Mountain Cabin Decorating Ideas

For natural beauty and relaxation, it's hard to beat a cabin in the mountains. This can be the perfect getaway spot for a romantic weekend, a family vacation, or just some R & R to recover from the stress of everyday life.

When decorating a mountain cabin, one of the challenges is striking a balance between the simple, rustic look appropriate to the setting and creating a space nice enough to make the indoor experience as pleasant as the outdoor scenery. A recent Southern Living article entitled Dreamy Mountain Retreat featured a couple who decorated their house in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The thoroughly modern living space featured many indigenous touches, especially around the fireplace. The rough hewn hardwood mantel and designer fireplace screen fit well with the contemporary amenities of the house while providing the rustic feel of a mountain cabin.

Just as the fireplace should be the centerpiece of your living space, the fireplace is an absolutely essential element for a mountain cabin--the focal point and gathering place after a day of hiking, exploration, or relaxation. Be sure to spend the time and energy to decorate it accordingly.


Related Links:

Rustic Fireplace Mantels for Modern Homes
More information about hand-crafted hardwood mantels with a rustic look including split log and rough-hewn mantelpieces.

Rustic Mantels from North Georgia Logs
A great selection of rustic mantels hand-crafted in the North Georgia mountains.

Choosing the Right Fireplace Glass Door

If you don’t know what you’re looking at, the many options for glass fireplace doors can be confusing and even overwhelming. What does zero-clearance mean? What is tempered glass? How can you tell if a glass door will fit your fireplace? This article explains many of the available options so you can know which fireplace glass door is the right one for your fireplace.


Masonry or Zero-Clearance?

Before you start shopping for glass fireplace doors, you need to know what kind of fireplace you have. There are two kinds of fireplaces:

• Masonry fireplaces are made of brick and mortar. If your fireplace chimney is made of brick and mortar, you have a masonry fireplace.

• Zero-clearance fireplaces (also called factory built fireplaces) are prefabricated in a factory and are made of metal, although the hearth may be lined with firebricks. If your fireplace chimney is a metal pipe, possibly topped with a round metal chimney cap, you have a zero-clearance fireplace.

It is important to determine which kind of fireplace you have since a glass door for a masonry fireplace will not work for a zero-clearance fireplace and vice-versa.


Zero Clearance Fireplaces: Find the Make and Model

If you have a zero-clearance fireplace, these require a specific size door. This ensures the correct amount of airflow is allowed into the fireplace to keep the unit operating properly. The best way to get the right size door for a zero-clearance fireplace is to find the manufacturer and model number. Look for a metal tag inside the fireplace with the manufacturer and model number.

If you can’t find this information, contact a fireplace door dealer for assistance.


Masonry Fireplaces: Measure to Fit

If you have a masonry fireplace, you will need to measure to ensure the fireplace door you buy is a good fit. There are two options for masonry fireplace doors:

• Inside Fit means the door mounts inside the hearth opening.

• Overlap Fit means the door mounts outside the hearth opening.

The fit depends on the design of the door itself. Inside Fit and Overlap Fit require different sets of measurements. Thermo-rite, a manufacturer of glass fireplace doors, has a free brochure that tells you how to measure your hearth for a fireplace glass door.


Trends and Options for Fireplace Doors

Recent advances have given consumers a wide array of choices from simple doors to designer and decorative products that can make your fireplace sizzle. To get more information about the latest trends in fireplace glass doors, we turned to Ray Repasky, vice president of Thermo-Rite.

According to Ray, custom fireplace doors are the next big thing. “Today, people can choose the glass color, the metal finish and the width of the frame,” he says.

A few of the recent trends in fireplace glass doors:

Finish – Once the most popular option for fireplace doors, brass fittings have recently been less fashionable in home interiors. Many people have turned to earthy finishes such as iron, stainless steel, pewter, brushed nickel and black. These are the same choices that have become more popular for lighting, faucets and other home fixtures.

Design – Trackless fireplace doors with thin frames and folding doors are the top choice. Some frames fit well with a modern décor, while others are more traditional. Many of these fireplace doors can be customized to fit your hearth perfectly.

Glass Color – Now consumers have alternatives to clear glass in fireplace doors. Bronze glass and other colored glass let you see a fire when it is burning, but hide the interior of the hearth when there is no fire. “Many people are discovering the beauty of bronze glass,” says Repasky. “When you aren’t burning a fire, you don’t see into a dirty fireplace.” Other alternatives to clear glass include gray, mirrored and beveled glass for fireplace doors.

