Light a fire inside the hearth

For me, the fall season isn’t official until it gets cold enough

to light a fire in the fireplace. This week we inaugurated autumn.

My favorite fireplace is in our living room. It’s not because of

the ambience or the furniture or the location. I like a fire in the

living room because it’s easy. That’s all it takes to satisfy me ...

just keep it simple.

I used to think if you went to the trouble of having a fire, you

needed real wood. The oxygen-burning, makes-a-lot-of-ashes,

don’t-forget-to-open-the-flue kind of fire. And I still like that

kind of fire, occasionally.

But the fireplace that will be used most often is the fireplace

with the gas logs. I used to put gas logs on the top of my “things I

will never do” list. Well, that list has come and gone about a

hundred times. I also said I would never have big, bright plastic

play equipment for the kids. Right.

So as I enter my “never say never” years, a gas fire is the

perfect fit for the hectic pace our family keeps. Gas logs have come

a long way from the last generation of fakes. As far as I’m

concerned, there are gas logs to fit any style and any room.

Looking for rustic? They’ve got it. Want a few pinecones? They’re

yours. There are as many kinds of gas logs as you can find fireplaces

to put them in. There is even a version that stands up to the

elements outside.

Firepits will never be the same.

More pluses: you never run out of wood to burn, you never have

spiders crawling out of the logs and you never have to clean ashes

out of the fireplace. Also, spewing embers will never burn the wool

rugs, and there will never be exploding sap to send your pets into

fits of hysteria.

Even the fiberglass “stuff” that surrounds the logs looks like

glowing embers when it gets hot.

If you have a never-been-used-before fireplace, you’ll need to get

some fireproof, black paint to cover the inside bricks. There are

paints made especially for firebricks and painting the interior will

give your fireplace depth and a used look.

I still like all of the accouterments like andirons, tools and

decorative screens. Even though they are not a necessity, it’s like

the icing on the cake.

You’ll need a grate of some sort to raise the logs off the ground

so the gas line can run underneath. Fire grates come as fancy or as

plain as you like. They come in many styles and price ranges.

Andirons are a must have. They don’t have to be expensive, but

they do set the tone for your “look.” The same is true for screens.

The vintage variety can be pricey. Cool, but pricey.

And now for the piece de resistance: the gas key. You can have a

run-of-the-mill key (like mine) or you can have a gas key that looks

like a scepter. I like the idea of a scepter. Some have incredible

details like crystal knobs, oil rubbed bronze finishes or carved wood

handles. Or you can go to the hardware store and get one for $3.

Whatever your preference, light a fire on chilly evenings. Or

treat yourself to lunch by the fire, reading mail by the fire ...

just keep it simple.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Sundays.