the modern home... IS a fireplace important?

A

akim997

New member
Over the past 10 years, we have seen (at least from TIC) how homes are changing to fit what some will call "the modern family's desires".  I think some of it is marketing BS, but some of it is legitimate.  I don't know who coined the phrase, but one of the most popular buzzwords these days is "open space concept."    We see this in the CalPac (TIC) offerings that started in 2004.  Slowly things have changed.  No more formal living/ dining (I'm okay with this).  Huge islands with cabinets everywhere in a kitchen (okay with this too).    Tech spaces and lofts are now very commonplace.  So what else is going on?

The newest thing that is being compromised in new builds is the fireplace.  I recall growing up, we had a traditional fireplace.  My dad would actually roast sweet potatoes and chestnuts in the fireplace.  Our stockings were hung on the fireplace.  Now?  Even in Lambert Ranch, fireplaces are "optional" and a the plan 1 model in the Field doesn't have one.  3 friends of mine have just purchased houses new houses in Irvine and NONE of them are getting a fireplace.  My wife agrees in that her parents haven't used theirs in 20 years.  Even in my condo, I used my fireplace all winter long.  What is going on?  To make things worse, code on new housing is changing.  From the traditional fireplace, to the newer flip the switch, things have changed even more and I had no idea.  Does everyone know that in new fireplaces, you can't open the glass?  I mean, the fireplace HAS to be closed glass.  How do you get heat?  I received the comment "well, the glass will get hot, so you should probably get a screen."  A screen for hot glass?  With the new fireplace, and with homes with limited space/options, it seems as this is the growing trend. 

How does everyone else feel about fireplaces?  Must have?  Care less?  I've always felt that I HAD to have a fireplace.  But with this new crap we are subject to, I'm starting to shift. 

 
akim997 said:
How does everyone else feel about fireplaces?  Must have?  Care less?  I've always felt that I HAD to have a fireplace.  But with this new crap we are subject to, I'm starting to shift.
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Similar to you, I grew up with one, an actual wood-burning one, and thought I'd always have one. But, with our upcoming new purchase, it's a 10k upgrade to have one in the great room, and although I'd like the look of one, it's wasted money for my needs. In my current home (new build), I've never used the one I have in the 10 years I've owned the home.

With the other home design changes you note, it's a matter of function over form. People simply have no use for formal dining and living rooms the way our parents did and developers are simply making changes that reflect today's lifestyles.
 
I don't like the fireplace... but my wife likes them.

I never understood putting one in the family room... I always felt they belonged in the living room. Our last house was configured that way and all it really did was take up usable space.

Our current home has the fireplace in the living room which is fine since we use that room less and that's also where we put up the "holiday" tree so that area becomes the holiday decoration zone.

My wife would like to have one in the master (they used to do that in may older plans)... I guess it's supposed to be romantic.
 
i dont care for fireplaces at all.  i grew up with one but we never used it.  even in houses where its not optional, my wife and i imagine building over it with a media center.  i hate how people hang the TVs over the fireplace and we rather cover the entire wall with a media center with the TV at the right height
 
irvinehomeowner said:
I don't like the fireplace... but my wife likes them.

I never understood putting one in the family room... I always felt they belonged in the living room. Our last house was configured that way and all it really did was take up usable space.

Our current home has the fireplace in the living room which is fine since we use that room less and that's also where we put up the "holiday" tree so that area becomes the holiday decoration zone.

My wife would like to have one in the master (they used to do that in may older plans)... I guess it's supposed to be romantic.
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I started seeing the fireplace that can't open trend also and thought there is no point if you can't even feel the direct radiant heat. 
I am happy that I have a fireplace in my home.  Actually have two (one in family room and a double sided one in the master bedroom/bathroom.  But of course my home is a little older (built in the early '90's).  The fireplace in the master does add to the 'romance' factor. 
 
rkp said:
i dont care for fireplaces at all.  i grew up with one but we never used it.  even in houses where its not optional, my wife and i imagine building over it with a media center.  i hate how people hang the TVs over the fireplace and we rather cover the entire wall with a media center with the TV at the right height
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I agree with you on not liking the TV over the fireplace but unfortunately there was no other place in the family room to put it without it blocking a window or something else.  I kinda wished the fireplace was in the living room instead sometimes.  I am used to it over the fireplace now and have a motorized mount that tilts it to the proper angle for a couch sitter automatically but when the TV is off, it tilts back straight so you don't have this TV jutting out at an angle from the wall. 
 
tilt helps but you still are looking up.  proper tv angle should be like PC monitor where you are looking straight to down.  i saw a really cool setup where with a push of button the TV would come down about 3 feet.  we would do that if we had to put it over the fireplace
 
1. Asian FCBs have never seen a fireplace in their native country, only heard about in children story such as 3 little pigs.
2. Open space floor plan requires a lot of windows - having fireplace will impede TV hanging.
3. This is Southern California, we don't need a fire place
4. Fireplace in a Capistrano room at beach front home makes much more sense
 
