Let's conspire so I can dream by the fire

March 28, 2008 11:23 AM

I would like to find something to put in my fake fireplace.

In the living room of my semi-detached house I have a mantelpiece for a fake fireplace. Inside the mantelpiece is a 24” w, 6” d and 30” h opening for a fireplace insert (it’s dug back to the brick of the shared wall). There is a ceramic tile surround between the mantelpiece and opening, and part of the parquet flooring has been cut away and a tiled hearth fitted in. I would like to find an electric fireplace insert to install in this mantelpiece (I do have gas in the house, but there's no flue for a gas insert). The problem is, there doesn’t seem to be anything out there that will fit that space. Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Sears only carry this one.

It’s almost the perfect width, but it’s 10” d and 20” h. Will it look okay sticking out of a fireplace and how will I cope with the 10” gap at the top? I’ve searched the websites of several Toronto-area specialty companies without finding anything that will do. I really, really do not want to rip out the mantelpiece. I like it (it’s nice wood, and has a bevelled mirror set in the panel up top) and it would be such a job to repair the wall behind it. Besides, I do need another heat source in the room. I would be open to ripping out the tile surrounding the fireplace hole as it is not very well done (though the tile on the hearth is well done). What are my options?

posted by orange swan to home & garden (25 comments total)

You can get rid of the gap at the top by putting down a layer or two of brick under the insert.
posted by foodgeek at 11:31 AM on March 28, 2008

Could you fill it with a bunch of nice pillar candles?
posted by o2b at 11:39 AM on March 28, 2008

Why not put an aquarium there instead? Or a terrarium, with a grow-light and some nice plants? Maybe even a mouse or two, skittering around and havin' a time.
posted by Greg Nog at 11:42 AM on March 28, 2008

Yeah, I have candles in our fake fireplace. Cheaper and easier than finding an insert. I don't really light them much, but they look good anyhow.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 11:44 AM on March 28, 2008

Candle racks are cool.
posted by tiburon at 11:45 AM on March 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

It's sorta dorky, but i like the birch log candle holder look for fake fireplaces. Some variation of this.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:46 AM on March 28, 2008

those heavy duty cast-iron candle holders for pillar candles look great in the fireplace. lush, flowy plants do as well.
posted by violetk at 11:47 AM on March 28, 2008

put a television in there with a DVD of a fire playing

small flat screens can't be much more than that electric thing you linked to
posted by Salvatorparadise at 11:54 AM on March 28, 2008

2nd DVD of a fire. We used to watch one of these every Christmas, waiting for the "exciting part" when one of the logs rolled down.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:06 PM on March 28, 2008

Lite Brite.
posted by hydrophonic at 12:29 PM on March 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't think the gap will look bad if you brick around it like other suggested.

As an alternative fuel, what about using Sunjel Gel Fuel?

The site also sells different size inserts

Just found them via google
posted by bleucube at 12:31 PM on March 28, 2008

Big fake fern. Looks great and is cheap!
posted by pearlybob at 12:54 PM on March 28, 2008

Cast iron cauldron, rubber snakes.
posted by fish tick at 1:03 PM on March 28, 2008

Hearth candelabra?
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 1:14 PM on March 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

wood?
posted by matteo at 1:29 PM on March 28, 2008

Diorama?

Shrine?
posted by Pollomacho at 1:38 PM on March 28, 2008

How about an shrine to your favourite philosopher/scientist/really smart guy?
posted by Planet F at 1:41 PM on March 28, 2008

You may not need a flue for a gas fireplace. Some can use a power vent through the wall I think. Obviously there are costs to this approach, but not as much as building a chimney.
posted by Jahaza at 2:07 PM on March 28, 2008

Doll heads. And lots of 'em.
posted by TheArpenter at 7:09 PM on March 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Gel fuel fireplace?
posted by mingshan at 7:43 PM on March 28, 2008

Some very creative answers, but I really was hoping to set this mantelpiece up as a real fake fireplace. Foodgeek's idea of putting some bricks below the insert is good. If I can't find a better make than the Home Depot one, I'll try that. If that doesn't work, I'll go with the pillar candles. That could look terrific, especially if I put a mirror in the back of the opening.

The cauldron and black snakes concept could work for those evenings when I just want to sit around and mutter incantations over a nice brew of eye of newt and toe of frog, though [cackles evilly].
posted by orange swan at 7:48 PM on March 28, 2008

I'll definitely have to explore the whole gel fuel concept. I'd never even heard of it before.
posted by orange swan at 7:53 PM on March 28, 2008

you could always put a mural there fuel gels are waht restraunts/ caterers use to keep food warm in those big silver dishes
posted by quseio at 10:20 PM on March 28, 2008

I had thought of making and putting in a stained glass panel of flames;-)
posted by orange swan at 6:02 PM on March 29, 2008

It seems like I’ve finally resolved the fireplace issue. After much research on gel fuel fireplaces, I couldn’t find an insert that would fit my fireplace, but then I realized I didn’t need an actual insert with a firebox, because the inside of the fireplace is already brick. I therefore could set it up with just a fake log, a rack to put it in, and gel fuel cans. Then I tried to find a place in Toronto that would sell such items. I called Downtown Fireplace this past Saturday. They told me they didn’t sell the accessories for gel fireplaces, just the inserts. I asked if they knew of any dealer in Toronto that did. They suggested I try InFlame. InFlame turned out to be located at King and Dufferin and their website featured exactly the kind of products I had in mind, so I made the trek down there that afternoon, armed with a diagram and measurements of my mantelpiece.

Once there I ended up buying a set that included a metal rack and box arrangement, three gel fuel cans, a hook/poker like metal tool, and a log. The log sits in the rack and hides the box, the cans sit in the box, and when you want to extinguish the fire you just shut the lid of the box with the metal tool. I think it was something like $225, which seemed like a lot. But I hadn’t seen this particular item on any other site but InFlame’s, so it was take it or leave it. And it is a one time purchase. This thing can withstand fire, so it’s not going to wear out. I’m going to get some kind of free standing folding screen because that seems a little safer than an open fire (though the gel fuel flame will not give off sparks). It would be so easy for, say, a hemline to swish in there.

I have painted the mantelpiece and tile surround and hearth cream. The plan is to paint the opening black. Then the rack will get screwed in place to the bottom of the fireplace opening through holes in the bottom of the box. I already have a drill bit that does concrete, so I should be able to do that no problem. I’ll be doing a mosaic surround on the existing tile surround. And I’m quite pleased that in addition to my having solved the “what to do with the mantelpiece when there’s no frigging depth to its firebox”, I have a nice secondary source of heat, AND I have an alternative heat source for power outages AND I have the attractive prospect of toasting my toes at my own charming fireside and of inviting guests to do the same. SCORE!!!
posted by orange swan at 9:06 AM on February 9