Do you still have a fireplace in your lounge.

I can’t imagine not having a fireplace now. Mine is 1960s, out of date and no chimney. A flame effect gas fire. The DC still thought Father Christmas came down our non existent chimney as the glass of sherry was drunk and the mince pie eaten. (I’m back on sherry now, hardly drink and apparently it’s back in vogue).
It’s the ‘altar’ of the house, flowers, cards are put there, stiffies to events, the latest theatre programme etc.
Where would I put my offerings without a fireplace??

PinkCosmos you photo reminds me of someone I knew when I lived in Nigeria. She missed home a lot and so she found a programme for her tv which played a continuous film of flames in a lovely fireplace. It was incongruous to go to her house and sit in 30+C temps, with AC on and watching a fire! ?

I think it depends on the age of the house. If the house has a proper chimney breast, a fireplace looks appropriate

If it is a modern house with a flat wall and a fire surround with an electric fire just stuck on it, I would be taking it out.

Our living room window faces the back garden. The fireplace was on the (flat) wall opposite the window. We took the fireplace out so that I could arrange the furniture to face the garden. We have a big telly on the wall that is side on to the garden with a sideboard underneath. I think it looks fine.

Our friends have just moved house and have decided to do the same arrangement in their new house.

Other friend have an electric fire with the telly over it. A bit like the picture (this is not their house).

Having said that, I do miss a mantlepiece at Christmas as they look lovely with candles, pine branches, fairy lights etc.

Previous neighbours got rid of their fireplace during the 1960's in an 'out with the old, in with the new' mood and then regretted it as it's more difficult to replace than to get rid.

I'm in a small new-build which just had radiators and as I wanted a cosy cottage feel I put in a small 'self-assembly' mantelpiece (seasonally available from Lidl) with a cheap and cheerful electric fire. It fits the bill for me

Ours is not unlike the one Springychicken has, with a balanced flue gas fire. We don’t use it very often because it began to give off an acrid smell that we couldn’t seem to “burn off”. It is serviced regularly, but this year we will get it taken apart, cleaned and serviced and if that doesn’t work, taken out and an electric something or other put in. I like a fireplace as a focal point.

When I moved here there is a coal effect electric fire in a nice surround with mantel piece. I did toy with the idea of having it out. But thought if the boiler broken at least I would still have a source of heat. Everytime we had high winds which is often here in the north west also 10 mins a car from the sea. It smelt dusty. Then realised it was the artificial coals so took them off and gave them a good clean and got all the dust off the fire . No more dusty smell.

Our own fireplace is a big open fireplace with a wood burner in it, as befits a house built in 1467. The house was divided into 4 cottages in the mid 19th century, so we have an open fireplace in every downstairs room, including the integral garage, three of them are blocked off. two now have shelves fitted into them.

France isn't as prescriptive as Germany, but in our French house, annual chimney sweeping is compulsory and we have to keep the certificate readily available.

Not in the UK but here is a picture of ours. I wanted to post one of it alight but it was too warm today to light it.

Here in Germany you don't call the chimney sweep, he comes to you twice a year. It is a semi-official position and he comes as a representative of and has to report back to the authorities.

This fireplace will have to be replaced by the end of 2024, or have a massive refit with a fine particle filter or we won't be allowed to use it after then.

The best part about it is that our boys love coming home at Christmas to help their Dad go to the forest to chop up wood. (This, of course, is also fraught with rules and regulations, but fun!)

At least one DiL has commented how wonderful it is that we don't have a TV in the main lounge and that the fire is the focal point.

[lemongrove] thanks for that, it will give me something to look mull over the dark nights. [Glamm] must admit you don't really notice no fireplace(love the geometric wallpaper) ?

[lemongrove] thanks, it will give me something to mull over the dark nights, [Glamm] must admit you don't really notice no fireplace (love your geometric wallpaper) ?

I have a large stone and tile fireplace in my lounge.
It was put in in 1967 and is very dated but I like it.
I have just had the lounge decorated after many years and contemplated having it removed but it would have entailed removing a dado rail, replastering one long wall and fitting a new carpet.
I am far too old to deal with all that work so it remains, a dodo maybe.
I will post a photograph tomorrow and see if you agree.

We stayed with a friend last night. She has an elegant modern fire in her fireplace that looks like a small log fire, and was quite remarkable genuine looking. She just had the fire effect on and on a wet night, it looked so cosy and warm. She said that the appliance has a built in fan heater, but she doesn't use it, just the fire effect.

