Judithva just posted a picture of her beautiful
Thanksgiving mantel over in the Holiday forum. She mentioned her new FP is a gel FP and she may be able to give you some information about them.

Go over there and address the question to her. She'll answer right away, I'm sure.

I can't speak of gel but I did have an electric. I am thinking with electric you get what you pay for. I had one I think it was around the $250 mark(was given to me so not 100% sure). Anyways I just gave mine anyway - it was pretty but I think it looked so fake and it bothered me over time (I am actually installing a gas fireplace).

Here's ours, Hilltop. My grandfather built it for my parents' basement when they were newly married, so I have it for sentimental reasons. I just put a screen in front of the firebox. Hope this helps!

So Hoosier, is yours electric or do you use gel cans in it or just have it for decor? Looks nice.

I'm sorry, I should have told you; it's just for decor. The firebox is actually just wood that has been painted black so we can't have anything that heats up in it.

I am looking for an electric fireplace (Don't want to mess with buying the gel). My goal is to have a prtable one but build bookcases on each side to make it look like a built in. I have had No luck finding anyone who has done this... am I just crazy??? LOL
I think the electric ones look great!

we were thinking of doing something similar in our bedroom for ambiance or just an old full mantel for decoration. We had a ventless gas in our LR for a few years in our old home, but I found it just looked fake to me so I used the WB stove in our kitchen most of the time.

Our new house finally has a nice WBF but its in the LR, close enough to FR...just love the smell again!

I will be interested to see photos of electric as when you go into store they arent ON and I have never seen one ON

I'll take a couple of photo's of electric tomorrow for ya'll. I have two of them as well as two propane and two real. I seem to like two's :) Oh and two wood LOL Ok so I have a couple of fireplaces.

I don't like the electric. They look fake. I'd like to remove both of mine but one is sort of built in so I'll have to wait (it's in a guest room) and the other in our family room is an old one that is half way decent, and puts out a bit of heat and we can't replace it with a propane because of the chimney height (if it's over 30' they can't do it unfortunately). The coolest electric I ever saw was in a house built in 1914 that was done with special light bulbs. It was so so so cool...obviously fake but in such a vintage way it was worth having. I wish I could find one of them...way fabulous :)

Anyhoo, I'll take a couple of shots for ya'll with the cell phone tomorrow and see how you like a couple of electrics...and then fly down and take mine LOL

My friend has gel, which she likes...but said it gets kind of expensive to buy all the gel for it, and I think she said the room gets too hot? More often she uses candles inside it to give the ambiance, without the cost.

Have been curious about the electric, but have not seen one in a home setting.

I have a small metal, antique looking electric stove. Yes the flames look fake. But it was for heating my feet and a better look than other electric heaters. The problem with electric units is cost of electricity. No clue why they use so much, but they do. Gel would be far less expensive. Mine isn't used anymore due to the cost, just sits as a unique decorator piece/small table.

I too have an antique surround that is going in the bedroom. Any ideas on this thread are great for how to do something interesting in the opening. Spring and summer will have flowers. Am thinking of a fireplace candle set. Both of these ideas are difficult though as the opening isn't very deep.

Here's my electric FP.
Does it look real? No....but I love it anyway.
The little heater warms my sitting room up very nicely~
Sitting here using it as we speak~

We have a gas one in the family room and an electric one in the bedroom. I do prefer the look of the gas or wood burning ones but in our previous home we had a gas one in the bedroom and anytime it was windy, we live on the water, the wind howels through the fireplace because it is vented to the outside, kept us awake many times. I would never have a wood or gas fireplace in the bedroom again.

LoraLEE, i MIGHT JUST BE SWAYED AFTER LOOKING AT YOURS. i LOVE THAT IT IS PAINTED WHITE AND WITH THE GLASS DOORS AND THE DECOR, IT LOOKS SO COZY AND RICH LOOKING TOO. this might just be what we could get in our bedroom. do you have that brand name that you could give me?? Our bedroom is very cold.

I'm new here and so glad to see this thread. I have been planning on a garage conversion for a game room and looking at the electric fireplaces. Since it is not a room that would be used often, hopefully the cost wouldn't kill my budget. I doubt that I would want to fuss with the gel version. Loribee, those pictures are truly inspiring...I am going for a similar look for my room. Hoosiergirl...that is a nice looking room too. Screens really do make a difference. I have a glass-front raised gas fireplace in my family room and it was too modern for my style, so adding a screen really help it blend into my room better. Look forward to seeing what you choose Hilltop.

Oopsie913 & Vampiressrn, thanks for your kind comments!
Oopsie913, my electric FP was from my old house and was originally oak. I painted it white when we moved.
Sorry to say I don't see any info on it- but we purchased it at a wood stove shop.
I see them now everyplace, Lowes, H Depot etc.
Make sure that you show us if you get one. :)

Lori - what a darling room!