My husband and I have been grappling with a broken gas fireplace for over two years now. Thankfully, I did not venture into his man cave often and when I did, I loaded up the blankets! One the budget for a remodel came to reality, we started to discuss options. For many factors, we felt a gas to electric fireplace remodel was the best route to go for our lifestyle and budget.
Fireplaces do a lot more for your home than just add warmth. They create a comforting ambiance in the winter, inviting family and friends to gather round. They provide an ideal location for romantic evenings, and you can’t beat the heat a fireplace produces on a crisp winter day. Although a wood-burning fireplace is an age-old nostalgic memory to many, it may not always be a practical solution for retrofit installations, condos or even small homes like this one.
For over 20 years, electric fireplaces have quickly become a sensible alternative to creating a relaxing retreat to escape life’s everyday stress. Dimplex North America pioneered the category with the invention of the modern electric fireplace 25 years ago.
Dimplex 25-inch Plug-in Electric Firebox
This particular model has two options. Log burning or acrylic ice media. We selected the acrylic ice to give a more modern feel to our basement family room renovation.
The colour-rich flame effect allows selecting five different colour themes to set the mood accordingly. Alternately users and also freeze on a customized colour of their choice. Flame and lights use brilliant low-energy LED’s that require zero maintenance.
The 25-inch plug-in electric fireplace warms up to 1,000 sq. feet of space with its powerful fan-forced heater comes with a remote control to control 100% of the fireplace from the comfort of your chair, and it has a low carbon footprint as its considered the most sustainable fireplace option with no emissions and 100% efficient. It costs about 8 to 12 cents an hour to run!
Another very important factor is the cool-touch glass making it safe for children and pets in any location.
Gas to Electric Fireplace Remodel
For this gas to electric fireplace remodel, we researched both gas and electric options and decided, for our lifestyle, an electric fireplace would be low-maintenance, cost-effective, and a fun alternative to the typical log fireplace.
We also wanted something that was cool-to-touch as we love our dog Chloe and we frequently have visitors with children who occupy themselves watching movies or playing video games. Hey, horseplay and accidents can happen!
Note: My husband did most of the gas to electric fireplace remodel
- We contacted a certified gas fitter to disconnect all gas connections to make the opening safe to begin our remodel.
- An electrical outlet was available from an adjoining room behind the fireplace.
- Since the mantel had old bricks with dark marks, we felt that a white mantel would suit the new electric fireplace inset best. Yes, my husband wasn’t pleased. We scrubbed bricks with a lot of elbow grease, a stiff brush, and soapy water.
- We applied one coat of primer and three coats of TREMCLAD® white Oil-Based Rust Paint.
- To save on costs, since the previous metal frame surrounding the insert was a perfect fit, we sanded, primed, and applied four coats of Rust-Oleum® Specialty Camouflage Paint. We also applied two coats of clear coat to give it a nice sheen.
The Designer’s Touch for Our Gas to Electric Fireplace Remodel
We area very are strong in DIY renovations but creating a nice clean and coordinated design is way out of our realm. We reached out to Haley Jean Bradley, Interior Design Consultant, to complete the look of their new electric fireplace remodel. Miss Bradley is a recent graduate of the 3-year Interior Design program at Georgian College and thrives on taking on projects that are based on a concept.
Bradley created the concept to enhance the space by inviting greenery to create a welcoming a lively setting. Natural light in a basement is typically minimal and the mirror can reflect that light to create an illusion of a larger and airy room. The greenery was added as a visual accent but also promoted better air quality as the snake plant (see black potted plant) converts co2 into oxygen at night. The mirror, chair, and decor were all selected from Bouclair’s home collection.
Gas to Electric Fireplace Remodel Complete
We are absolutely thrilled with the final look of the electric fireplace remodel project. After a few weekends of hard work, the design and décor gave an inviting polished look. We are so pleased that we selected an electric fireplace because Chloe loves to keep warm in front of it. Knowing she is not only warm but also safe is value all in itself.
Now….to remind my husband to WATER the greenery is my next job,
