Traditional fireplaces 'are hot right now'

An increasing number of new and renovated properties are incorporating a fireplace in the main living room, it has been revealed.

Developer Barton Wyatt has claimed that a traditional fire is a welcome feature in any home and more and more people are using a traditional hearth to warm their properties.

Anyone embarking on a self build can instil a touch of class to the project with the addition of such a feature, according to Oliver Clarke, sales manager at the firm.

"A fireplace and an open fire in the home are associated with wealth and prosperity - they are a positive attribute for any property," he says.

Evolutionary psychologist Dr Lance Workman says that fire has played a key role in the evolution of man: "We don't simply 'un-evolve' such reward systems just because we live in centrally heated houses today."

This year there has been a 40 per cent increase in demand for fuel for open fires, according to The Solid Fuel Association.