The Beauty of a Fireplace

Now that we are in the dead of winter, it is the time of year when having a fireplace to warm ourselves in front of seems most appealing. There’s just something incredibly basic about sitting near fireplace mantels and a standard or electric fireplace that’s incredibly inviting.

It’s quite likely that the metaphorically warm feeling we get along with the actual feelings of warmth in front of a fireplace has to do with the time when mankind literally depended on such fires for life. Lacking the warm natural coats of most of our fellow mammals, we humans must have had quite a struggle for survival during the winter months and clearly a fire could have made all the difference between life and death. No wonder we find fireplaces so inviting and fascinating.

Still, depending on the kind of home we live in, it might not be easy to have a fireplace installed if the home was not originally designed with one. Fireplaces in houses are one thing, but a fireplace in an apartment or a condominium is an entirely different matter and may not always be possible. Assuming that we are lucky enough to be able to have one installed, there are still a number of decisions we will need to make. Is it safe in our home to have a traditional fireplace or will hazards, or concerns about pets and children, mean that an electric fireplace is the only way to go? Which of the many different varieties and brands of fireplace mantels should we purchase?

However we answer these questions, it’s pretty clear that having a fireplace at home, and actually using it, lends a very special feeling to any house. It’s equally clear that, ever since man first discovered the life-giving power of fire, we have had a very special relationship with this elemental force of nature. Even electric fireplaces or fireplace mantels made of synthetic materials put us in touch with some mighty basic, and extremely positive, feelings.