to the first two pic..... ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the rest simply.... why bother....

faux fire places are just kind of, well, silly

Awww, I love the cardboard fireplace....we had one when I was a kid one year when we were living in quarters on an air force base. We weren't allowed to do any "decor" in these houses, and they certainly didn't have fireplaces, so my parents got this silly thing so we could have the fun of hanging our stockings.

We later moved into a house with 4 fireplaces so we were never fireplace-deprived again...but I still remember that silly cardboard fireplace with great fondness.

That cardboard fireplace brings me back to my childhood....it's total kitsch...I love it!

This is very timely. I'd been pining for a light weight fake fireplace in my old apartment because I couldn't figure out how to handle my 13' long studio wall. Between paint, moulding, and tile, I figured could create an interesting focal point that wouldn't damage the wall, ensuring I wouldn't be nickle and dimed on my security deposit.

It's tres tacky but I think the first faux fireplace is perfect if you have a really great sense of humor.

My apartment has a built in faux-fireplace/mantel. It's sort of odd... It resembles the one in the 2nd or 4th photos - it's just an area of wall that comes out about 4 inches and it has a shelf on top (no painting of a fire or anything). I think the building originally had some sort of furnace there and they replaced it later and built over the original structure. I have mixed feelings about it. In a way, it's kind of nice because it's a built in shelf. But it is right in the middle of a wall, so I can't really put furniture against it. It's odd.... Currently, I have a vase of flowers on top of it and a painting hung over it as through it were a real mantel. This post hasn't really helped me figure out what to do about it.

The third and fourth aren't half bad. I would go with them over no fireplace which is what I am with now.

interesting to see the reactions against faux fireplaces. i just bought a house that has a fireplace that could be functional if we got it lined and installed a damper. i can't decide if it's worth it, though, since the house is pretty small, and actually using it might result is something closer to a sweat lodge. but to keep it faux? i think i'd rather just have a clean wall.

I think some people are missing the point. It's about adding architecture where there is none. I added a faux fireplace to a post-war apartment. Kept it simple, added framed mirror above, small table lamp and few photos and candles. It's a nice, inexpensive (Craigslist) touch in an otherwise blank room. It more closely resembles the 4th picture.

Faux fireplaces are hard to pull off. I guess if you got one and used pillar candles, that would look nicer than the electric fire flame version. The one in the fourth photo looks pretty nice...but I'd rather have a real fireplace.

Our 1927 bungalow has a faux fireplace that is original- the wall is built out to make it look like there is a chimney, there is a recessed area to put logs, a pretty wood mantle, and a tile surround on the floor. The only difference is that there is no real chimney and there is an electrical outlet in it. I was doing a little research one day at work and found a slew of interior photos of living rooms from the same time period and discovered what the outlet is for- apparently between 1926 and 1929 electric logs were all the rage. Many homes in my area were built with these faux spaces so the owner could enjoy a traditional looking living room without the hassle of having to drag wood inside.

I lived in Texas and had a real fireplace which was sort of insane as their was no real need for one but it looked nice. It took a long time to start a fire and by the time it was roaring, it was time to put it out and go to bed unless you started it during the day on weekends. Those Duraflame fake logs are not recommended as they cause chemicals to stick on the inside of the chimney and can cause a fire.