If you look on any website selling fireplace accessories you will no doubt discover that fireplace screens and tools are prominently displayed. Both of these accessories dramatically complement the décor of the room and add character to the fireplace. It is also quite true that popular fireplace accessories like fireplace screens and tools are very necessary to safely manage a fire burning away inside of your home. But what about the lesser known fireplace accessories that don’t get all the fancy headlines and ad space? It is said that life is in the details. The fireplace accessories mentioned below are also functional but decorative in a manner that the screens and tools are not: these accessories will add a more complete and effective decorative effect upon both the hearth and your living room.

Fenders—are these car parts or fireplace accessories? While both definitions are true, fenders in this case are footrests that sit in front of the firebox. Fenders, also known as rails, are designed to prevent logs from rolling off the fire and onto the fireplace. These lesser known fireplace accessories are quite functional but they also add a subtle nuance to the overall effect of the fireplace. Much like some well placed bellows, fenders are that added touch that just seems to say, “Yeah, I use my fireplace all the time and I LOVE it!”

Now most people know that grates help with air circulation in the firebox and aid in combustion. But when the fire is burning—who sees these hidden fireplace accessories? Even when the fireplace is dormant, can you really see the grate without a spotlight? This is precisely the reason why andirons are superior fireplace accessories. Andirons are functional like the grate, but they also look good whether there is a fire burning or not. Available in an endless assortment of styles to suit any décor, andirons are fireplace accessories with personality! Is there really any decision to make here?

Firebacks are fireplace accessories that are functional in a couple of ways. For starters, they direct more of the heat from the fire back into the home making the fireplace more energy efficient. Also, they provide protection for the back wall of the firebox which can become damaged over a prolonged period. Not only functional, firebacks are fireplace accessories that can literally set a tone for your fireplace unlike any other accessory. Past generations would have their family coat of arms embossed onto the fireback. Many had religious or historical themes and figures decorating their firebacks. fireplace accessories like firebacks allow you to add a personal element to your fireplace in a way that no other accessory can.

Combined with the other two fireplace accessories already mentioned, firebacks distinctively signal that you have a complete and fully accessorized fireplace. Screens and tools are the obvious fireplace accessories. A fireplace adorned with andirons, fenders, and a unique fireback will make your fireplace the focal point of any room—just as it should be!