Wall Mount Electric Fireplace… or Recessed?

Wall Mounted Electric Fireplace with HeaterDo you want a simple way to install a fireplace in your home without having to spend a lot of money? A wall mount electric fireplace doesn’t require a chimney or venting. Plus, you don’t necessarily need a large space either.

A wall-mounted or a recessed electric fireplace can upgrade the look of any room by adding an attractive focal point. Furthermore, many models put out a good amount of heat as well.

Compared to pellet or wood burning fireplaces, electric models don’t require a lot of maintenance. You don’t have to continually dispose of ashes or clean the chimney.

Plus, electric wall units can save you a lot of time and money over installing a gas-run fireplace. In fact, you can typically unpack and hang a wall-mounted electric fireplace in under an hour.

The cool thing is that you don’t have to have an existing hearth or chimney to install one of thee units. You don’t have to cut a hole in your wall either (for wall mounted versions).

Plug them in and enjoy beautiful flickering flames for about 2 cents/hour (thank you LED lights) or turn on the heat and warm up a 400 square foot room.

Wall-Mounted VS Recessed Fireplaces:

Flush mounted (or recessed) offer a more finished, professional look, but of course require more time, work and cost to install. They can also be more expensive themselves. Wall mounted versions typically are cheaper but appear more “temporary” and not as realistic because they stick out from the wall.

Whether you choose a wall mount electric fireplace or the recessed version, both have their advantages and disadvantages. We discuss both versions below.

1. Recessed Electric Fireplaces:

Flush-mount fireplaces can provide the custom, built-in look that many homeowners want – without the time, work and cost that you normally would expect. They really don’t take up any additional space in a room, yet they both add style and functionality at the same time.

Many models, like the Touchstone Sideline shown on the left above, have a variety of heat settings, including heat for a room up to 400 square feet. You can control the flame and heat conveniently with a remote control (and you thought that not having to clean up ashes was nice!).

Note: Some wall mount versions have the heating unit located on top and therefore can’t be recessed. The Sideline, however, can because the heating unit is on the front.

One unique feature that I like about the Sideline is that it’s designed as a flush-mount fireplace, but you can also hang it on the wall rather than recessing it.

In the video below, Touchstone Home Products shows how their wall-mounted fireplace works, how to install it (both recessed or wall-mounted), spacing recommendations, etc..


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Modern Wall Fireplace with Multi-Color Flames:

The Moda Flame Bliss provides another recessed fireplace option with modern glass crystals. Position it over a console, cabinet, sofa. Or instead, you can add faux stone veneer panels on the wall around it to create the appearance of a real log burning or glass ember fireplace.

Multi-Color Electric Fireplace Recessed into Wall

Install it higher up on the wall, like at eye level where you might normally hang a piece of artwork. Alternatively, you can install it lower on a wall, like a typical hearth. Add a wall mount fireplace somewhere untraditional – like a bathroom, a kitchen or a front entry way.

Think outside the box. You have lots more possibilities than you would with a regular fireplace, especially because this is a smokeless, ventless unit that doesn’t require a gas line or a chimney. Also keep in mind that models come in more square shapes as well as the elongated version shown.

2. Wall Mount Electric Fireplaces:

Next, let’s take a look at the PuraFlame Linear Electric Fireplace. You simply hang it on a wall and plug it into a standard wall outlet.

PuraFlame Wall Mount Electric Fireplace with Heat

Ideally, you want to install this unit over an electrical outlet so that the power cord doesn’t show. This way, you get a clean, finished look with minimal effort.

That said, if you need to hang your wall fireplace away from the outlet, you can conceal any wires by using a cord cover kit. You can then paint the cover to match the wall behind it. (By the way, the power cord measures 6 feet long.)