I firmly believe nearly every room could benefit from a fireplace.
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Living room? Obviously.
Bedroom? Absolutely.
Back porch? Been there, built that.
Random blank wall that feels like it needs something but you have no idea what? Put a fireplace on it!
Okay, maybe not every wall. But you get the idea.
The problem is adding a real wood-burning or gas fireplace can quickly turn into a whole big thing. Venting. Gas lines. Chimneys. Permits. Contractors. Suddenly an innocent little “Wouldn’t a fireplace look cute here?” idea has developed a five-figure budget.
Thankfully, electric fireplaces have gotten SO much prettier lately.
We recently added a French-style electric fireplace with a copper birdcage insert to our friends’ bedroom makeover, and ohhhhh my goodness. The cozy glow it adds to the room at night is perfection.
(By the way, a door is going on that left side wall eventually… that absence molding isn’t an accident.)
Their bedroom also gets pretty drafty in the winter, so it isn’t just sitting there looking pretty. It can actually help warm up the room on those freezing cold mornings when getting out from under the covers feels downright offensive.
Once I started hunting for that fireplace, I fell down the electric-fireplace rabbit hole and found SO many beautiful ones.
So if you want the cozy, flickering, Nancy-Meyers-movie-house feeling without adding an actual chimney to your house, here are some of the prettiest electric fireplaces I found.
Oh, she’s pretty.
This one has that gorgeous old-European-plaster-fireplace look but with cleaner lines, so it doesn’t feel overly ornate.
I especially love the curved surround because it gives a plain wall some architectural interest without screaming, “Hello, I am a fake fireplace.”
Pair it with vintage art, a pretty brass candlestick or two, and something slightly wonky from the thrift store, and I’m sold.
Shop: Curved Minimalist Plaster-Look French Style Electric Fireplace
This is the one we used in our friends’ bedroom makeover!
And I knew the second I saw that copper birdcage-style insert that this was THE ONE.
The French-style mantel already has so much charm, but the copper insert makes it feel more like an antique fireplace we could have stumbled across at an architectural salvage shop.
Except this one plugs into the wall and heats the room. Even better.
The flickering glow completely changed the feeling of their bedroom, and because the room tends to get drafty during winter, the heater will actually earn its keep around here.
Pretty AND useful is basically my love language when it comes to decorating.
Shop: Copper Birdcage Insert French Style Electric Fireplace
3. Craftsman Aged Barrel-Stained Wood Electric Fireplace
For my dark-wood-loving friends, I did not forget about you.
This aged barrel-stained wood fireplace has such a warm, collected look and would be SO good in a den, office, basement family room, or Craftsman-style house.
Give me this fireplace with a leather chair, plaid throw, vintage landscape painting, and a stack of old books and suddenly I’m solving mysteries in an English manor.
It looks like something that would warm Teddy Roosevelt as he worked in his pipe tobacco-filled, taxidermy-covered wood clad office.
Apparently the fireplace comes with an entire imaginary lifestyle.
Shop: Craftsman Aged Barrel-Stained Wood Electric Fireplace
This one is for anyone who likes modern design but still wants their house to feel warm.
The combination of wood and plaster keeps it from feeling too sleek or sterile, and it would be such a pretty way to add character to a newer builder-basic room.
It has that “custom built-in fireplace” look without requiring you to actually custom build a fireplace.
We LOVE a shortcut.
Shop: Modern Wood and Plaster Surround Electric Fireplace
STOP IT. Look at this cute little thing.
A cream electric stove heater is perfect when you want fireplace coziness but don’t have an entire wall available for a mantel.
I could see this tucked into the corner of a bedroom, home office, sunroom, reading nook, or cottage kitchen.
Scandinavian cottage vibes all the way.
It’s available in 5 other colors too, if cream isn’t your thing. (The red one would look amazing at Christmas.)
And because it’s freestanding, you can move it around if you decide six months from now that it belongs somewhere else.
Which, if you rearrange furniture for fun like I do, is definitely a selling point.
Shop: Cream Stove Heater Electric Fireplace
If your decorating style is more “cozy cabin where I would happily disappear for the entire month of January,” this is your fireplace.
The stacked stone and chunky timber-style mantel make it feel substantial enough to anchor an entire living room.
Add a giant comfy chair, wool blanket, and mug of something hot and I may never leave.
Shop: Rustic Stacked Stone & Timber Mantel Electric Fireplace
You really can’t go wrong with a simple white mantel.
It works with practically every decorating style, it gives a blank wall an instant focal point, and you can completely change the personality of it depending on what you put above the mantel.
Vintage landscape? Traditional.
Abstract art? Modern.
Brass mirror? Classic.
TV? Because sometimes real life wins.
This is probably one of the safest choices if you want something you’ll still love even if your decorating style changes over the years.
Shop: White Simple Modern Electric Fireplace
Because sometimes we want the fireplace look without spending Fireplace Money.
This simple white version that’s under $600 gives you the cozy glow and the architectural focal point without committing to a big renovation or blowing the decorating budget.
I especially love this idea for bedrooms, first homes, apartments (if yours allows it), or rooms where you’re not quite ready to invest in something permanent.
Nobody needs to know you took the shortcut.
Your secret is safe here.
