Australian Country Homes

ALL FIRED UP

Humans are drawn to fire. It’s a fact. It’s in our DNA. In America, the candle industry is worth a whopping $2 billion. So, what is it about a flickering flame that captivates our senses? According to some scientists, including anthropologist Daniel Fessler from the University of California, Los Angeles, adult fixation with fire stems from our childhood, when most in Western societies failed to master fire during their youth. Since fire was essential to our survival and evolution, some primal instinct within us is subconsciously attracted to it. This is all conjecture, and the true reason we love a crackling fire is manifold, but there’s no denying the huge uptake in domestic fireplaces over the past decade. In fact, interior designers and savvy homeowners are using fire to add definition to open-plan kitchen and living areas.

If you can’t stand the heat … put a fireplace near your kitchen

When you think about it, the lack of fireplaces in the kitchen is odd.

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