A led 65" display can be programed with not only a fireplace fire with sound but you could mix it up with a campfire image. Modern tech is great.

Illinois property taxes are the reason we did without. I would have liked one otherwise. If you have the space, budget and desire for it, go for it!

Where do you live? If you're in a warm southern state, I'd pass. But if you're someplace with cold or dreary winters, I vote for a direct vent gas fireplace. I had one in my last home and absolutely loved it. October through April, I would switch it on in the morning while getting ready for work, and again as soon as I got home in the evening. Always made the house feel cozy. My current home has a wood burning fireplace that I seldom use, but I'm contemplating retrofitting it with a gas log. I miss my gas fireplace!

We are building in Tennessee.

We just built in Texas and went with a gas fireplace for the first time ever (only had either regular wood burning, or no fireplace at all in the past). It is vented & a linear style by Heatilator. I wasn't too sure about it when we first installed it & tested it out and was kinda kicking myself for not going with some of the newer models that do not put out heat at all & are just for looks year round (they use water). BUT, now that cool weather has hit here, I am LOVING it and so thankful we put it in. I have yet to turn on my heater and we got down pretty cold the last couple of days. We are foam insulated so our home hold temps well and has not gotten colder inside than mid to low 60s. I turned on the gas fireplace this morning when I got up and it got our home up to 71 inside and it was in the 40s outside. My dogs are also loving it & have been hibernating in the living room near the fireplace. My living room is also vaulted. Side walls are 11.5' and then vaulted to I think around 20 ft but I might be wrong on the peak measurement...husband is asleep or I'd ask him. I might be off a couple feet either direction. (rest of downstairs has 10' ceilings)

@PDF. We have just finished framing, so I am aware of the height and I am only 5'3". The ceilings are grand and allow for beautiful lake views.

@Junk*Salvation thank you so much for the input, sounds very similar to ours. Our walls are 14' with a 24' peak and the rest of the floor is 9' ceilings. We are also using foam insulation.

@dan1888 I actually suggested this to my husband.... he looked at me like I had lost my mind. Maybe I can convince him an electric fireplace unit would trick him enough 😂

@Brandie May Check out the water vapor fireplaces! I'm amazed by some of the newest ones out there. Had I seen them sooner, I *might* have went with it just so that I could run it year round for ambience, if wanted (again. loving my gas fireplace right now though).

With such tall ceilings, I'm hoping you have ceiling fans as hot air rises and you want to push it back down for comfort and energy efficiency.

@kudzu9 We will have 2 fans that push 8000-1000 CFM. My research suggested atleast 5000 CFM.

I can’t remember the company but there is an electric fireplace co that had a fireplace that was so real looking it fooled me and normally nothing like that fools me