With winter in full swing, adding the warmth of a fireplace to your home may be at the top of your 2012 to-do list. Now, thanks to the new linear fireplaces, the ambience of a hearth is no longer reserved for the living room or den … or even a wall with a chimney. “A linear fireplace works like any other fireplace,” explained Stefanie Hetzke, owner of the Hetzke Design Group in D.C., who said these modern fire features are typically metal, gas-fueled, rectangular units with an overall width that is generally about twice their height.

“It is much more of a contemporary or a transitional look,” said Tracy Morris, principal and owner at Tracy Morris Design in Bethesda.