Fireplaces have always been an important part of decorating for me.  I love old houses where you will find a fireplace in just about every room.  They offer such a fabulous atmosphere and seem to facilitate the urge to just sit by the warmth, enjoying the crackling of the fire, and read, have conversations, or just enjoy hanging out and relaxing.

As a kid, I did not have a fireplace in our family home.  Our house would have been perfect, but it seemed that during this time, the fireplace just wasn’t a priority for my parents as it was to me.  My dad would always talk about putting one in, as we had a blank wall where it would be perfect, but it just never got done.