I've been thinking a lot lately about how wonderful it would be to have a fireplace to not only create a more cozy atmosphere but also to warm up the house without always having to pump up the heat. A fireplace is not a common feature in city apartments where I live. Some flats have ceramic stoves in the living or dining rooms, but the typical fireplace-with-mantle is not popping up whenever I do a property search so I'm guessing they're not the norm.

I'm trying to think of how I can incorporate one into my home at some point -- but it's not something you can really run out and build if you happen to find a flat in a building that you love without a chimney or stove so I'm looking at alternate options, like a wood stove or even something portable. Thing is, all of them look so cheesy or boring until today when I read about portable fireplaces over at LoftLife magazine and came across this brilliant one -- the Piet -- by Swedish designer Fredrik Hylten-Cavallius. I. Love. It.

"Swedish designer Fredrik Hylten-Cavallius designed the Piet, a chimney-free indoor fireplace with a brass reflector that burns ethanol fuel instead of wood. Because it doesn’t give off smoke, there is no need for a chimney, making it versatile and portable. It also has a layer of rockwool fire insulation between the reflector and the outer shell, which keeps the outside ceramic body cool, so you can keep it close to walls and furniture without worrying." - LoftLife

What do you think?

(images: Fredrik Hylten-Cavalliu)