Colonial fireplaces

Conceptual sources for Colonial fireplace designs can be found in traditional English and Scandinavian homes. The term "Colonial fireplace" does not represent a single style, however. There are several distinct variations, stemming from designs adapted by new comers to America who brought their expertise in house building, but adapted their construction techniques to use the materials available locally (photo by David Walbert). The earliest Colonial fireplace design can be found in many historic homes on the East Coast, although these fireplaces also inspired later architects who created similar features for houses and estates throughout the country - a great example of that being Henry Ford's estate at Fair Lane. Original Colonial fireplace is characterized by a large wooden beam used for hanging utensils. In many cases, there was only one fireplace in the house, so it had to be fully functional for all cooking needs. Another, perhaps more familiar type of Colonial fireplace originates from traditional Scandinavian wood paneling. Such fireplaces display elegance, but usually lack any decorative elements per se. In some respects, these fireplace are reminiscent of Georgian style fireplaces in England. Most of these fireplaces are not designed to be used for cooking.