The One Classic Feature That's Quickly Disappearing From More And More Homes

If there's one thing that you've become accustomed to seeing in most older homes, it is likely a fireplace. Once used as an actual source of heating for a home, the feature has continued to be used as a design statement in homes built long after the development of modern heating systems. Because what's not to like? A fireplace is an impactful visual focal point, allowing you to showcase decor on the mantle, artwork hung above, and/or a showstopping surround or facade material. It gives you an incredible opportunity to show off your personal design style and taste in addition to giving off a generally warm, welcoming feeling. Plus, it actually does typically heat the room, making it a functional bonus and delight on cold nights.

But everyone's favorite cozy home feature is on a significant decline in new construction. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released data from the Survey of Construction (produced by the U.S. Census Bureau) on their blog, Eye on Housing, which indicated that only 41% of single-family homes started in 2018 included fireplaces, the lowest percentage on record since NAHB began logging consistent records in 2001. Their reasoning for this perpetual downslide in builders including this once-essential feature? Most signs point to cost, though a drop in necessity and interest also comes into play. Let's break down why fireplaces are on the outs for new home builds and why I think, as an interior designer, you should take these very pragmatic reasons with a grain of salt (and an armful of firewood).

With the costs of building materials and labor skyrocketing in recent years, today's new home builders are struggling to construct houses that people can afford. The affordability factor plays a huge role in the new construction market, causing builders to have to make tough cuts to their standard homes to keep price points attainable. Considering that it costs anywhere from $4,000 on the low end to over $20,000 on the high end to add a fireplace, with the average being about $8,000, it's no surprise that fireplaces have been on the chopping block thanks to their substantial price tags. In fact, NAHB reported only 7% of single-family homes started in 2018 that were priced under $150,000 showcased fireplaces, compared to over 60% in homes over the $500k price point. By simply omitting this one feature, builders are able to offer a more affordable build package. 

In addition, with modern heating systems doing most if not all of the legwork, fireplaces have moved from essential for managing a home's temperature to primarily decorative. Therefore, considering this lack of necessity and the large investment required, the general homeowner interest in having a fireplace is middle-of-the-road at best. NAHB's 2019 edition of What Home Buyers Really Want shared that 55% and 48% of home buyers rated gas and wood burning fireplaces (respectively) as desirable, but only 16% percent said either type of fireplace was an essential dealbreaker for purchasing a home. Therefore, it's easy to see how more builders are nixing the fireplace given that they cost a lot and so few clients find them to be crucial. Those who want one are able to upgrade, so standard packages are often forgoing this classic design statement in the name of affordability.

While the financial and functional arguments for adding a fireplace to your new build might be dwindling, I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to plead the case in favor, in my professional opinion. Here's the thing – designing a house on paper isn't all about the bottom line or maximizing practicality at the expense of all else. Yes, these things are incredibly important, but the truth is that it's the thoughtful, extra special details that transform a physical building into a cozy, welcoming family home that you'll enjoy for a long time. I would argue that a fireplace does the best job of creating that warm, homey atmosphere versus any other single design detail thanks to its hygge vibes.

Even the notion of a lit fire, whether the fireplace is actually in use or not, lends an inviting, intimate, cozy aesthetic to a room. In a time when everything is online and high-tech, fireplaces foster the instinctual, primitive need to gather together and connect on a human level, as well as provide a reason to unplug and be present. The atmospheric impact of a fireplace goes beyond aesthetics into the fiber of your daily life, bolstering the comfort of a space and promoting offline bonding with the people you love.

As they say, money can't buy happiness, but it can certainly buy cozy, hygge vibes that transform your house and even relationships, so I nearly always advise my clients that a fireplace is worth the splurge, even if it means finding savings elsewhere to stay on budget. Just my two cents on why maybe you should consider factors beyond finances and practically when designing your new build... you'll thank me later.