Focus on Festive Fireplaces
Fireplaces have a particularly festive connotation in Great Britain, therefore it’s perhaps timely that according to a recent survey by the Guardian newspaper, as we rapidly approach the Christmas season, increasing numbers of Britons are turning back to the traditional hearth to warm their homes. An open fire is a welcome feature in any home, it banishes the traditional winter blues, creates a focal point and is comforting and cheering at a time of the year when the nights are drawing in and temperatures are dropping.
Even though one might think that the resurgence of the open fire is a relatively recent fashion trend, it’s worth bearing in mind that fire has provided warmth and safety and a means by which one can cook for over 125,000 years. According to evolutionary psychologist Dr Lance Workman: "… fire has played an important role in human evolution and that this is why we still find it rewarding today. We don´t simply ´un-evolve´ such reward systems just because we live in centrally heated houses today."
His theory is certainly supported by evidence from the Solid Fuel Association that shows that there has been a 40% increase in demand for fuel for open fires this year. It is also backed up by the National Association of Chimney Sweeps which has seen a resurgence in demand for their member’s services, and by the largest chimney and flue manufacturer in the UK who has reported a 50% increase in business in the last year.
It seems that we’re all going fireplace crazy – perhaps in a bid to stave off the winter blues, or perhaps to try and combat rising inflation and to find a way around traditional heating bills which are always higher at this time of the year. Whatever the reason, it’s a welcome return to the open fire for many in the UK, because everyone knows that a roaring, real and open fire doesn’t just heat up the air around it, it warms the feelings of those entering the room where it’s burning, and it makes a house feel like a cosy and welcoming home.
According to Oliver Clarke, Sales Manager at Barton Wyatt who are experts in selling some of the most luxurious and well-appointed homes in the south east: “in recent decades many properties had their fireplaces and chimneys ripped out. This was both in a bid to provide more space and also because such forms of heating became redundant thanks to central heating systems. However, we have seen a direct rise in the numbers of luxury properties being built or renovated which now incorporate a fireplace in at least the main living rooms. A fireplace and an open fire in the home are associated with wealth and prosperity – they are a positive attribute for any property.”
Of course, as mentioned the fireplace also has a particularly special place in the home at Christmas. Traditionally, letters to Father Christmas are burned on an open fire allowing Father Christmas to read a child’s wishes in the smoke. Then, in the lead up to Christmas day a hearth and mantelpiece are often decorated before stockings are hung from the mantelshelf on Christmas Eve ready for Santa’s descent down the chimney. On Christmas morning the family often gathers around the fire for the opening of presents; and of course, throughout the Christmas period when it’s traditional to visit friends and family, an open fire in any home makes a welcome that much warmer.
If you have an open fire in your home and you want to prepare it for the festive season, fire crews and the National Association of Chimney Sweeps have issued a reminder to people to observe fire safety rules. The rules include having your chimney swept regularly, keeping an open fire guarded from children and animals, never leaving a fire unattended, and ensuring that it is fully extinguished before you go to bed.
Should you require inspiration for your own home, or indeed be on the lookout for a fabulous property, Barton Wyatt has some fine examples of homes for sale with stunning fireplace features. For example, Brook Farm near Ascot is a £3.5 million property with fireplaces in all the main living rooms, and some of the multi million pound homes for sale on the Wentworth Estate close to Virginia Water have been constructed or renovated with the inclusion of impressive fireplaces and hearths in the hallway, dining room and living areas as well for example. For more information about these incredible homes and other properties with festive fireplaces contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.