Large areas in India do get cold enough for fireplaces but where the climate is warm in winter there are non-heating 3D smoke and flame effect open electric fires like the Dimplex Optimyst. These being ventless and available in a designer cassette form allow incredible design flexibility.
For colder climates, an open wood fireplace like the Jetmaster, which is a prefabricated open fireplace designed not to smoke into the room, is a great solution due to its open flame and superior heating function. The prefabricated chimney kit of a wood fire like the Jetmaster makes building an open wood fireplace easy as no brick chimney is required nor any of the expertise that goes into building an open fireplace.
Fireplaces in multi-storey dwellings pose challenges for designers as there is no way to run a chimney pipe to the roof. Ethanol fires are a ventless option and they are beautiful with their deep intense yellow spirit like flame, but I believe they have certain disadvantages such as fuel cost and storage, and the requirement for well-ventilated open spaces.
I think India is just starting to open up to the idea of what a fireplace can bring to a home not only in terms of functionality, which is heating in cold areas, but a fireplace can also be the centrepiece of any home or room; in fact, a fireplace can transform a space unlike any other interior décor feature.
Daniel Belnick
Power vented or direct vent gas fireplaces like Master Fireplaces Horizon or Heat n Glo offer venting solutions like running piping up to 13m horizontally to an outside wall. Piped natural gas is the right fuel (if available) for these fires and the realism and ambience of this real gas flame is unbeatable. Gas fires in this horizontal venting configuration come in open or glass fronted options and can burn LPG or Natural Gas.
As the outdoor entertaining living space becomes more sought after, outdoor fireplaces are a must have. Outdoor fires fuelled by gas, wood or biofuel do not require any flue pipe or vent, making them simple to install. A wood fireplace can still have some basic chimney pipe system to draw the smoke away from the immediate environment. Outdoor wood fireplaces like the new Jetmaster Contractor series also doubles up as a pizza oven and barbecue grill.
