If you were to go back ten years, the term ‘media wall’ wasn’t so widespread, unless of course, you operated in the world of interior design. Today, it’s not just the experts who know all about media walls; you’ve more than likely seen examples in real life, whether that’s at your friend’s house, a property viewing, in a lifestyle magazine or perhaps a video that’s trending on TikTok.

You’ll no doubt find lots of information on our website, but we wanted to focus this article on the many options available to you when building a high-end media wall that will add value to your home, elevate your room’s decor and wow your visitors. So let’s start by cutting right to the point, what’s the best type of fire for a media wall?

Electric brings class and convenience to modern-day homeowners

Looking for the most convenient solution to install and run? An electric fire could be your answer. This particular market has been experiencing rapid growth year-on-year, not just here in London but across the UK. People are looking for more convenient, economical and eco-friendly methods of home, and many electric fireplace manufacturers have made huge strides forward in terms of delivering ultra-realistic LED electric fires – and who doesn’t love transforming the ambience at the flick of a switch? However, while electric fires are clever, convenient and relatively cost-effective in the long run, there are plenty of other options to consider when building your dream media wall fire.

Positives of Electric Fires

  • Highly energy-efficient and cost-effective
  • Stress-free installation as no chimney or vent is required
  • Perfect if you have young children and pets (cool-to-touch surfaces heighten safety)
  • Minimal maintenance with no chimney cleaning required
  • Eco-friendly with zero emissions
  • Wide range of styles
  • Customisable flame heights, colours and sounds

Drawbacks of Electric Fires:

  • Less authentic appearance
  • 100% reliant on electricity (not ideal for homes suffering frequent power outages)
  • Lower heat output (generally 2kW max)
  • Not suitable for heating larger spaces

Gas is the go-to option for genuine fires and real dancing flames

Whilst it would be an understatement to say that electric fires have come a long way, some people will always want the real deal – that is, a truly authentic fire to sit at the heart of their media wall. If this sounds like you, you’ll prefer a gas fire for your media wall. These use natural gas or LPG to create heat and flames, giving you substantial warmth. You can choose the right heat output for your needs, but to give you an idea, we’d say 1 – 5kW heat output is ideal for a small room, 5 – 8kW for a medium-sized room and 8kW plus for large rooms. The heat is also not as dry as it would be with an electric fire so that quality and authenticity is clear to see and feel the moment you step into the room. Like electric fires, gas media walls can also be relatively easy to maintain, and there’s no ash or soot to worry about. That said, depending on your property, you may require new gas lines to be installed, and venting requirements will obviously need to be met.

Positives of Gas Fires

  • Many high-efficiency gas fires on the market convert more of the fuel they burn into warmth
  • Will work during power outages
  • Wide range of styles
  • Authenticity with real flames and natural heat
  • Flueless models can be installed in almost any room (and are equipped with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) for added safety)

Drawbacks of Gas Fires:

  • A flue (or an outlet to vent the fireplace’s waste) may be required
  • Although a flueless gas fire doesn’t require a flue, the room in which it is installed must have adequate ventilation
  • Must stay on top of maintenance
  • A gas fire needs to be safety checked and serviced at least once a year
  • A gas fire can be more expensive to run than electric fires

You may love the idea of an electric fire from a convenience standpoint but prefer real flames and want something that will keep you warm should you ever have a power outage. There’s a lot to consider, but finding the right solution will be ten times easier when you can see a wide variety of live displays and experience those differences in detail. At Something Different, we welcome customers from near and far to our showroom in Chingford, helping them narrow down their options and ultimately choose the right fireplace for their needs now and in the future. If you’d like to learn more about us and how we can help you, please contact us here or call our friendly team on 020 8529 1010.