"When my husband and I moved into our builder-grade home in 2009, I knew I would be making some changes along the way. I was always disappointed that our living room didn't come with a cozy fireplace, but because our space is on the small side I knew there wouldn't logistically be room for one. And then there's the cost: As HomeGuide reports, the average cost to build a fireplace in 2025 is $2,415!"
"I adore retro, mid-century fireplaces like this one, but they're on the pricey side and I didn't feel ready to shell out that much money. Instead, I headed online to find something with a similar mid-century vibe that could fit our small living room - and I discovered this beauty from Target. It's actually an outdoor chiminea from the Hearth & Hand line, but I repurposed it to be used indoors. I bought it on sale for $150."
"Lastly, I had to figure out how to create the appearance of "fire." I looked briefly at vintage faux fireplace logs, but I was nervous about plugging in an old-school cord. Then one day I was shopping at a boutique, and I spotted a display that inspired me: In a defunct fireplace, they had white birch logs just like mine, but had worked in a couple of light bulbs that flickered just like fire. Brilliant!"
A small living room lacked space for a real fireplace and the average cost to build one in 2025 is about $2,415. An outdoor chiminea from the Hearth & Hand line was repurposed for indoor use and purchased on sale for $150. White birch branches gathered from a wooded property were used as stacked logs without cost. Flickering light bulbs placed among the birch logs recreated the appearance of fire while avoiding old electric faux-log cords. The result produced a mid-century aesthetic and a budget-friendly fireplace illusion for a compact space.
Read at Apartment Therapy
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