Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-22
MAY 22, 1910.
HANDSOME FIREPLAcEs

From the aborigtneS hre on nat
rock the steps in the development of
the finished fireplace of today have
been few and far between. The crude
device smoked their huts, and our fire.
places often smoke our homes.
Poets have sung of the ideal fire.
place-one that warns Won and is a
pleasure to behold; one that extends
a cheerful welcome to the guest and Is
a delight to dream before-a fireplace
that will make the poorest hut as
pleasant as a palace. They write not
of its smoking, its chilling drafts and
noxious gases.
However, ideal fireplaces surrounded
with frames can and have been built,
the poets song realized and all objec-
tionable features eliminated.
The perfect open fire must diffuse
and reflect the maximum of heat from
a given amount of fuel without the es-
cape of smoke or gases into the room
to be heated, and at the same time
ventilate uniformly.
The form, proportions and materials
have everything to do with the sue
cessful accomplishment of these ends.
Large sums of money are often spent
on the mantel or frame, and the fire
place itself is left to the mercy of
some one who does not understand its
proper proportions and construction.
The most common fault in building
Is that the throat of the chimney Is
much too large. This was originally
necessary for the accommodation of
the chimney sweep, and the natural
consequence was that all of the warm
air which should have warmed the
room went up the chimney.
No other way of heating can ever be
as cheerful and healthful as the open
fire.
The brick fireplace is far more arts-
tic than the old stock mantel with its
hideoous accompaniment of mottled
tile. However, brick has the great dis
advantage of being almost impossible
to keep clean, and as even well regu-
lated fireplace may sometimes smoke,
and as ashes and dust will gather, this
is truly a drawback.
The most beautiful effects may be OBJ
tained by using tile. These tiles are
made in every conceivable shape and
size, as well as in every possible color.
This is especially true of the we'll
known Grueby tile, which has an ex-
quisitely soft and velvety finish. These
tiles range in size from the small 2x6 to
the great 12x12 square, suitable for the
largest fireplaces in the most imposing
room.
In these large mantels it is well to
use some of the decorative tiles which
come in such exquisite effects, as
shown in the accompanying picture,
as they break the monotony of color
and give character to the whole. The
rich tones of green, red and brown are
suitable for the dining room, den,
library or living room. They come in
such a range of tones that any taste
may be suited or any color scheme fol-
lowed.
For the bedroom or the Colonial
room" we have the soft, satin-finished
creams and whites, or the dainty deli
cately glazed tiles.
Any of these tiles may be washed
just as you would wash any piece of
porcelain, with soap and water, and
thus be kept in good condition.
The heart of the home, as one fire
worshiper has called the fireplace,
should give character to the whole
room. Study well what you want to to
be, but while you make it joy to the
eye. see that it is scientifically con-
structed and will adequately heat the
room that it is intended to heat.