Shop: Budget-Friendly White Simple Modern Electric Fireplace
If Pinterest has convinced you that your house desperately needs one of those gorgeous custom plaster fireplaces… SAME.
Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to learn how to plaster a fireplace surround this weekend.
This version gives you that soft, sculptural look without the DIY mess.
Keep the styling simple with a big piece of art, vintage pottery, or a beautiful mirror and let the shape of the fireplace do most of the work.
Shop: Plaster-Look Modern Electric Fireplace
This one feels a little fancy without trying too hard.
The marble-look surround gives you that polished, expensive feeling, but the clean lines keep it from looking like it belongs in the lobby of a hotel.
I could especially see this looking beautiful in a bedroom or formal living room with traditional furniture mixed in so the whole space still feels warm and lived-in. You don’t have to stick with modern only furnishings. Mixing time periods keeps it interesting.
Shop: Sleek Marble Minimalist Electric Fireplace
Okay, THIS ONE.
If your philosophy is “Why have a plain mantel when you could have carved details?” I fully support this decision.
An ornate French-style fireplace is basically instant architecture for a room that has none.
Hang an antique-looking mirror above it, add a couple of brass candlesticks, and suddenly your 1990s suburban house has developed a mysterious European backstory.
No passport required.
Shop: Ornate Carved French Electric Fireplace
And THIS might be the easiest fireplace glow-up of the entire bunch.
Do you already have a beautiful fireplace that doesn’t work?
Before you spend a small fortune trying to get it operational again, try placing a freestanding electric log set inside the firebox.
Plug it in.
Turn it on.
TA-DAAAAA. Fire.
Okay, technically electric pretend fire, but your formerly sad, dark fireplace is now glowing again for a fraction of what a major fireplace repair could cost.
If only this electric log set existed a decade ago when we built our DIY faux fireplace in our last house.
This would be especially great in an older house where you already have a gorgeous original mantel and just want to bring a little life back to it, especially if you can’t get it fixed before the holiday season.
Shop: Freestanding Electric Fireplace Log Set Insert
This is the route we took when we built our DIY back porch fireplace, and it’s a great option if you want to create the fireplace surround yourself.
Instead of buying an entire fireplace-and-mantel situation, you buy the electric insert and build whatever you want around it.
Ours gives us the flickering fire effect without needing a real wood-burning fireplace on the porch and even has crackling sound effects.
Is it an actual crackling wood fire?
No.
Am I still going to sit beside it with a blanket and pretend?
Obviously.
Here is the insert placed in our DIY plaster fireplace. The glass doors open and the chain curtain is slide-able too!
Related: DIY Fireplace Ideas You Can Make Anywhere
What to Look for When Buying an Electric Fireplace
I am obviously Team Pretty, but there are a few boring grown-up details we should probably check too.
Pay attention to the fireplace dimensions (especially the depth), heating capacity, adjustable heat settings, flame brightness/settings, remote control, and whether you can operate the flames without turning on the heat.
That last one is important because sometimes I want a cozy fire glowing in September when South Carolina is still approximately the temperature of the sun.
Also check the manufacturer’s installation and clearance requirements, especially if you’re putting an insert into an existing fireplace or building a DIY surround around it.
Safety first. Cozy second.
Related: DIY Fireplace Molding Makeover With Traditional Style
Are Electric Fireplaces Actually Worth It?
I think electric fireplaces make the most sense when you stop expecting them to perfectly imitate a real wood-burning fireplace.
That’s not really why I love them anyway.
I love them because they give you warmth, ambiance, and architectural interest without turning your house into a construction zone.
A freestanding fireplace can turn a big blank wall into an instant focal point.
An insert can give you the freedom to build your own custom fireplace surround.
And a $100-ish set of electric logs can make a non-working fireplace feel alive again without calling a chimney sweep, mason, electrician, and possibly your banker.
Plus, there is just something about turning on that flickering glow at the end of the day that makes the entire room feel better.
And if it happens to make me feel like I’m living inside a Nancy Meyers movie for a few hours?
Worth it.
More DIY-able Fireplace Ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Most electric fireplaces have a built-in heater designed to provide supplemental heat to a room. They’re especially handy for chilly bedrooms, home offices, basements, or other spaces where you want a little extra warmth without cranking up the thermostat for the entire house.
That’s one reason we added an electric fireplace to our friends’ bedroom makeover. Their room gets drafty during the winter, so it gives them the cozy fireplace glow and some much-needed extra warmth. Pretty and practical is always a win around here.
Depending on the model and your existing fireplace, an electric fireplace insert or electric log set can be an easy way to make a non-working fireplace feel cozy again without getting the original fireplace operational.
Measure the firebox carefully before buying anything, and always check the manufacturer’s installation requirements. For an especially simple solution, a freestanding electric log set can often be placed inside an existing fireplace to create the look of glowing logs without permanently altering the fireplace.
Yes! We use ours just for the pretty glow all the time. Many electric fireplaces let you operate the flame effect separately from the heater, but check the specifications for your particular model to make sure.
This is one of my favorite features because I want the cozy fireplace glow LONG before South Carolina weather has received the memo that it’s supposed to be fall. Turn on the flames, leave the heat off, and pretend it’s sweater weather anyway.
