.

Nicola: And there is nothing like toasting marshmallows on the fire.

Irwin: Absolutely. The other thing as well as the surround between the actual mantle and the opening of the firebox if it is not a metal one or like a gas one, you can apply a tile or some kind of stone and some which really enhances it. And you could bring in the coloring in the room. So, in summary I need to say that we believe strongly in fireplaces. They really add to a house and to a room even if it is a big fireplace.

Nicola: Indeed.

Irwin: So, go ahead. Research but usually the best time is before the winter in the fall a lot of stalls like home depot and so on start showing their fireplaces and the mantles and things around there at that time. And then it is time to planning ahead. I am Irwin.

Nicola: I am Nicola. Thank you for watching design 2 share Q&A.

Anytime of year no matter where you live cozy after the fireplace for a close encounter of the romantic home. Our beer 2 share recommendation for a fire place rendezvous is N’Ice Chouffe Ale. A limited edition 2005 beer, brewed with time and curious appeal. The Chouffe brewers make this great and available from December 1st and they will sell it until it runs out stock. It is a dark beer, strong, pretty, likely heavy with taste that changes on the pallet.

It is a natural beer that is bottled, re-fermented, unfiltered, unpasteurized and additive free. This brewing folks and as you find in Belgium make their beer of this beer from spring water and crushed malt barley. And they are brewing near the lake and as Chouffe is a beauty. So, take a tip from us and indulge in our beer 2 share N’Ice Chouffe.

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