If you want to maximize your space, consolidating some of your furniture into a piece that combines more than one function can be an exciting idea. For this reason, many people who have little space to work with choose to put an electric fireplace TV stand into their home. With an electric fireplace that also functions as a place to set your TV, the room will look larger and have more space available for other things.
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What Traditional Fireplace Types Are There?
- Common Open Hearth Fireplace – This is the typical fireplace that most people think of when they hear the term fireplace. This is the classic fireplace that leads to the chimney. It has a large opening in front. For airflow, there is usually a metal grate inside to stack the wood on for burning. For safety, there is usually a screen where you can stand up in front of the fireplace.
- More Efficient Enclosed Fireplace – These are almost exactly like the open hearth fireplaces but instead the front of the fireplace is completely enclosed. There is usually a door made of glass so that you can see the flames inside and open the door if more wood needs to be added to it. These burn wood a little bit more efficiently than the wood inside of an open hearth fireplace.
What Are The Downsides To Traditional Fireplaces?
- Many Different Safety Concerns – When it comes to reasons that house fires are started, a traditional fireplace is near the top of the list. There is always a chance that fire from the fireplace can accidentally catch something on fire inside of the room that it is in. A roaring fire can lose a fiery log that rolls into the room, or even a floating hot ember can land in the wrong spot.
However, much more dangerous than this is the level of soot that can build up inside the chimney. This is why people always have to be so diligent about making an appointment for a chimney sweep to come to clean it out a couple of times per year. All of that soot inside of the chimney will burst into flames when there is too much of it. This will cause the chimney to catch fire, and then that will spread to other parts of the home.
Unless your fireplace has the best possible ventilation, carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation can become an incredibly serious health concern to worry about. Of course, you always need detectors for both of these harmful emissions, but it is that much more vital to your safety when you have a traditional fireplace. - Too Much Work – There is quite a lot of work that goes into operating a fireplace and keeping it clean. All of the burning logs cause a large pile of ash to grow in the bottom of the fireplace. This needs to be scooped up and disposed of on a daily basis. Unlike infrared fireplaces, you can’t just “turn on” a traditional fireplace. You have to go to your wood pile, split wood, build the fire in the fireplace with additional kindling, move collapsing logs so that airflow remains constant, and add more logs whenever the fire starts burning low. On top of all of this work, you also need to keep a close eye on the fireplace in case of a safety hazard that may cause a house fire.
- Staining and Smells – Even with the best ventilation, your house will smell like smoke. The smell of a fire is great when you are camping or when you first use your fireplace at the beginning of winter. However, the constant smell of smoke day in and day out quickly loses its charm. Even after you extinguish the flames, the smoky smell will endure for multiple days. It will linger in the air and work its way into the furniture and the clothes that you are wearing. You can also expect the smoke to stain the wall above the fireplace over time.
What Gas Fireplace Types Are There?
- Vent-Required Gas Fireplace – These built-in fireplaces require ventilation. Their flame color can be yellow or orange.
- Vent-Free Gas Fireplace – These built-in fireplaces burn cleaner and don’t need ventilation. Their flame color is almost always blue.
What Are The Downsides To Gas Fireplaces?
- Gassy Smells – If you have a gas fireplace installed into your home or use a gas fireplace insert to convert your wood fireplace, all you are doing is trading a bad smoky smell for a bad gassy smell. If you are cooking on a gas stove, you can sometimes smell a little bit of the gas that hasn’t completely burned. Imagine that subtle but annoying smell always present in your home and seeping into your clothes, hair, and furniture the same way that smoke would.
- Little To No Flicker – Flame flickering and strength aren’t really a strong suit when it comes to gas-fueled fireplaces. Just like a Bunsen burner you probably used in high school chemistry class, the flames of gas fireplaces usually look like weak jets of fire. A few gas fireplaces use synthetic log sets with the flame source hidden inside of them. Even so, they don’t exactly resemble the look of a roaring fire like they should.
- Colors Leave You Wanting – The blue glow that is associated with vent-free gas fireplaces gets old really fast. It doesn’t at all capture the essence of a real fireplace, and many people who choose to install one of these in their homes quickly regret the decision to do so. Even if someone installed a ventilation gas fireplace that uses a gas that can burn yellow or burn orange, the colors still add an unauthentic look to flames. Usually, they are too vibrant, almost like a neon color, and they aren’t nearly varied enough in their color like burning wood.