It seems that more and more people are getting away from the fire place.  I also agree with the mount over the fire place.  Bought the mounts from Costco and tried it in my old house to create some more room, but the viewing angle bothered me so much I took it down.  The designers who started this didn't have a clue about actually watching tv...    When looking at some new houses (like Lambert Ranch) I was actually trying to find out the actual height of the mantle.  A lower mantle could resolve the issue, but perhaps the best thing to do IS to get away from the fireplace all together.    Look at plan 2 at Las Ventanas.  You can get a nice media niche, but it shrinks substantially if you add a fireplace to the mix. 
 
wow that is crazy big.  i never checked out this development...way too south for us but want to see such a huge outdoor living space in person

this brings up a good point - we *do* want a fireplace in the outdoor area...whether its a covered area or not, definitely enjoy the idea of a fireplace outside
 
The elimination of a formal living room also took its toll to nostalgic element like a fireplace. I use my fireplace a lot and it's the real wood burning kind. My TV is not mounted on top of it nor competing along the side of it. It is totally on its separate wall.
 
irvinehomeshopper said:
The elimination of a formal living room also took its toll to nostalgic element like a fireplace. I use my fireplace a lot and it's the real wood burning kind. My TV is not mounted on top of it nor competing along the side of it. It is totally on its separate wall.
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Same with us, although ours is not wood burning (gas logs)
The family room fireplace gets used frequently.
The other one in the living room is mostly for decoration and rarely gets used (Holiday season).
 
The other thing about TV mounting over a fireplace... if you use the fireplace often, what kind of damage would the ambient heat do to your TV?

And if you got a Kinect going... it's going to be hot to play if you have the fire on. :)

I still don't understand the use of a fireplace in SoCal... unless you're grilling Korean BBQ on it... it just doesn't get THAT cold here.
 
I've never once used the fireplace in my Irvine condo in any of it's 6 years.  Then again I've never been a fan of them so it's probably a subjective thing.

What I really, really hate is how many builders will put the fireplace smack dab in the middle of the great room, then put the TV over it (which is usually to high), or they put a niche on the side of the fireplace in the corner of the room.  Which makes perfect sense because you watch the TV in the corner of the room every night, and you look at the fireplace maybe 3 nights per year.

In fact, when I was looking at new homes (when Woodbury first released), I had asked a number of builders if I could get the "No Fireplace" option even if I paid more - and typically the answer was either "no" or "that will be a blueprint change so its $25k minimum. 

I for one, welcome the change.
 
I think with new regs, fireplaces are really for design element only.  How much heat can you get from a sealed fireplace unit?  The only thing that can happen is your children burning themselves on hot gas...  I guess I'm buying in to the whole idea... 
 
irvinehomeowner said:
I still don't understand the use of a fireplace in SoCal... unless you're grilling Korean BBQ on it... it just doesn't get THAT cold here.
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Would you also buy a home without a heater? Same difference.

Utilitarian factor: We once bought a wood-burning stove to insert into the fireplace opening. It contained a blower to force the heat into the home. It replaced the need to run the heater on many a cool night. I'm not talking about burning the overpriced junk logs you see at the grocery store that last ten minutes but rather hardwoods that last hours.  (Sometimes you can fill a truck bed for $40 or even free.) Save on heating bills. Yes, I know - Asians don't drive trucks or split wood.

Romance factor: You need the snap, crackle, pop of real hardwood with all of its colors to appreciate the fire, imo. Gas logs just ain't the same. You can't build, stoke, and appreciate it like a real fire. However, more recently I filled the fireplace with candelabras topped with white candles. I light the candles and shut the glass when I want a nice, safe place to burn them. I get lots of "ooohs and ahhhs" from company.

Not only did I insist on a home with a fireplace but a particular style of fireplace with a traditional mantle. Although, given the scenario posted by the thread owner, I would have an awfully hard time accepting $10k for a fireplace upgrade that you can't even open. So sad. I guess that's why I like resales. Fireplaces... and my favorite - cathedral ceilings!  :-*


 
Uh... comparing a fireplace to a whole home heating system is a bit unfair... that's like comparing a floor fan to an AC unit.

And... I doubt that candelabra can heat anything... or crackle and pop.

As for keeping a single room warm to save on heating bills... that's what Snuggies are for. :)

(I hate being warm... so maybe that's why I'm anti-fireplace... 100% of the time... even during winter... I'm in shorts and tank)
 
Right, the candles are not intended to heat anything. I was saying behind the glass is a safer place to burn them than out in the open. The point wasn't that they produce heat. They don't. I use logs when I want to do that. It gets VERY warm when I run the fireplace and this is without a blower. No heater required.

The point with the heating is that you do not need to waste money heating the entire home when you can economically heat the room the fireplace is in where everyone conglomerates or more depending on how warm you want it. And sure, if I can cool down a localized area rather than cooling an entire home, I'd do that especially if it's a large home like many of the Irvine homes are.

Since all you need is a Snuggie on the coldest of days, I'll take that as a yes, that you would buy a home without a way to heat it. I don't think that's typical of many homeowners, though.
 
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