Our daughter has something similar and again, often turns the coal effect on, but rarely the heat.

I have a flat that we used to let out, in part of the house Franbern The rules attached to letting are strict and we are not allowed an open fire or a gas fire in any room with a bed in it.
I am currently trying to update it to meet the latest regulations which change so often it is hard keeping up.

The great Bedsitting room of the 1960s is surely due a comeback.

Some lovely looking living rooms here.

Not a fireplace but a huge wood burning stove. Very useful when there is power cut as it has a flat top so can cook on it.

SueDonim

The fireplace is very much the focal point of our sitting room. We don’t watch much tv (I don’t think it’s been turned on since 20th October) so a big black blank screen would be fairly pointless for us. Our fireplace was here when we moved in and it’s generous in proportion. I only learnt recently that it’s antique. It’s part of what gives our house its welcoming, cosy feeling, which I felt immediately I stepped inside when we viewed it.

I was in a modern house yesterday that had no fireplace but a big tv on the main wall. The sofas were on the opposite wall and it looked like a row of cinema seats. The room wasn’t wide enough to have accommodated seating in any other way and I wondered if the occupants never talked to each other as you could only see the person sitting next to you and had to talk across them if you wanted to speak to anyone else. Or maybe they just text each other!

I used to know someone who hated the tv on their wall, which her husband had installed against her wishes. She used to cover it up with a sari.

I am another one who hates a TV on a wall mine is on a unit in the corner in my eye line

Nice to see all the fireplaces and hearths on here? just took a pic of ours ( all ready for a Halloween Party). We have a log fire regularly, very cosy.
bikergran I think your fireplace looks very elegant and goes well with your decor, you should keep it.

The fireplace is very much the focal point of our sitting room. We don’t watch much tv (I don’t think it’s been turned on since 20th October) so a big black blank screen would be fairly pointless for us. Our fireplace was here when we moved in and it’s generous in proportion. I only learnt recently that it’s antique. It’s part of what gives our house its welcoming, cosy feeling, which I felt immediately I stepped inside when we viewed it.

I was in a modern house yesterday that had no fireplace but a big tv on the main wall. The sofas were on the opposite wall and it looked like a row of cinema seats. The room wasn’t wide enough to have accommodated seating in any other way and I wondered if the occupants never talked to each other as you could only see the person sitting next to you and had to talk across them if you wanted to speak to anyone else. Or maybe they just text each other!

I used to know someone who hated the tv on their wall, which her husband had installed against her wishes. She used to cover it up with a sari.

Yes a fire just stuck in a wall or just hanging on there doesnt seem same without a fireplace around it...

Horrible things, use up your oxygen and make draughts (and loose heat up the chimney). You can put ornaments on a bookcase or cupboard.

We have a fireplace in both reception rooms and every bedroom....but we have a 1870s house....its the focal point in both reception rooms

We have a fireplace in the corner of our room and the TV on a unit along one wall.

When we moved here we had lots to spend money on so bought a calor gas stove. We use it about 3 times a year so haven't replaced it.

However, there is no flame effect, which we would like, so we intend to replace it with a gas, log effect, stove eventually.

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Biker My lounge in my bungalow is on the small side so only have a radiator for heating I have never had a fire place as a focal point,I have a long low level unit for my TV with a huge blingy mirror above,I cosy up the room with throw's that match the wallcoverings & lamps all the wood is light wood which gives it a feeling of space,even though there is no fire place the room is always cosy & warm.good luck with your choices xx

When I moved into my 1980's semi 6 years ago, the first thing I did was take out the fireplace - it was just a horrible surround with a dreadful electric fire. I have put a lovely oak cupboard in its place and hung a mirror above that which looks far better and I get the added storage space. My house is very warm and I am always turning the central heating down, so would never have used the electric fire. It would have only taken up valuable wall space. Back in the day, all houses had fireplaces as that was the only form of heating and we can't seem to move on from this mentality. What is the point of spending a fortune on one that never gets used just to have a "focal point"? They may look lovely in older houses, but in modern ones they look rather dated and sad IMO

I can just imagine sat in front of some of your lovely cosy fireplaces on cold dark nights and wintry afternoons.

Makes mine look quite stark. Lots of ideas.

We have a woodburner in our 200 yr old coastguard cottage. Wouldn’t be without it. We had to replace it a couple of years ago as the original had been condemned.
Warms the whole downstairs, -