An ornately decorated fireplace grate will make a bold statement.
Wood or coal is placed on fireplace grates made of steel rods to keep the flammable materials off the floor and to help air circulate around them to prolong a toasty fire. Elevating the smoke will ensure that it rises up and out of your chimney. Cast iron grates may resemble a basket and have small holes in the bottom. Anything made of non-flammable materials such as cast iron that will hold coal or wood and allow for air circulation will work as a fireplace grate, so you can be creative. Does this Spark an idea?
Family Name Fireplace Grate
Personalize your fireplace with a fireplace grate that features your family's surname at the front of the grate. From a website such as FindGift, you can order up to 12 letters or characters to spell out a name or perhaps an inspirational word such as "faith" or "dream." The grate is fire-retardant and comes in black. It will hold coal or wood but not gas logs.
Fireplace Andirons
Andirons originated in the 1500s and make a unique alternative to traditional fireplace grates. An andiron is a metal bar, typically made from iron, bronze or steel, that is positioned horizontally to hold logs in a fireplace. Two andirons typically form what is known as a firedog. Andirons may be ornately decorated or they can feature symbols such as the Phoenix or Egyptian Sphinx. Consider having your own andirons made with a symbol that represents your family's ancestry or interests.
Cats
Cat lovers will appreciate a pair of black, cast iron andirons in the shape of a cat sitting on a piano-legged stool. There are holes for their eyes so that you can see the fire burning through them. These cat andirons are made of wrought iron with a matte black powder-coat finish for durability.
Deer Heads
Hunters will enjoy cast iron deer head andirons for a fireplace grate. They resemble the antlers on a deer's head and feature a graphite powder-coat finish that looks like iron. Each deer head andiron has a third leg in the middle to prevent any sagging from heavy firewood, and it will also keep logs from rolling out.
Tags: deer head, andirons made, cast iron, coal wood, fireplace grate, fireplace grates
