Nothing warms up a room better or gives it a focus than a fireplace.

I'm a fan of wood fireplaces but the fire box requires regular cleaning of the ash and the chimney should be cleaned by a professional chimney sweep annually.  Gas fireplaces are popular because they are easy to light, you don't need to stack wood or clean the firebox but the price of natural gas is making buyers think twice.

My friend at the fireplace store told me that recently they sold out of all their wood burning inserts and the gas inserts are moving slowly.

If you want to give a room a lift, consider a new fireplace mantle.