A well-designed living room electric fireplace is an architectural feature that creates a focal point around which everyone wants to gather. It also adds interest and warmth. Because it’s such an important part of the room, we need to be careful to design a fireplace that will stand the test of time. There’s a temptation with electric fireplaces to take shortcuts, like hanging them on the wall or using cheap wall materials. Our preferred approach is to create a fireplace wall with character, which will still look great in a decade. Below, we’re sharing 9 design ideas that will instantly upgrade your space, while adding classic style to your living room.
Build a classic chimney breast for your living room electric fireplace
While an electric fireplace doesn’t require a chimney, building a chimney breast adds realism and authenticity to your living room design. You can create the look of a chimney breast by building a wall around the fireplace, with enough depth to mimic a real fireplace chase. This also creates an opportunity to add shelves to the wall on either side of the fireplace. This is a design idea that suits any style of fireplace, from traditional to linear, as shown above. It’s also a great way to architectural interest to a space that may not have any.
Raise the living room electric fireplace off the floor
An electric fireplace does not need a hearth, because there are no sparks to worry about. That means that even a traditional insert does not need to sit at floor level. When you raise your electric fireplace insert off the floor, it brings it closer to eye level when you are seated. It also ensures that the living room fireplace is visible from adjacent rooms, and is not hidden behind the coffee table or other furniture. It’s not uncommon to see linear electric fireplaces raised above the floor, but we particularly like to see this with more traditional fireplace inserts, like the one shown above.
Add a high-tech electric fireplace to a classic living room interior
The French are brilliant at combining modern design elements with classic architecture. If that’s a look that you love, then we suggest adding the latest LCD technology to your living room electric fireplace. A bold insert with video flames will really stand out in a classic interior. It also keeps things from looking stuffy and stuck in the past. LCD fireplaces are available in both traditional and linear styles.
Set the stage for art with your living room electric fireplace
Because the fireplace is a natural focal point in the room, it’s also the perfect spot to display art and sculpture that you love. Get creative with organic shapes to avoid placing a rectangular piece of art above the rectangular fireplace. If you have a mantel, it can create a platform on which to display smaller treasures. There’s no risk to your art pieces, because an electric fireplace doesn’t create heat in the wall around the fireplace; all heat is pushed out the front and into the room.
Separate the TV from your living room electric fireplace
It has become extremely popular to place our TVs above linear electric fireplaces. That’s because the heat from electric fireplaces won’t damage electronics above, as long as the fireplace pushes heat out the front. However, when space allows, you can elevate your living room design by placing the TV and fireplace on separate walls. In the room shown above, the fireplace takes center stage as the focal point between 2 windows, and the TV is a secondary player, off to the side. This is particularly desirable in living rooms, where we entertain and regularly carry on activities other than watching TV.
Conquer a corner with your living room electric fireplace
Open-plan homes require creative thinking when it comes to placing a living room electric fireplace. A multi-sided fireplace, installed at the end of a wall, can turn a passage way into a feature. By blocking the glass at one end and leaving it open at the other, you can create an L-shaped fireplace that makes a nice transition as you move between two spaces. This fireplace placement also frees up space on the rest of the wall.
Create an ‘open’ room divider with your living room electric fireplace
Sometimes, an open plan can be too ‘open’, and a little room division is in order. Dimplex Optimyst cassettes are ideal for creating this type of fireplace, because they may be left open on 1, 2, 3 or 4 sides, for an unobstructed view through to the adjoining space. This type of living room electric fireplace also allows for the fire to be viewed from more than one space.
A living room electric fireplace adds character to small spaces
If your accommodations are tiny, but you still like the idea of having a living room, there are small electric fireplaces that can help. If you install a small fireplace and gather even a single chair there, you can carve out a living room where none existed before, without putting up walls.