Click on the Thumbnails to View all PhotosFive very different styles of faux fireplaces (trompe l'oeil, traditional, vintage, modern and rustic southwest) which are all currently only for "show", these prove that even without holding a roaring fire, a hearth is a really nice addition to a room. A central focus point, it (usually) makes decorating easier as you have a definite starting place to build your room around in terms of furniture placement and artwork arrangement...
From left to right:
1)Custom Painting by Ann Wood via the New York Times
2)Ariana's Faux Fireplace in the Bedroom
3)Flickr Finds: Degerkas' Orange Fireplace
Tina Wilson's Striking Style 
30 DIY Projects for the 3-Day Weekend
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hose Jockey Wall Mount
20 Scrumptious Brunch Recipes 
Magic One-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways: Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Comments (2)
Room #3 isn't a faux fireplace - It's a real vintage fireplace that simply isn't hooked up...
...and Room #5, with the heavily textured walls and heater in the old (formerly functioning) fireplace, is making my eyes water.
If you look closely, room#3 is a faux fireplace as he chimnea is not connected to the wall...it not a "functioning" fireplace and could probably only be used with candles at best.