Dealers are giving consumers more choice than ever in fireplace products. Whether you are shopping for a masonry fireplace glass door or a zero clearance fireplace glass door, be sure to do your research to get the fireplace glass door that’s right for your hearth, your home, and your budget.


Related Links:

Prefab Fireplace Glass Doors
Articles and information on prefab fireplaces.

Fireplace Glass Doors: Conserving Energy, Saving Money
An article showing how fireplace glass doors save energy and money.

Real Life Fireplace Remodel
Before and after pictures from Cheryl who remodeled her fireplace with brick paint and new fireplace glass doors.

Fireplace Glass Doors
Masonry and zero-clearance fireplace doors. Many different styles and sizes to choose from.

Choosing a Fireplace Screen

Fireplace screens provide an extra measure of safety and protection for your working fireplace. Home improvement expert Bob Vila advises consumers to “always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces.” But you don’t have to settle for an ugly screen or a “one size fits all” screen; newer styles offer many finishes, designs, and sizes to fit your fireplace and your living area.

The first step in picking the right fireplace screen is determining which type of screen works best for your hearth. There are two types of fireplace screens:

• Single Plate – Single-plate screens consist of one single panel to cover the fireplace opening. The plate will either be curved so it can stand on its own, or it may include stands. The screen can be glass or mesh.

• Folding – Folding screens are hinged for easy adjustment. They usually consist of a large center panel of either glass or mesh and two smaller, folding panels on either side. The individual panels can be flat or curved.

Get the Right Fit

Screen distributor John S. Adams tells buyers to measure their fireplace opening and get a screen that fits. Ill-fitting screens (too small or too big) look wrong and can potentially create a safety hazard. “The screen should cover the entire opening,” Adams says. “You want good coverage with narrow, fine mesh—not great big holes.”

Since fireplaces come in all shapes and sizes, measure the dimensions of your fireplace opening before shopping for screens. If you are looking a single-plate screens, get a screen with a few inches to spare in both width and height for a snug fit. If you are considering a folding screen, look for one with up to 10 extra inches width and 5 extra inches height. This will allow you to set up the screen to cover the fireplace opening fully without overextending it. A folding screen that is too open may tip over.


Finish the Job

Just like fireplace tools and fireplace doors, you can select from a wide variety of finishes and styles for your fireplace screen. Adams notes that the most popular finish choices are natural iron, brushed steel or pewter, and basic black. Traditional polished brass is still an option, but many consider the look old-fashioned.

Style-wise, you can choose the look that is right for your fireplace and your living area. Do you have a simple, streamlined, modern look? Maybe a simple iron screen would work for you. Do you have mission-style furnishings? Perhaps a fireplace screen with mission-style designs in the metalwork would work for your living area. Or, if you are looking for something more ornate, check out fireplace screens with curved, floral designs.


Stay Safe

“A lot of families are looking for protection for their kids and pets, whether the fireplace is gas or wood-burning,” says Adams. “Even if it’s a gas fireplace, the glass enclosure gets unbelievably hot.” Luckily today’s manufacturers provide a product that is safer than ever and available in a wealth of choices to fit the color and décor of your home.

Choosing Fireplace Tools to Fit Your Style and Needs

How much do you think about the fireplace tools by your hearth? Not that much, probably. Many consider them simply decorations. And most people do not take the fireplace tools into account when updating the living area décor.

Fireplace tools can be very useful for fireplace cleaning and maintenance. You can also make a statement of style with your tools. Usefulness and style—you should always take these two major factors into account when choosing which tools work for your fireplace.


What Are Fireplace Tools? What Do They Do?

You can find the following tools in most fireplace tool sets:

• Poker – The poker allows you to stoke a fire and move logs. The curved hook on the side lets you nab a loose log and pull it back into position.
• Shovel – The shovel allows you to clear cold ash and cinders from the hearth. Don’t let ugly, unsafe as build up in your fireplace. (But remember—do not attempt to remove hot ashes or cinders from the hearth.)
• Broom – The broom allows you to sweep debris or ash from the hearth area. You can use it in combination with the shovel which acts as a dustpan to remove sweepings.
• Tongs – The tongs allow you to grab and move a burning log.

