Be In The Know

February 17,2022

Choosing a Fireplace for your custom home in Kelowna

 

          Do you dream of a cozy fireplace in your custom home? A beautiful, warm fire to snuggle up to on a cold winter night in the Okanagan Valley? We can make your dream a reality! Whether you want a traditional fireplace or something more modern, we can create the perfect look for you. Before you start planning your fireplace, we will go through some important tips. Let’s get started!

 

There are a few different types of fireplaces. First, you need to decide what type of fireplace you want – gas, electric, wood-burning or even an outdoor firepit…

 

  • Electric Fireplaces

An electric fireplace is a heating element that resembles a classic wood-burning or gas fireplace but requires no venting. Electric fireplaces produce a more artificial-looking flame compared to a gas fireplace with little to no maintenance. The flame point has come a long way from where it used to be, allowing for many different options to choose from. These are very energy efficient and allow more flexibility with designs.

House on Acacia Lane

 

  • Gas Fireplaces

 A gas fireplace is simple and convenient to use and can be started with the flick of a switch or, better yet, the push of a button, as many fireplaces now come with a remote. This type of fireplace provides all the ambiance and warmth of a real, wood-burning fire without making your living room look like an ugly mess! They’re typically made up of ceramic but can be fashioned to resemble anything from oak or driftwood. Gas fireplaces are the ideal option for individuals searching for a dependable fireplace because they can supply backup heat during a power outage if you have a remote start.

Acacia Lane

House on Rockview Lane

 

  • Wood Fireplace

The wood-burning fireplace is the classic of all fireplaces. It’s hard to replicate that beautiful ambiance of a real fire. Check with your local municipality if you are allowed to have a wood-burning fireplace as some areas have restrictions.

House on Harvard road

 

  • Fireplace Mantels and hearths

The hearth is not just a place to store firewood anymore. It’s become an elaborate design element in its own right, with many modern-day consumers opting for stylish rather than practical designs when they purchase new homes or remodelling their old ones!

 

House on Boxwood road

 

  • Outdoor Fireplaces/Firepit

The outdoor fireplace and firepits are a great source of entertainment during autumn and early spring in the Okanagan region. You can enjoy the warmth it provides while sitting around its flames.

House on Harvard road

 

Good to Remember!

The crucial element of any outdoor fireplaces and firepits are durability because it needs to withstand weather-related elements. 

Go and check a great example of a firepit at our house on Harvard Road! 

 

How to choose a fireplace in Kelowna and what to be aware of? Basic requirements.

Fireplaces are a great way to heat any Okanagan home and make it more cozy, during the cold month. 

Important to note and think about the overall design and your fire element in it. Try to decide whether your television will be placed above or to the side of the fireplace. This information will assist you in determining the size of your fireplace. Keep in mind that the size of your fireplace, it should correspond to the size of your television; you don’t want one to appear larger than the other, giving the sense of an imbalance. 

 

Keep in mind that clearances and combustibles may limit where you may place your television. Savannah’s Genesis Series is a fantastic model that allows you to use any type of material.

Retain the basic requirements before you start shopping, like what type of fuel it uses and how big it needs to be. We’ll help you figure out the rest!

 

We outline some advantages of the three main types of fireplaces. Let’s explore some!

The Electric Fireplace is one of our favourite things to design since it allows us to be as creative as we want with the design. 

Pros

  • They can be surrounded by any material, 
  • No venting required
  • Since the fireplace can stay cool you have the option for ornamental items all year round.
  • They have the advantage of being able to create a flame without emitting heat, allowing them to be used all year. 
  • The fireplaces are cool to the touch regardless of whether the heat is on or off, making them a particularly safe alternative for those with young children and pets
  • The electric fireplace has a smaller initial investment. A 74-inch fireplace costs roughly a third of what a gas fireplace does.

Cons

  • Produce less heat rather than gas and wood fireplace 
  • Not the same as a natural flame

 

Let’s look at some benefits of a Gas Fireplace:

Pros

  • Simple and easy to use, you even can use a special remote for this
  • The flame is much more realistic and some people even consider it as a wood-burning fireplace
  • Minimum maintenance requirements(usually once a year)
  • Heat up a bigger area rather than electric
  • Gas fireplaces are the ideal option for individuals searching for a dependable fireplace because they can supply backup heat during a power outage.

Cons

  • It requires a bigger initial investment rather than an electric fireplace
  • You must surround the unit with a non-combustible material.
  • Required planned ventilation.

The vent system could be done in a couple of ways…

Vented out the side of the home, This might be the easiest solution but keep in mind that you might have to look at this vent if you are sitting on your deck…

Otherwise, it can be vented through the roof as shown in the picture from Acacia Lane

Woodburn fireplace

Pros

  • Extremely comforting in your house, especially during the wintertime
  • It will heat a large area 
  • Usually, it increases the selling price of your custom home
  • It’s more affordable to operate based on small wood price
  • It last a very long time 

Cons

  • High maintenance value
  • Require a decent amount of space for storing and preparing the wood.
  • Chimneys allow cold air to enter the home and warm air to be released, you should create specific features to minimize that effect
  • Not permitted in all municipalities

Every fireplace needs to have a technical drawing, whether we do the designs or someone else does, they are very important to ensure areas of the fireplace are done accurately for your Kelowna custom home. There are so many important details for a fireplace such as; how far off the ground you want it, where the TV is going, mantel, hearth, millwork. A picture of an idea is great, but it is the role of the interior designer to complete construction drawings so the builder can execute them. 

Check out an example of one of our 3D rendering designs in the image below. 

This would be accompanied by technical plans that would inform all subcontractor’s exact dimensions etc to be able to execute on the designs. 

Your fireplace is such a key element in your home and can be a large part of your budget. This should be selected and designed prior to starting construction on your home.