- Pricy Installation – Installing gas fireplaces can be quite a pricy job. Usually, it isn’t safe to install these, so you need to have a professional come take care of it for you. For some gas fireplaces, you need both gas lines and venting installed along with it. Of course, they are still cheaper than if you wanted to add an entirely new wood fireplace and chimney to your home, but not nearly as cheap and easy to install as electric fireplaces.
- Some Safety Issues – Luckily, gas fireplaces are a lot safer than wood fireplaces. They burn cleaner and don’t really produce smoke. However, you need to still worry about the possibility of carbon monoxide in the air. These toxic emissions are simply the result of something having an incomplete burn which is still possible with gas fireplaces. Keep in mind though, that gas fireplaces still have an exposed flame in your home. Anytime there is an exposed flame, be it a fireplace, candle, or something else, the risk of a house fire will always be increased.
What Are Electric Fireplace Types There?
- Electric Fireplace Mantle – These are pretty simple, but reliable and great to look at. They are electric fireplaces with accompanying mantles. Some companies that don’t offer mantle variations might sell these as a single piece. Many companies actually sell these as a combo, but where you get to select a specific mantle style that you like. It arrives in two pieces and you connect it during installation.
- White Fireplace TV Stand – These are the units this article is mostly referring to. They are similar to any other TV stands, but below them, they have electrical fireplaces built into the stand housing. These come in countless sizes and varieties.
- Electric Fireplace Insert – If you have a traditional fireplace or just a mantle without a fireplace, these inserts can be placed inside of them so they become fully functional electric fireplaces. With many companies, the fireplace mantle units listed at the beginning of this section are essentially the same thing as these inserts except for the added mantle that comes with it. If you are someone who likes working with your hands, you can also build your own mantle to perfectly fit one of these inserts.
- Wall Mount Electric Fireplace – These are electric fireplaces that are built to be mounted on the wall. This can hang out completely, be partially recessed into the wall, or even be fully recessed into the wall to sit flush. These modern electric fireplaces are more common with people who want a very modern aesthetic and don’t want to have a large mantle in their home. If you install one of these in a wall recession but don’t have an outlet there, it is best to run electrical lines and hard wire it so the cord is hidden. It looks tacky to have a recessed electric fireplace with a cord hanging out and down to the nearest outlet.
- Freestanding Electric Fireplace – If you were thinking that this is a generic space heater that is made to look like a fireplace, you’d be exactly right. The ability to properly heat a home is very questionable with these units. They tend to pose more safety issues and they almost always look the worst compared to other electrical fireplaces.
What Are The Common Benefits Of Electric Fireplaces?
- Breathtakingly Realistic Visuals – When you make the wise decision to invest in a high-end fireplace with 3D holographic flame and ember technology, you will have a hard time believing it isn’t a real fireplace when you look at it.
- Auditory Sensations – To go with the stunning effects of holographic flames, some fireplaces emit soothing crackling log sounds to further enhance the experience and give you the sense you’re sitting in front of a traditional fireplace with real burning wood.
- Insane Heating Bill Savings – You may be surprised to find that electric fireplaces are so efficient that you can expect to see a significant reduction in your cost of heating. One good fireplace can affordably keep an apartment or small home warm without any additional fireplaces needed.
- Supplemental Heat Strategy – For people who have bigger homes, you can figure out how many fireplaces you need for zone heating. This is a great way to save money heating a large home because you only run the fireplaces when someone is occupying that zone of the house.
- Dead Simple To Install Yourself – You don’t have to worry about hiring a sketchy worker to come into your home and install your fireplace while leaving you with a large labor bill. Electric fireplaces are pretty easy to install yourself. Usually, it is as easy as placing it where you want it and sticking the plug in an outlet.
- Safest Possible Fireplace – Electrical fireplaces don’t burn anything or produce noxious fumes. You rest easy knowing you don’t have an increased risk of house fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Will Not Damage TVs – Considering the purpose of this article, this point is a pretty important one. You don’t have to worry about electric fireplaces ruining your TV set like you do with a traditional fireplace. This means you can put a TV on one that doubles as a TV stand, or mount a TV above a more traditional-style electric fireplace. As long as the blower isn’t directly pushing heat at TV components, you won’t have any problems.
