subject: How Fireplaces Have Evolved [print this page] Fireplaces have been in existence ever since the 1700's. Interest in the fireplace grew in the late 1700's and the Victorian times. Fireplaces came from a necessity and that was a necessity for heat. Everyone wants their home to look nice inside and that is why during the victorian era they realized that you could turn fireplaces into a decoration for the home. This is when you started seeing fireplace mantels, surrounds and unique designs. This started the transformation to modern fireplaces.
Fireplaces have mainly used wood for the primary fuel. Gas lines started being installed in homes and this gave manufactures the idea to hook into this fuel source for fireplaces. Gas fireplaces started becoming very popular at this time. Gas fireplaces are a time saver and in a fast paced word this convenience made them popular. Instead of having to find wood, bring the wood inside, catch the wood on fire all you had to do was flip a switch and you had a fire.
Around this same time when gas fireplaces where gaining popularity electric fireplaces were also being used by many. People love the look and feel of a fire. This was a problem for people that had homes or apartments that did not come with a fireplace installed. This gave people the feel and look of a fireplace without needing installation. All you had to do was plug it in to a wall. These would never be used to heat an entire home, but can work great as a space heater for the room.
Fireplaces have changed greatly from when they first came around during the Victorian era. Fireplaces are no longer the most efficient choice for heating your property due to the advancements made with central heating. That is why they are no longer used as a primary heating source. Fireplaces must now compliment a homes decor and be a decoration. For this reason modern fireplaces are gaining wide popularity in the united states. Most fireplaces now use gas or electric as their fuel. Unique shapes and designs give modern fireplaces their appeal. They are often almost as easy to install as hanging a picture on a wall.
Fireplace design will continue to push forward since the consumer demands these unique, functioning fireplaces. Fireplaces will always be a staple in a house, so they will continue to change as peoples tastes change.
