The ancestors of today’s fireplace screens were developed to spread heat evenly throughout a room and reduce the heat from an open fire. Families gathered around the only source of heat in the home during cold winter months. The screens allowed everyone to keep warm no matter where they sat. They also protected the people and other room objects from sparks.
The screen doubled as a cover to hide the opening of the fireplace during the spring and summer months when there was not fire lit. By the time the 19th century came into being, there were many different kinds of screens. Most were portable and adjustable and made from materials such as wood, paper mache, leather and wicker. Later the screens were made of wood with painted scenery, embroidered tapestry, and stained glass.
There are two basic kinds of screens for the fireplace: flat and multi-paneled. The flat screen is chosen for its ability to keep children and pets away from a fire and is stationary. There are flat screens available with a door in the center to allow easy access to tend the fire. Multi-paneled screens are foldable to allow access to the fire. These are positioned a slight distance away from the fire because side panels surround the fireplace to keep children and pets away from an open fire.
Screens are expertly decorated and crafted from a variety of materials. The elegant designs in Antique, Victorian, Traditional and Country offer several choices to match your décor. A variety of materials such as wrought iron, gold, brass, silver, glass, stained glass and polished iron are used in these artful, decorative pieces. They are not always created to function in a practical way, but they serve to beautify any room.
Most screens with elaborate scroll and flower designs fit well in the Antique and Victorian style home, especially if made of brass or gold. However, a sleek, simple design fits the contemporary style home.
If your room is painted in warm colors, a screen crafted in gold, copper, bronze, rust and black are the best accent colors. Cool colors work best with a screen crafted in brass, aluminum, stainless steel, white or pewter. Stained glass screens are for homeowners who have no intentions of ever building a fire because this type of screen is for decorative purposes only.
Fireplace screens with doors are really popular as are glass fireplace screens, custom fireplace screens, wrought iron fireplace screens and various decorative fireplace screens. They're really a small investment but aren't "cheap" because they add a modern, contemporary feel to the fireplace and you can even get large stained glass, brass, rustic type models. They're great for outdoor application or for a gas or uniflame model.
Fireplace inserts include doors that are as decorative as they are practical. The fireplace insert is an answer to adding a fireplace to a room as a brand new fireplace addition or as a remodeling project of an existing fireplace. The doors are built into the unit.
Fireplace screens centuries old are displayed in museums around the world. The art of designing and creating these beautiful screens are the focus of several manufacturers in the US and around the world. There are thousands of screens to choose from in every color of metals and precious metals. Real antique screens are available online from companies that specialize in this type of sceen.