WHY WE HUMANS LOVE FIRE
It’s autumn time – the days are getting shorter and cooler. The longing for your own retreat grows stronger. The privilege of having your own fire at home helps you to calm down.
Blazing flames and crackling wood promise warmth,
Fire is deeply rooted in our evolutionary consciousness. The taming of fire was a huge success for mankind (quote from Yuval Noah Harari – a brief history of mankind).
Fire profoundly changed the lives of our ancestors: It warmed and kept dangerous animals away; it made cooking possible and thus facilitated chewing and digestion. It made people more social, as stories and myths were told around the fire. This conveyed values and strengthened the community.
The magic of fire
The view of the flames and their warm light help us to forget the stress of everyday life and find peace.
In Switzerland, there are around 500,000 fireplaces, chimneys and Swedish stoves in local households – not including all outdoor chimneys and the very trendy outdoor kitchens with open barbecues.
Fireplaces are not only valued for their additional heat output, they are also the epitome of cosiness and security and promote social interaction.
They slow you down with their calming effect and are therefore the best stress reducer!
TIP
People love stories and remember pictures much better than the written word. Take some time with your loved ones and tell another story by a roaring fire. If you cuddle a little while doing so, oxytoxin will be produced in your body – also known as the bonding hormone.
It will not only strengthen your bond, but also lower your blood pressure and reduce stress.
Candles
The flame as a symbol is historic and ancient – often used in a religious and spiritual context.
Today, a candle flame often symbolises romance and mindfulness in the private sphere and devotion, community and the feeling of being protected in faith. Candlelight can also be comforting, with light we feel we are in good company. Candlelight is peace.
Did you know that candles should be stored in the freezer to keep them burning for longer? And if candles drip, soaking them in salt water overnight can help?
Lanterns
Lanterns and lanterns (also known as hurricanes) are particularly beautiful when placed in groups.
Glass or wickerwork, which refract the light, look particularly elegant. If you are not looking directly into the flame, battery-operated LED candles can also be used. Rechargeable batteries or LED candles with a USB connection are already available on the market in the interests of sustainability.
TIP & HANDS ON
Small lanterns in different sizes, but always in the same colour family, arranged on a decorative tray look luxurious and
and can even replace a log fire.
Decorative glass lanterns are particularly beautiful and can be used to display several candles together. Fill the base with sand, small stones or small shells so that the candles are better positioned in relation to each other.
My insider tip:
Fireplaces are usually built with clinker bricks – in earlier times these were always light-coloured. However, fire tends to build up soot on the inside walls. This quickly makes the fireplace look unattractive and uncleaned. Therefore, use heat-resistant spray in black to spray the rear walls. This will increase the effect of the fire immensely!
Nicole’s blog is published sporadically and provides you with useful tips for your personal feel-good world, the latest products and interesting facts from the everyday work of an interior designer.
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Nicole Gottschall
Head of Design GO INTERIORS
Interior Architect VSI.ASAI / Owner
Copyright GO INTERIORS GmbH Seestrasse 344 CH-8038 Zurich
www.go-interiors.ch T 041 44 463 83 83
