Category: Design Ideas

It’s summertime, and while that means you most likely will not be preparing and lighting any fires (unless you have an unusually cold night), there’s no need to just completely neglect your fireplace until it gets chilly again. Rather than letting your fireplace become a vacant corner of your common space, with a little added effort and thought, your unlit fireplace can easily be transformed into a useful and decorative space that adds character to your home. Whether you’re looking for a simple one time solution for the summer, or you’re down for a more involved temporary transformation, we’re here to help with the top suggestions on how to make the most of your space this summer.

Stack Logs or Light Candles

This is one of the most common ways to decorate the empty space, and let others know that you are ready to go and fire up your hearth as soon as it cools down. You can also paint the logs fun colors for an even more vibrant and fun effect. Another common choice is to add a unique decorative candle holder and light candles at night time. This gives you a similar effect as a full fire but without all the heat. It is also a great way to bring in some summery scents and add light to your home. This is one of the easiest ways to decorate your fireplace, the setup takes no time at all and it won’t be a hassle to take down.

Install Art or Plant Life

Sculptures, paintings, glass blowings, if you’ve got a taste for art you definitely have options. This is a great way to add a more personal touch to your fireplace during the summer, still without too much setup or work. If you like, you can also add plans with decorative pots or vases to give you both art and beautiful growing plant life side by side. Mirrors are also a popular choice as they reflect light and are very easy to set up.

Create a Mini Theatre

This option is a little more involved, but is still easy enough and doesn’t require much skill. Many people love watching movies on projectors but they don’t always have a free wall to place it on. To perform this transformation, simply drape a heavy sheet white sheet or cardstock background over the fireplace, pick up a projector and adjust it until the frame is the right size. Before you know it you’ll have the perfect mini theatre in your home for movie night.

Convert it Into a Bookshelf

Adding a bookshelf into your fireplace is a great option for the summer, or year round if you have a nonfunctional decorative fireplace with no chimney. Simply clean the fireplace thoroughly, and add shelving as you see fit for both the space and the amount of books you wish to store. 

Getting sunshine is one of the best parts about having a functional deck or patio to lounge at during the spring and summer. These outdoor spaces are great for sunbathing or other outdoor activities, but too much sun can also be a problem. Having control over how much sun you want, when you want it can really come in handy, especially if you’re already sporting a sunburn. This is why retractable awnings for your deck or patio is a trend coming back in a big way.

If you’ve ever tried working from home while the sun is filling your screen with glare, then you know the struggle. Shade is the only solution to this problem, and large canopies and patio awnings are a great way to do it.

Retractable Awnings

When planning out the design of your deck, there’s no shortage of choices for awnings. One of the most common, and most practical options is a retractable awning. These extend, retract, and can even be easily removed depending on your preferences or the weather. They filter out harmful UV rays while also giving you a break from the harsh sun. Depending on your needs, they are available both motorized and manually retractable variations. Motorized awnings give you the convenience of retracting and extending at the push of a button, while standard awnings offer less moving parts and complications.

Canopy Awnings

Alternatively, you could look into a canopy style awning. These are great for geographic areas that are a little drier or that have warm weather year round. However they don’t perform well with heavy snow or rain, so we don’t typically recommend them to our New England clients.

For those of us who do have to deal with tougher winters and wet seasons, sometimes a metal deck awning is the right fit for a client, but it certainly doesn’t offer the same flexibility or summery feel of a retractable awning.

Shade Sails

If you’re looking for something a little more low key and flexible, shade sails are an easy-up and easy-down solution. They come in really any color or style you can imagine and are usually a little more affordable than the other options. While this thin fabric won’t offer much protection from the elements they do still provide some much needed shade and can truly be an accessory to your home.

Contact New England Hearth & Home

If you’re looking to turn your backyard area into your own personal oasis, you’ve come to the right place! We offer awnings, fire pits, and even outdoor kitchens that help you transform your backyard area! Please give us a call at 781-562-0771 or contact us here.