HEARTH AND HOME
THE NEWEST FIREPLACES HAVE COME OF AGE, CREATING AN INVITING ATMOSPHERE AS WELL AS HEATING YOUR HOME CLEANLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
Learn all about the latest breed of fireplaces, which create an inviting atmosphere while heating your home cleanly and efficiently.
WHEN IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, there’s nothing quite like sitting in front of an open fire, preferably with a glass of wine or toasted marshmallows close by. “A fireplace instantly makes a home feel more inviting,” says interior designer Justin Bishop of Justin Bishop Interior Design. It can help pull a decorative scheme together too. “A fireplace not only adds character and visual strength to a space, it creates a natural focal point. Seating and occasional tables, for example, can be grouped around a fire to create a cosy setting for conversation and entertaining,” he says. Whatever your home’s style and location, you’ll find no shortage of options to choose from. Take your pick from classic wood fires — gas models that offer heat and atmosphere at the touch of a button, sculptural styles that hang from the ceiling, two- and three-sided models to heat large, open-plan rooms and sleek, linear fireplaces for tucking along a low wall. “Landscape styles are very much on trend, but we’re also seeing a move back to bolder, square fireplaces,” says Jeff Collins, national commercial sales manager (flame products) at Glen Dimplex Australia. And according to Simon Guyon, director at Oblica, traditional wood-burning stoves are making a welcome comeback. “Stoves in both tubular and square shapes are back in the spotlight. With many of the latest versions, you can customise the colour, finish and size to suit your room scheme, making them incredibly versatile.” Meanwhile, suspended pod styles have lost none of their appeal. “Despite being invented in the 1960s, they’re still the most original fireplaces around,” Simon says. “You’re not just buying a fireplace, but a sculpture too.” Having a contemporary fireplace inset into a wall of built-in joinery is another look that’s gaining momentum, according to Danielle Trippett of Danielle Trippett Interior Design. “Think joinery with simple lines, open shelving and often incorporating sections of stone and timber,” she says. “I’ve also noticed freestanding fireplaces coming through, which act like architectural features in a room.” When it comes to fuel type, the main options are gas, wood and electricity. Gas fires offer instant heat and no messy clean-up, plus they’re easy to install and reliable to run. However, for many, nothing beats the crackle and glow of a wood-burning fire. “Wood fireplaces have evolved; the latest styles are more efficient and produce less emissions than their predecessors,” says Simon. They can also heat a larger space than gas and, if you have ready access to affordable wood, can be incredibly cheap to run. However, some areas have restrictions on wood-burning fires due to the Clean Air Regulation (smoke from wood heaters can contribute to air pollution), so it’s worth contacting your council before you buy. If you live in an apartment or townhouse, an electric fire might appeal. “The latest electric fireplaces are a lot more realistic than their predecessors and they don’t require a flue or chimney,” says Justin. Another option to consider is an eco-friendly wood pellet heater, which uses pellets made from waste wood, sawdust and plantation offcuts. “They come in different sizes to heat everything from a small room to an entire house, and they produce about five per cent of the smoke emissions of a typical log burner,” says Amos Bruce, sales manager at Enviroheat Australia. Whichever fireplace you choose, you’ll want to be sure that it’s up to the job of heating the space it’s intended for. “Heating power is measured in kilowatts — too little power and it won’t heat the room, while too much power will make the space overly warm and waste energy,” says Simon. When choosing the right sized fireplace for your home, consider the size and volume of the room as well as the insulation. “In general, a four- to seven-kilowatt gas or wood fireplace is sufficient for a small living room; for a large, open-plan room, look for a unit between nine and 15 kilowatts,” he says. Now all you need is a mug of hot chocolate and a good book and you’re winter-ready.
“Wood fireplaces have evolved; the latest styles are more efficient and produce less emissions than their predecessors.”