Trends come and trends go. When it comes to fireplaces, you want something that’s going to stand the test of time. A gas fireplace is a focal point, a gathering spot, an investment, and often an important source of heat. It makes sense to get something you’re going to want to look at every day for years to come. Here are our favorite “hot” yet timeless trends in fireplace design for 2025:
Minimalism… Or Maximalism?
Minimalist design is like a breath of fresh air in a cluttered world. Modern minimalism emphasizes clean and simple lines that emphasize the beauty of the flames as well as the surrounding materials, without ornate designs that steal the show. Modern fireplace surrounds can be stone, tile, metal, or drywall but the overarching aesthetic is simplicity.
Surprisingly, minimalist design isn’t just for new, modern homes. They can be a great way to revitalize dated decor. Sometimes, a simple design element like a fireplace can be all you need to make a home feel fresh!
Within the minimalist style, you can choose from framed or frameless designs.
Some customers prefer their fireplace to be framed. A frame is metal, usually black but sometimes in other finishes like brushed stainless steel. A frame provides a clearly defined border between the fireplace and the surround. A customer favorite is the Mendota ML54.
Other customers prefer a frameless look, where the surrounding materials and the glass interact directly. The fireplace looks more integrated into the surrounding tile, stone, or steel. This style has an undeniable wow factor, like this sleek Urbana U50.
If you feel that the modern look lacks personality, you could go the other way with something “more”: maximalism.
Maximalist design is rooted in tradition. It favors a detailed, ornate, hand-crafted look reminiscent of simpler times when people took care to make things beautiful as well as functional.
Maximalism is not the right look for everyone, but there are situations where this aesthetic can bump up the charm and warmth to a room. For example, the Valor Portrait Gas Fireplace looks like it came straight out of a coal-burning fireplace in a 1920s Denver bungalow. It’s even available with faux “coals” for a truly vintage look that can be equally amazing in an ultra-modern space that doesn’t feel cozy and needs an intimately sized fireplace.
Both styles are sophisticated and timeless. There’s no right or wrong: it comes down to what you want to look at day after day!
Modern Shapes
Today’s gas fireplaces essentially come in several shapes.
Linear
Linear fireplaces are much wider than they are tall. The key to success with these fireplaces is location, location, location.
A linear fireplace positioned 20” from the floor is at a comfortable viewing height when you’re seated. At 20” or higher, the fireplace becomes as prominent as an important work of art. A linear fireplace like the Fireplace Xtrordinair 6015 is a statement piece on walls with or without a traditional mantel.
We recommend not installing a linear fireplace lower than 20” from the floor because it will be drowned by the visual weight of the wall above it whether that wall is simple drywall or you’re using stone, brick, or tile.
Landscape
A landscape fireplace falls somewhere between a linear fireplace and a traditional style. They allow for taller flames (linear fireplaces are limited in flame height). These taller flames look more realistic - more like a wood fire - than linear fireplaces.
A great example is the Mendota FV42 gas fireplace, pictured below. Landscape fireplaces are most often positioned similarly to linear fireplaces, about 20” or so off the floor or hearth. However, because they are taller, they can also be positioned at floor level.
Traditional
Taller, more traditionally-styled fireplaces are right at home at floor level or at the height of a low hearth. And, don’t put a linear fireplace higher than seated viewing height. Any higher than that, and the flames and media will be hard to see.
The traditional fireplace has a much taller viewing area than a linear fireplace. This fireplace is typically positioned at floor or hearth level (with or without a mantel above). This timeless style can come in an arched version, like the Kozy Heat Springfield 36, rectangular with a landscape or portrait orientation, or square.
If you prefer a sleeker, more modern look in a traditionally shaped fireplace, consider the Kozy Heat Nordik (our best-selling fireplace) with its huge viewing area, tall flames, and gorgeous metal surround.
Which Style Is Right for You?
Deciding which fireplace shape is best for you requires factoring in:
Ceiling height and room size
The size of the fireplace (height and width)
The materials used on the surround including mantel or no mantel
The size and design aesthetic of the surround
The intended use of the area in front of the fireplace (dining, TV watching, formal seating, kitchen, or bedroom)
Whether you will be hanging art or a TV beside and/or above the fireplace
Your style preferences and budget
Our showroom team is happy to help you choose the perfect gas fireplace for your space and answer all of your fireplace questions. Swing by the showroom or give us a call at 303-679-1601 to discuss your project!
