Traditionally, a fireplace is a structure used to contain a fire for heating or cooking. Nowadays, the main function is heating, and some fireplaces no longer actually use fire to achieve this – and those that do are increasingly relying on burning gas instead of wood or coal.
A fireplace is normally surrounded by a mantel, which can be made of marble, limestone, brick, or even wood, among others. Antique mantels can be found at architectural salvage yards, but will be costlier than buying a new imitation.
The choice of the fire itself comes down to personal taste and energy efficiency. Many people just can’t do without the roaring flame of an open coal or log fire. But the thick smoke resulting from burning such fuels does the environment no favors, and many authorities are beginning to impose curbs on the use of open fires. A greener –and still at least vaguely romantic – alternative is to have a gas fire. Gas burns much more cleanly and, where there’s a mains gas supply, doesn’t need to be restocked as solid fuels do. Gas fires often have imitation coal that glows red when hot, giving a pretty realistic open-fire effect.
Electric fires might look the part in terms of the mantel –many are very attractive – but there really isn’t a ‘fire’ involved. Many have realistic flame effects, but the knowledge that it’s just an electric coil glowing might kill some of the magic. Still, if your electricity supplier uses renewable energy sources, an electric fire is clearly the greenest choice.