Warm your HEARTH

n every home, certain rooms of the house tend to be chillier than others over the winter months. This may be due to the location of the room in proximity to the furnace, or whether it is a room along an exterior wall that receives the brunt of the cold, blustery Northern wind. No matter, a supplemental heating source can be enough to equalize the interior temperature in colder areas. This additional heating is often portable, but a permanent solution can be more attractive within the space.

The wall-mount electric fireplace is a convenient option to heat a room. Often, the heating unit can be mounted to the wall in less than half an hour, and simply plugs into the nearest 15-amp outlet. For some, this may suffice — no fuss, no muss! If the resulting aesthetics is higher on your list of priorities, you may consider setting an electric fireplace within a small structure, that mimics an old-school fireplace and mantle. It is important to note that not all electric fireplace units can be installed as an inset. The heating blower must be located on the front face of the unit, blowing heat directly outward without obstruction for an inset application. Once the electric fireplace has been purchased, it is also imperative to fully read through the installation manual BEFORE the structure is built, to ensure the cavity opening accommodates the unit properly. It is also important to note whether an electrical outlet is nearby.

At a recent jobsite, two wall-mount fireplaces were installed in two separate spaces; the master bedroom, and the bunkhouse (which is essentially a guestroom on the backside of the detached garage). Both rooms would be uncomfortably cold during the winter. Despite having had success with portable heaters, the homeowners opted to create hip-high decorative fireplace structures to house each of their recently purchased electric fireplaces. Although both structures are framed using 2×4 lumber, and pre-sheathed with drywall, each would be adorned differently, to meet the aesthetic of each room respectively.

In the master bedroom, the clients opted for the cleaner and streamlined look of white tile set horizontally on the long. The tiling in this instance was achieved prior to installing the fireplace unit, so that the fireplace glass overlaps the tile edges along the cavity inset. In the bunkhouse however, the desired look is more rustic, and a faux-stone was chosen. Because the surface of the stone is uneven, it is best to install the fireplace unit first, and precisely cut the stone to encapsulate the edges of the fireplace glass face. Both structures required 90-degree miters for the tile and faux stone along the sides of the structure, allowing the decorative sheathing to terminate along the adjacent walls.

Live-edge wooden mantles were chosen for both structures. The finished edge side of the 12-inch mantle cut to length and used to top the tiled fireplace, whereas the remaining side with the live-edge was used atop the faux-stone fireplace. Although differences in approach subtle, the resulting aesthetics suit each room perfectly, and satisfies the homeowners’ intentions. And along with these great looking features, the desired warmth is sure to impress.

A permanent solution to inadequate heat can be introduced to any room quite easily with a wall-mount electric fireplace. These units are basically plug and play, for lack of a better euphemism. And with a little extra effort, the desired look can be added to functionality – a simple, framed structure can be decorated turning any wall-mount into a showpiece. These two beautiful electric fireplaces set within their adorned structures are sure to provide the sought-after warmth in the coming months. The homeowners were overjoyed at the results, and that warms MY heart.

RenoBoss.Inc@outlook.com