Andirons For an Ornate Addition to Your Hearth
For those of us who come from climates with cold winters, the thought of a log fire on a frosty or snowy day certainly warms, not just our toes, but the cockles of our hearts.
For some, winter may conjure up thoughts of walking the woods, hills and forests, collecting kindling and logs for that luxurious fire later in the day. Where, though, do you put those logs when you get home?
For a large supply, the logs may pass up to three stages of storage. First, you may put them in a large basket or storage box under cover outside, maybe in a garden shed or outhouse. Then, a smaller and attractive basket of logs may be kept in the house, maybe close to the fire, but not on the hearth.
Once the log fire is roaring, though, people have always found it convenient to have just a few logs immediately at hand on the hearth, and that is where andirons have come into play.
Andirons come in pairs, across which just a few logs may be laid in waiting, ready to put on a fire as soon as the flames look as though they may be dying, and the logs on the fire almost burnt through.
Attending the log fire during the evening then becomes an easy chore. A quick step out of the armchair to lift the log on the fire, then slipping back into the armchair again. Far more convenient than going out into the garden every time a log is needed to top up the dwindling fire.
Andirons may have started out life in very simple form, it was several centuries ago that artistic designers started to view andirons as an art medium. Andirons became not just practical, but ornate and sometimes beautiful, and are nowadays seen as yet another opportunity to enhance the home decor.
As you can see from the andirons pictured above, they can be very attractive decor items. In fact, it almost seems a shame to put logs on them, such is the style and quality of the solid brass (bottom) and black and brass (middle) andirons. Even the first picture reveals andirons that have a stylish elegance about them, even from a lower price range.
***********************************************************
Sponsored Link: For a Wide Selection of Quality Andirons
*********************************************************
