Choose Electric Fireplaces for Year-round Cozy Homes

The warm glow of light from the mantel fireplace creates ambiance and heat for the whole home, but there are a few drawbacks to the old brick and mortar chimneys. They’re smoky, messy, expensive to maintain, and nobody especially enjoys those cold trips to the woodpile outside. That’s why, all these years after the discovery of fire, technology has figured out how to improve on the classics with electric fireplaces. Whether in the office, the bedroom, or even the kitchen, electric fireplaces bring in the warmth and charm of the living room fireplace with a few ultra-modern conveniences.

What Is an Electric Fireplace?

Maybe there is no fireplace in your apartment, maybe there are pets or small humans that make open flames a dangerous idea, or maybe you just want to fall asleep in front of the fireplace without waking up to a flameless draft. Whatever the case, when you can’t start a cozy fire in the fireplace, an electric fireplace provides a safe and effective alternative that can be incorporated into any room. They are the modern answer to the space heaters of yesteryear, with even more flexibility through their improved design

While the aesthetic composition of every unit will vary between brands and styles, the basic operation remains the same. Electric fireplaces throw a dry heat, with some units offering up to 10,000 BTU to cover an impressively large area. Cold air is pulled through the unit along a heating coil, with the warmed air recirculated into the area with quiet fans. They can be controlled via remote controls or simple switches and buttons on the inserts or stoves directly.

Unlike personal space heaters, however, electric fireplaces look like the real thing. Hand-painted, resin-cast log sets give the look of a fire, with glowing lines of authentic ‘embers’ embedded in ash and rock. Some models have flame effects achieved through randomly reflecting lights, and collections like Dimplex’s Opti-Myst use a harmless mist of water to add a 3D effect of fire and smoke above the heat. There’s no real flame, no smoke, not even gas to burn, and the realistically designed fireplace plugs into the wall to get it started.

What’s Trending With Electric Fireplaces?

Because they’re designed to be utilized as low-cost, supplemental heat sources, electric fireplaces can be incorporated into nearly every area in the house. That’s a lot of room to play with the designs of each space, depending on your budget.

In the Den

For those living room and den arrangements with a bricked-in mantel and unusable fireplace, an electric fireplace insert can produce the look of the fire without the hassle of upkeep. With most home setups, it’s common to see a flat screen tv mounted above the fireplace, and in recent years it’s become an issue for homeowners as they realize that their cozy fires every winter can cause damage to their media equipment

Electric fireplaces offer an effective solution around that problem. They come available as firebox inserts, which take up the entire open space of the mantel, or as freestanding log sets to be placed inside.

The biggest trend right now is media console electric fireplaces. These pull double-duty, working as a mantelpiece and a bookshelf. They can hold TVs and other electronics, or books and baubles, safely and without risk of damage because the heat vents out and away from the shelves rather than up.

In the Kitchen

Most kitchens and dining rooms are kept warm by the nearby stove or oven, but the look of the fireplace is a welcome addition. Fireplace inserts are an option for those kitchens with a fireplace already in place, or for cluttered, smaller rooms, a freestanding stove adds warmth and an inviting social touch. For modern homes, however, built-in electric fireplaces and wall mounted electric fireplaces offer an elevated, streamlined look. They can stretch horizontally or vertically and combine the warmth of a fireplace with the trendy design of a multicolored art display, offering blue, yellow, or even green colored flame effects as a step away from the more natural orange and red glow.

For the Bedroom Or Bath

In the smaller rooms, like the bedroom or bath, the look of the space is often more comfortable, rather than the utilitarian use of the kitchen. In order to make the best use of the square-footage allowed and fit with a design, the traditional fireplace designs are often best. A classic mantel fireplace can be fit along an open wall, or angled across a corner to change the whole look of the room. They give the impression of permanent fixtures in the space, but can be relocated as needed.

Another good look for an open bathroom or small bedroom would be an electric stove. These design elements should always be used safely away from any water source, out of splash-range, and not in humid rooms with poor ventilation. Freestanding stove designs offer an enclosed heat source with a unique, cozy, and traditional vibe. They can be tucked away in a corner or between shelves and dressers

A Look for Every Room

Electric stoves offer a flexible design that can fit in with every room of the house. They serve as both an artistic statement and a supplemental heating source for lifting the chill of a spring morning. Whether you’re looking for something that fits with a traditional motif in a nook or corner, or for a modern look to elevate the design of the entire room.