Kickass Contemporary Fireplaces for the Modern Home

There’s nothing quite like a glass of wine and a roaring fire in the hearth on a cold day. If you think installing a fireplace in your living room might be just a tad inconvenient, then you probably haven’t heard of contemporary fireplaces before. Homes have had fireplaces installed since God knows when, and the concept is as ancient as houses themselves, but fireplaces are no longer what they used to be. While many contemporary fireplaces retain a mostly traditional appearance, there’s more to that stone and brick façade than meets the eye. Beneath the cracking log sounds and the pulsing flames, technology allows you to adjust the temperature and brightness of a LED light fire, and you can do it via remote control, too. Some of these fireplaces (as you will soon find out) have built-in infrared sensors, and can serve as double-purpose media centers.  It all depends on what you want from your fireplace, really, and there’s a good chance you’ll find just the right combination of features to get you the cozy, roaring fire you want. Check out these really cool updates on an iconic home classic.

Fireside America Classic Flame 23-Inch Infrared Rolling Mantel - With Remote by Fireside America:

Everything is wireless these days, and apparently, fireplaces are no exception. The Fireside America Classic Flame 23-Inch Infrared Rolling Mantel – With Remote by Fireside America allows individuals to change its settings via remote control. It’s easy to move and operate, with five-setting flame brightness control and a 60 to 90 heat temperature setting. In fact, the fireplace’s built-in thermostat automatically controls the room temperature intuitively. The fireplace features Plug N Play technology too, so all you need is a standard 120 volt outlet to get this baby going. 

Fireside America Classic Flame 18 Inches Ashburn Home Theater Electric Fireplace - With Remote by Fireside America

Other contemporary fireplaces incorporate themselves into other living room furniture. The Fireside America Classic Home Flame 18 Inches Ashburn Home Theater Electric Fireplace – With Remote by Fireside America is a combination of both a modern fireplace and a home entertainment center. (Seriously, you cannot get more bad-ass than this.)The Electric Fireplace Media Center sports a multi-function media cabinet. In terms of practicality and efficiency, the media center does very well, and provides several opportunities for storage. It looks really good too, with a floating glass top and a reverse breakfront design, and side cabinets that have adjustable glass shelving. The finish is a deep espresso stain, highlighting even further the red-orange flames when the fireplace is turned on.

The fireplace itself is quite dramatic, with careful attention to detail. The smoked bricks are hand-painted, and the LED flame comes complete with pulsating effects and cracking log sounds.

Despite its almost intimidating appearance, this kickass fireplace media center can easily be set up and does not require professional installation—bonus points for convenience.

Fireside America Classic Flame 23 Inches Ranier Electric Wall Fireplace by Fireside America

However, if you’d rather keep things simple, the Fireside America Classic Flame 23 Inches Ranier Electric Wall Fireplace by Fireside America is an excellent choice. Compact but classy, this is a good modern fireplace for small-ish spaces. Most contemporary fireplaces have dark finishes to help emphasize the fire, but Fireside America pulls this one off with an elegant white finish. The side panels are hand-painted smoked fire brick, and the detail is commendable. Individuals have the option of turning on the fire with or without heat, giving you a say in how much power the fireplace uses. Complete with its own cracking log and chimney sounds, the Ranier Electric Wall Fireplace gives you the benefit of a contemporary fireplace in a small, sophisticated bundle.