What type of fire to put in?

[ArseyTussle]

The disclaimer at the start is that I'm not convinced we actually need anything for heat, but at the moment we have a gaping hole where something needs to go.

There's a gas supply, so we could do gas, or an open fire or some sort of multi fuel or wood burner.

The house is only about 10 years old, so a Victorian fireplace would look weird, and I'm not keen on the contemporary floating shelf surround idea.

I was keen for a wood burner but have read up on internal and external air quality issues and decided against. Considering a bio ethanol fire now but want to see one in a showroom first.

you don't say if there is a chimney.

If you have a chimney then I'd say gas, it's mess free and very very easy, also smokeless. It doesn't give much heat but sounds like you don't need that.

If you don't then bio ethanol is probably your best bet but it's quite expensive so best for occasional use only.

Plenty of modern fireplace styles out there. Google modern fireplace and see what you like. The type of fuel doesn't really affect the style of the surround.

Ah yes Piglet, good point.

The recess is intended for a gas fire, and there is a standard flue going up into a chimney. If we went the non-gas route we'd get rid of the gas pipe.

I want something that looks nice, obviously, but part of me is sceptical about paying nearly 3 grand for a lovely glass fronted Stovax inset burner if we're never going to use it.

Thanks mini, I think the problem is that I'm struggling to find something that looks nice in gas, but then I'm getting a bit faffy I think.

"standard flue" is a bit vague. Houses since about 1950 have often had flues designed for gas fires, which are unsuitable for other fires.

I'm guessing you haven't recently had a wood-burner, and encountered the spiders, centipedes, woodworm, snails and woodlice they bring into the home.

What kind of thing do you want? In your shoes I'd start with the fire basket - basically a metal grate with fake coals/fake logs in it designed to burn gas - this one is modern, and then find a modern surround.

if it was me, and I wanted an ornament rather than a heat source, I go for some kind of gas fire, possibly with fake coals. I've seen an iron stove with flames and gas, like a pretend multifuel.

Ooh, that fire basket is nice. I suppose a fire surround isn't actually compulsory, is it? I like these two pics.

Sorry about 'standard flu', I don't know what else to call it! The house is 10 years old and has an open fire on the ground floor and this on the first.

No unwelcome insects with our wood, not that I would make a big girly fuss if there were. You brush it off outside before you bring it in.

There is a mouse in the woodpile but again, I don't bring those in.