Size it Up

Fireplace tools come in many sizes, so be sure to get the right size for your fireplace. Consider how you are going to use the tools. Will you burn logs frequently? If so, you will probably want a larger set with a durable broom, nothing too polished or fancy. If you do not build fires in your fireplace or if you want the toolset primarily for decoration, you should look at smaller sets. And, naturally, the larger fireplace you have, the larger the tools should be.


Modern Design for Fireplace Tools

Modern design is becoming more popular for homes and fireplaces. Fireplace tool distributor John S. Adams from Iowa says that many homeowners are shopping for modern fireplace toolsets these days to match their décor. Brushed steel, pewter, nickel, and iron (metallic or black) are popular finishes for these streamlined, simplistic tools. The “modern” look fits right in with other contemporary touches as well as modern electronics like flatscreen plasma TVs.


The Classic Look

Many decorators and designers currently consider polished brass fixtures (including lights, cabinet handles, and fireplace toolsets) to be out of style. “Polished brass has all but totally gone away,” says Adams. Decorator Beth Norton even pointed out the “outdated brass” in her Before picture of a condo redecoration. If your living area is less modern and more classic, you should consider the timeless look of antique brass, bronze, or a silver finish including nickel, chrome, pewter, and burnished steel. Of course, polished brass tools are still available if you want the traditional look.

Rustic Fireplace Mantels for Modern Homes

Reflecting an era of log cabin simplicity, rustic fireplace mantels are making a strong return to the mainstream of modern living. With hand-hewn textures, hardy wood and affordability in equal measure, handsome rustic mantels are cozying up fireplaces everywhere—quicker than you can say Abe Lincoln.


Going Back to the Past

Georgia mantel manufacturer Park Pigott says homeowners are specific about styling when it comes to rustic fireplace mantels. Top sellers for Pigott include reproductions of an 1850s Kentucky farmhouse mantel along with Craftsman-style mantels. He also says hand-hewn, crude-looking fireplace mantels from earlier eras are becoming a hit with today’s homeowners.

Popular styles in rustic fireplace mantels include raw, hand-hewn pine planks that can be sanded and stained as a weekend project or bought prefinished ready to install. There are even simpler fixtures consisting of pine logs sawed in half and set into special brackets.

“A lot of people are buying timber frame and log homes today,” Pigott says of the trend to get rustic. “Twenty years ago, most people wouldn’t dream of living in a log house, even if it was brand new. A hundred years ago, you either lived in a log cabin or, if you were wealthy, you lived in a nice house with a nice mantel. If you lived in a log cabin, the mantel was a lot more primitive.”


Creating the Rustic Fireplace Mantel

Even more primitive than the style of rustic fireplace mantels is the tool used to create the look. Called an adz, this is a tool that has been used for centuries in woodworking. It has a blade perpendicular to the handle unlike an axe whose blade is parallel.

“Hand-hewn means shaped with an adz,” Pigott explains. “There are two kinds of adzes: one cuts flat and the other cuts curved.” Pigott says his crew uses the curved variety, which he likens to a hoe with a curved blade. “We start off with a beam that’s been planed down and then do the hewing.”

The process, which creates a dappled look in the rustic fireplace mantel—as if someone repeatedly dipped at it with an especially sharp ice cream scoop—is an arduous one. Centuries ago, a woodsman would stand astride the plank of wood, take a downward swipe with the blade, and then walk backwards, repeating the motion. Today’s process isn’t much different. “It’s a lot of work,” Pigott says.


The Right Wood for the Job

The work doesn’t stop there; once the wood is shaped, it has to be dried in giant kilns, a process that can take up to a month. To help cut down on the drying time, Pigott uses white pine because of its porous quality.

“White pine is softer and dries faster than green wood,” Pigott says, adding oak and cherry woods aren’t suitable for rustic fireplace mantels because they take so long to dry out. “Anything you build out of wood will buckle, warp, split or shrink if it’s not dried properly. Even construction-grade lumber is dried to some degree.”

Pigott says many people who want a rustic beam mantel make the mistake of just cutting down a tree, sawing it up and hanging it. “But once they burn a fire or two, it will buckle and warp.”

Another attractive feature of kiln-dried white pine is the price. “People who buy rustic fireplace shelves typically want something inexpensive,” Pigott says. “A full fireplace mantel can cost from $2,000 to $2,500, but a rustic fireplace mantel beam sells for as little as $250 upwards to $1,000.”