Added the beloved day of November 30, 2008

As the chill sets in and nibbles at the noses of holiday shoppers and partiers, more and more reasons to throw logs into the fireplace and spark up some crackling warmth come to mind. Fortunately, if you lack the aesthetic joy of a real fireplace in your home, now you can have the next best thing, without even worrying about having a chimney or not. We discovered just the architecturally chic fireplaces to warm your spirits after setting down your bags or to welcome your guests with fabulously festive flickers.

Our divinely designed find, Planika Fires, makes stylish free-standing fireplaces for any home. The fireplaces use rocks doused with liquid FANOLA®, which burns smoke-free, so no worries about lugging in firewood or cleaning up soot and ashes. You also can place the fireplaces indoors or outdoors without worries of succumbing to noxious fumes. Whether you'd like a chic fire pit to set the ambiance for a party or special occasion, or need a heating alternative for snippy winter nights, the distinctively modern designed hearths should tickle the prettiment of those who love magazines like 'Dwell' or 'Architectural Digest', like we do!

Planika Fires offers more than a dozen "eco flames" fireplace designs, ranging from the more petite (like our favorite Venetian glass centerpiece fireplace pictured above) to the more substantial free-standing models (like those pictured below). They also offer models you can install directly into a wall, just as you would a normal fireplace, but that require no chimney or fugly demolition.

If you need more info before clicking on, here's info directly from Planika Fires that does a much better job of describing the technical and eco-pretty details than we could:

"Planika Fires do not require any special installation. To each model we attach an easy and detailed instruction of usage and assembly. You can enjoy real fire after 10 minutes of receiving the product. The lighting of Planika Fire is extremely easy and safe. After filling the container with FANOLA®, use a special lighter with an extended tip and you may enjoy the charm of the living fire in an instant.

Planika Fires use a special liquid FANOLA®. As a result, the fire is free of smoke or smell. Having been thoroughly tested, the liquid received a positive opinion of specialists from the Environmental Toxicology Department of the National Institute of Hygiene as regards its safety for people and the environment with reservation of use in accordance with designation, label instructions and operations manual. FANOLA® is a biologically clean product of plant origin, which has undergone rectification three times. It constitutes a wholly renewable source of energy. Burning FANOLA® is not accompanied by fumes or smell. Only water vapour and CO2 are emitted - in proportions similar to those contained in the air exhaled by humans."

- Learn more about Planika Fires