Are you thinking about adding a fireplace to your living room? It’s one of the easiest ways to improve this space, yet also one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. Pick the wrong type of fireplace and it can ruin the aesthetic or cause more annoyance than good. But choose the right one, and it adds a focal point to your living room, making the entire place feel more homely and cozy.
How do you know what the “right” fireplace is? It’ll vary from household to household, but the “right” one will give you a great blend of aesthetics and practicality. With that in mind, here are the three main ideas for the perfect living room fireplace you should consider:
A Traditional Log Burner
When you think about fireplaces, your initial ideas revolve around traditional log-burning ones. These are arguably the coziest of the three options; you add wood to the fireplace, and it burns and crackles. The sound is fantastic – and they come in all kinds of modern or traditional styles.
This is a good option if you already have a spot for a fireplace in your home. In other words, there’s a chimney that goes down into the living room. This makes the installation a lot easier as you won’t need to add a chimney to your home as well. It’s also a good choice if you don’t care about soot or smoke. You must be willing to tend to a log fire and maintain the fireplace as well. If you think this requires too much effort, then perhaps you’re better off with one of the other two options.
A Gas Fireplace
Gas fireplaces are becoming increasingly popular alternatives to log burners. They use natural gas to create a real fire, so you still receive the benefit of a warm, cozy fixture in your living room. Most custom fireplace providers will install gas ones nowadays as they’re more convenient. You don’t need a chimney or a flue; just a simple vent to provide ample ventilation.
Yes, you lose the authentic crackle of a log-burning fireplace, but a gas one can be installed anywhere in your living room. It gives you more freedom when playing around with where everything’s situated. There’s also way less maintenance, no smoke, and no soot.
A Modern Electric Fireplace
The third option is mainly for people who want the aesthetic of a fireplace without the fire itself. Perhaps you’re worried about the dangers of having open flames in the home, or you don’t want to deal with gas. In either case, an electric fireplace could be the best choice for you. It requires zero maintenance once installed and provides the aesthetic of a fireplace without actually creating a fire.
These fireplaces don’t tend to emit heat; they’re purely there for the visuals. They are the easiest to install because you don’t need to worry about chimneys or gas lines, which often makes them the cheapest.
There you go: three different ideas for the perfect living room fireplace, all with their pros and cons. Each one suits a different family or household, so weight up what you want from your fireplace and look at how your living room is constructed before making a decision.
