The fireplace has long been one of the definitive romantic spaces. Whether it’s a romantic Valentine’s evening at home, an idyllic anniversary at the cabin, or just a spontaneous romantic night, reclining by the fireside is a definitive moment. To help you create the perfect amorous evenings, we’ve created a Toronto guide for designing a romantic fireplace and space in your home.
The Right Fuel for the Spark
One of the first steps to defining and designing your romantic space for Valentine’s and any other evening is the right fireplace. You’ll want to consider what kind best suits your existing space and your own romantic vision. For example, a wood burning fire provides the crackle and smoky scents of a traditional fire. These create a multisensory experience that research has shown both relaxes and motivates social bonding. However, a gas or electric fireplace is easy to start and doesn’t require maintaining the fuel, allowing you to focus on the romantic evening and each other.
The Design Itself
Along with the fuel type, you’ll want to consider a design that helps foster romance. This will depend on your tastes, the home’s aesthetics, as well as the layout of the space. You can go with a traditional fireplace in the wall with a grand mantel, like Napoleon’s High Country series. There are also other options; three-sided fireplaces, like those made by Ortal offer a clean modern design while bringing the fire more into the romantic space. Ortal also makes island fireplaces, which place the fireplace right in the center of a room. This is great for designing a romantic space with a fire at its heart.
The Mantel
Designing a fireplace is more than just the fuel type and style of the fireplace, but the space around it. To design a romantic space for those perfect evenings, you should start with the mantel. There are a few different styles of fireplace mantel to consider. You can design a shelf, which could hold certain romantic decor. A ‘surround’ mantel with pillars or corbels draws attention to the hearth, helping to define the room’s intimate space. If instead you want to emphasize the fire itself, you can opt for no mantel. Don’t forget to also consider the material of the mantel or flat face. Wood and stone are beautiful and will help create those cozy romantic evenings and Valentine’s memories.
Leaving the Living Room
Fireplaces are often in a central living area in Toronto homes. This is because traditional designs with large mantels can take up considerable space. However, modern designs and fireplaces allow for a lot of flexibility in where you add a hearth to your home. Gas and electric fireplaces require less space for installation, and even low-profile wood fireplaces, like the Stuv 16 are versatile design options. Wood stoves like those from Jotul can also be installed throughout your home. Adding a fireplace or stove to another room like a bedroom or smaller living area helps create an intimate space that might not always be possible in “the family room.”
Valentine’s Day and Romantic Lighting
Bright lights do not make a romantic space for Valentine’s. Design a romantic space with lighting that dims. Alternatively, use the most romantic light source, the fireplace itself. The fire will provide a warm glow that will provide the perfect amorous ambiance. Modern models of fireplaces, gas fireplaces like those from Valor have interior lights that can help supplement the fire’s. Even more wholly romantic, Dimplex’s fireplaces have mineral beds with RGB lighting, allowing you to add a romantic red to the fire itself.
Furniture and Other Decor
While the fireplace does a lot to create and define a romantic space, it’s not the only part of the design to make the space romantic. You will want to create a comfortable space where you can spend that intimate time with your partner. This could include a sizable couch near (but a safe distance) from the fire, or comfortable carpet, pillows, and blankets to comfortably sit on the floor near the hearth. Of course, if you really want to mark the romantic occasion, light a few candles, have some flowers, scatter some rose petals, or have some chocolates ready. These smaller decorations are a great opportunity to show you know and appreciate your partner’s tastes and preferences.
The Effort Behind Romance
True romance takes effort. It means dedicating attention and time to someone else and the moments you spend together. That means designing a perfectly romantic space with a fireplace will also take some effort, but we can help, so contact us. You’ll soon be having countless Valentine’s and other memorable romantic nights by the fire. If you need fireplace design inspiration, visit one of our showrooms in Ajax, Scarborough, Toronto, or Whitby.
