Fireplace – the heart of home that also increases property value

A fireplace is undoubtedly one of the most pleasant things in a northern home when you think of a cold autumn evening or a winter Sunday morning. Or is it just a romantic notion and in reality a fireplace brings more trouble than benefit? Let's look together at which rooms a fireplace might suit and what you should consider before installing one. Building one requires time and effort, as well as a considerable amount of money, so you can't just do it on a whim.

A fireplace doesn't have to be made of stone

Today, a fireplace is no longer necessarily a large stone-built monster that takes up a lot of space in the room forever. Of course, if the fireplace is in a large room, it can certainly be huge, but what we want to say is that there are now very different fireplace styles – both traditional and modern, larger and smaller, the choice is yours.

We've been in homes where the fireplace sides were transparent and the fire could be viewed from two rooms. If you choose such beauty, you get two fireplaces for the price of one, and by effort we mean getting the chimney and flues and other such things in place.

Have you thought about a gas fireplace?

A wood fireplace is very pleasant, but if you don't want to deal with the soot and heat from the wood, a gas fireplace is just for you. In addition to having control over excess wood dust, you can also control the height of the flame on a gas fireplace and even when exactly the fire starts and goes out. With wood, it's not that simple.

Another advantage of a gas fireplace is that it can be installed higher than a traditional, wood-heated fireplace.

However, in our opinion, a gas-powered fireplace has one important disadvantage – you can't hear the sound of wood crackling.

A fireplace adds value to your property

Unfortunately, we can't say exactly how much a fireplace increases property value in Estonia, but for example, in the USA it is said to be as much as 12%. Not bad? Estonian real estate agents also confirm that a fireplace is definitely a plus for a flat or house and increases its value.

Think carefully about the fireplace location

A fireplace is not like a sofa or a dining table that you can easily move from one wall to another. Once it's been installed, it stays there for years. Think about how the fireplace looks best from an interior design perspective and whether the whole family can still relax by it comfortably if they wish?

And perhaps the builder doesn't agree with your plans at all and it's technically not possible to install a fireplace everywhere. That's why it's necessary to think through what the fireplace should look like, how it should work and other technical details as early as possible in the construction or major renovation phase.

Do you want the fireplace to also heat the room?

Such solutions are possible, ask the fireplace sellers about it. There are various heat-storing fireplaces, for example masonry-type fireplaces, which can look very cool nowadays.

Fireplace on the terrace

On cool autumn evenings, sitting by a fireplace in fresh air is certainly an experience in itself. This is probably why fireplaces built on terraces are becoming increasingly popular.

Could there be a fireplace in the kitchen?

Of course there could! If you're planning a major kitchen renovation and you long for your kitchen to have a farmhouse feel, then consider installing a fireplace there. In addition to the pleasant feeling that a live fire gives, you can get more use from a kitchen fireplace by installing, for example, grilling tools or even a hook on which you can prepare delicious stews in a large pot. Well, and then of course there's the possibility of combining the fireplace with a bread oven. Ah, we can already smell the fresh bread…

Fireplace in the bedroom

Those who have ever had a fireplace in the bedroom know what we're talking about. Romance takes on a whole new dimension. Maybe you should introduce this idea to your spouse?

If you live in a house and there's already a fireplace on the lower floor, then installing a fireplace above it on the second floor is no longer so complicated.

Does a fireplace have disadvantages?

Yes, what doesn't? It can be an eternal curse if it smokes or you can't use it for other reasons. Then you can only burn candles in it, which by the way you can do in any fireplace if you can't be bothered to wrap it in wood or if it's summer when making a fire doesn't seem like such a good idea.

Sometimes people also want to get rid of a fireplace in a small house where there's already little storage or wall space. In general, we still think that if a fireplace is working, it brings more joy than trouble. Getting an urge for a live fire? Look at homes with fireplaces from here >>

Read about what's important in living room design and how a fireplace might fit, from here.

The article was helped by Better Homes and Gardens