- No Hassle – All of that work that goes into operation and maintaining wood fireplaces? That isn’t anything you need to worry about here. You just turn it on and the heat production will regulate itself depending on the temperature you have it set to.
- Remote Operation – Electric fireplaces come with remotes or apps for your smartphone so you can easily control every function and feature.
What Kind of Pre-Made Electric Fireplace TV Stands Are There?
There are tons of electric fireplaces that double as a TV stand. Brands like Espresso are popular media centers, but there are a lot of other decent TV stands or entertainment center fireplaces other than just Espresso. As long as you buy from a good brand that performs well as a fireplace, that is what is most important. Other good brands are Muskoka, Walker Edison, and Ameriwood.
Because the fireplace TV stand will undoubtedly be the focal point of your living room, it is important to choose a TV stand fireplace with materials and colors that match your current home decor style.
While a simple MDF media cabinet or something with laminate might be a little cheaper, it is usually advised to spend a little more on a more expensive material so it will last longer and be more aesthetically pleasing. Laminate can look okay as a floor choice, but when used as a fireplace material or wall backing, it tends to be more obvious it is synthetic and looks cheap.
Walker Edison has a TV stand fireplace with a beautiful barn wood texture if you prefer a rustic farmhouse look. The wood on this media console looks like it is repurposed from an old barn door, with easily adjustable shelves.
If you want something a little bit more modern farmhouse, still with a rustic feel, Ameriwood also has several fireplaces with glass shelves in place of wood shelving. This gives you a great Farmhouse fireplace TV stand with some modern elements to keep your home from looking too old-fashioned. Glass doors as cabinet doors on an electric fireplace TV console could also be an interesting way to go if you want the items inside of the cabinets to be displayed instead of hidden.
Ameriwood and Walker Edison also have TV stand console fireplaces with side cabinets that have plenty of storage space for your books, movies, video game consoles, or anything else you would like stored near the TV. An Ameriwood white oak media cabinet is perfect if you prefer a very clean, modern look.
You can find a fireplace media console with beautiful driftwood and spacious cubbies. This rustic media console has a similar feel to the one that the barnwood unit above does, with a slightly different color and grain pattern.
There are so many styles to choose from that it is always a good idea to check the buying guide of these brands and see what they have to offer. When you are looking at the buying guide, make note of any materials, styles, or colors that match the current decor in your room. Whatever you do, don’t just whip out your credit card and buy the first fireplace entertainment center.
Is It Better To Get A MagikFlame Electric Fireplace And Hang A TV Above It?
If you really want to save more sq. ft. in your living room by opening up the accessibility of transitional walking spaces, consider ordering one of the greatest electric fireplaces around today: MagikFlame.
These units are not nearly as thick as an electric fireplace TV stand or entertainment center. One of these placed against the wall can save you more floor space. It is easy to mount TVs up above the fireplace, and this often looks much cleaner than flat-panel TVs sitting on a TV stand. When you hang your TVs up on the wall, you can also fish the wires behind the drywall, so the cords aren’t even visible. Mounting TVs up also allows you to put the TV at your exact eye level. Placing flat-panel TVs on an electric fireplace TV stand means it will always be at a limited height. This makes it difficult to see, especially with larger flat-screen TVs.
Unless you truly have a need for a large entertainment center instead, placing one of their ultra-realistic holographic fireplaces is the best option. Inside the firebox is an ember bed and log set where 3D hologram flame effects are perfectly projected. You can cycle between 30 visual effects, each looks like a realistic flame. Fireplaces that simply use LED flames can’t even compare to the holographic technology inside MagikFlame fireplaces.
To precisely capture the ambiance of a real fireplace, MagikFlame has auditory sounds of logs that are crackling. It also includes the ability to play nature sounds if you would like to. Inside every single MagikFlame fireplace is a heater that can produce a staggering 5,200 BTUs of heat and can easily warm an area of 1,000 square feet.
While an electric fireplace TV stand might come with a remote control to turn it on and off, MagikFlame has something better. Instead of a remote control, you have an application for your smartphone or tablet. This easy-to-use application allows you to set the temperature on the thermostat to your exact preferences.
