Innovative fireplace options cast magic glow
Q. We’ve moved into an old house that needs lots of TLC. There is an existing fireplace in the living room, but the flue is damaged, and the chimney requires extensive (and costly) repairs. We would like to install a fireplace in our den, which is where we spend the most time. What is a good alternative to a woodburning fireplace?
A. The past decade has witnessed a boom in alternatives to the traditional woodburning fireplace. Direct-vent natural gas fireplaces are the most popular options because of their ease of installation and operation, as well as the variety of styles.
But for those looking for a visual fireplace experience without the need for a chimney or any venting, I discovered a very clever option. It’s an electric fireplace — well, it looks like a fire is burning. But the smoke is, in fact, water vapor. And the orange flames are produced by LEDs. The Opti-myst is a magic show. There is a water reservoir at the bottom of the unit. As the water vapor rises through the media bed, orange lights that are tucked inside the cassette reflect against the water molecules to create the impression of dancing flames. You can design your own media options; fiber logs, river rocks and glass are provided with the cassette. While heat generally dries the air, the Opti-myst acts as a humidifier, which is an added bonus.
If you are not going to repair your living room’s existing fireplace chimney, it’s a good idea to seal it off properly to avoid home heat from escaping.
Rosemary from The Fireplace Specialist ( www.warmth.com) explained to me that the Opti-myst by Dimplex is an easy doit-yourself installation. The unit fits into a very small opening, and building a new opening is simple because there are no heat clearances to worry about. You can build a box to house the cassette using combustible finishing materials such as MDF (medium-density fiberboard). To view different mounting options on Dimplex’s website, visit www.dimplex.com/en/electric_ fireplaces/optimyst.
Q. I painted my white, boring PVC (polyvinyl chloride) kitchen cupboards taupe. Of course, the paint does not adhere well and has to be retouched frequently, especially around the knobs. Is there something funky I can do (anything but paint!) to cover this part of each cupboard door and make it look like it is supposed to be that way?
A. I am sure that you are frustrated by the paint peeling repeatedly. Painting cabinet doors is a big job, but when done properly, you have a kitchen that looks like new.
To prepare your cabinet doors for paint, you must first remove all dirt and grease carefully. You can never apply water-based or latex paint over oil paint, or on plastic surfaces such as your PVC cabinets. The surface requires a primer that’s designed to cover slippery surfaces so that the latex paint will stick (it’s fine to layer oil paint over water-based paint). Allow the primer to dry completely before you start to paint.
Take a deep breath, and start again. Go with a bold color or a stripe effect for a funky look — but stick with paint.
As an alternative, you can distress what you have and make the surface look like old, peeling cabinets, which would naturally be worn around the handles. Another option is to use patio paint, which is super tough and sticks to most surfaces.
Debbie Travis’ House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Email questions to house2home@ debbietravis.com. Follow Debbie on Twitter at www.twitter. com/debbie_travis, or visit her website, www.debbietravis.com.
For those looking for a visual replace experience without the need for a chimney or any venting, I discovered a very clever option. It’s an electric replace — well, it looks like a re is burning.”