Most recent fireplaces are more for interior dcor than for heating, which was its original purpose. The appearance of the Recent fireplace has become predominantly crucial in regards to individual choice, and thus serves to satisfy some aesthetic value of visual stimulation in the contemporary home.
The thing about Most recent fireplaces is that they come in a great deal of styles that reflect the respective personalities of their owners. Fireplaces are made just as much or even more by sculptors or stone carvers than architects, suggesting that Recent fireplaces are more an artistic achievement than an architectural necessity.
Walter S. Arnold, a fireplace sculptor based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., for example, is one such person. He features his work online at his Affordable Fireplaces homepage or at marblestudios.com.
He carves fireplaces out of marble and limestone, and draws many of his designs from Chinese roofs, Egyptian Revival, and Italian statuary, and the Classical relief. The possibilities for designing and constructing a Present state fireplace are virtually endless!
The process of creating one of these stylish Contemporary fireplaces consists of three phases: Design, Carving, and Installation. In designing the Recent fireplace, the conception starts with an idea and then a simple measured drawing, which then is transformed into a life-size representation that allows for a closer look at the moldings and the carving details so that smaller measurements can be ascertained.
After all of this is determined, these details are sent off to a stone mill, and the material is ordered to size (20-ton blocks are an example of what would be needed, although its different every time). Carving deals with transforming the detailed drawings to the stone. First, the images are drawn on the stone to precise measurement (although maybe slightly off to accommodate carving space).
Next, these images are basically shaped, and then the nuances are worked out. This is all done with a specialized set of hammers and chisels. Finally, the installation is performed by a stone mason, who anchors the carved pieces to the wall around the fireplace display with galvanized wall ties.
The carved stones are hooked together with bronze pins, and the gaps are filled in with mortar and then topped with grout. The installation process takes several days to finish, but the work results in a spectacular Recent fireplace with a unique style all of its own!
Of course, this isnt to say that Recent fireplaces do not function as fashionable heaters. Fires still burn in them and require traditional fuel types, such as wood and even petroleum. The fire itself serves to provide warmth to the home as well as a mesmerizing feature of life that quiets the heart and allows the mind to drift away.
Modern fireplaces are still a tradition in the home, but their influence has reached many areas of civilized society making them fine examples of how art is functional.
By: John Thompson
Posts Tagged ‘Aesthetic Value’
Contemporary Fireplaces for the 21st Century
October 8th, 2009Art Deco Makes a Comeback in Architectural Doors
September 17th, 2009Doors are becoming less of an afterthought in modern home design and more of a focal point. In fact, many homeowners today are choosing custom-designed architectural doors for their home’s exterior. Sometimes an entire home design is planned around a customized architectural door. Doors are being recognized as an important part of the aesthetic value of a home’s exterior. An artistically-designed and professionally-built exterior door can raise the value of a home while providing enormous curb-appeal.
One of the fastest-growing trends in architectural doors today is the art deco door. The art deco style of design first emerged in the early 1900’s. It was an international design phenomenon in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It was during this period of time that a number of famous landmark buildings were erected, the design of which has become a part of pop culture and history. Though many people can’t put a name to the style, they will instantly recognize buildings created during the art deco trend. One such example is the distinctive spire of New York City’s Chrysler building, built in the mid 1920’s. Other renowned examples include New York’s Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Like most trends, art deco faded from construction history for a time in favor of more modern, streamlined designs. But also like many trends, art deco has re-emerged throughout the last century in various manners. Today, this includes architectural doors.
Art deco designs are based on mathematical, geometric shapes. Chevrons, sweeping curves, sunburst motifs and multi-tiered steps are characteristic of art deco. The Chrysler Building is a prime example of a curve and sunburst theme with steps that become smaller until they reach the spire at the top.
Architectural doors take the best of these geometrical designs and add modern twists, like sharp, uneven lines, mirrors and contemporary colors. The result is a door that is truly a work of art. These works of art become the focal point for the design of the new home. They often inspire other elements of the home, like windows, exterior colors, and even the shape of the roof. Like someone who purchases a loved work of art and then paints and designs the room it hangs in to match it, homeowners and builders start with a custom-designed architectural door and then look to it for inspiration for the entire exterior.
Art deco architectural doors can be designed to fit any type of home. They can be standard size, or can be crafted to fit unorthodox door frames for truly individualistic style. They don’t sacrifice functionality either. They can be built to accommodate high-security features, and can even be built to mask multiple locks and other security mechanisms. This results in an architectural door whose artistic quality hasn’t been sacrificed for the sake of fortitude.
By: Jenny Schweyer