gas fireplace vs wood fireplace

There is nothing better than sitting by the fire on a cold wintery day or night.
Now I am a fan of the wood fire, I don't particularly like anything faux, but I recently came across the Pure Vision from Real Flame and it got me thinking about a more modern shaped range.  I am thinking that one of these gas fireplaces finished something like the images below could be the answer for my living room.  

Reasons to put in a gas fireplace:

• Instant gratification, turns on with the flick of a switch
• No wood, no mess
• Cheaper to install 
• You don't need a fire surround and can install over a wooden floor
• Not allowed to have wood fires in some suburbs

Why I still love a wood fire:

• That gorgeous smell of wood fire
• The crackle of wood burning

Style notes:
Both fireplaces are: low to the ground, have a strong textural feature, and the top of the fireplace is low too.  The barnwood fireplace, by Giorgio Possenti, at top is my favourite, I just love how the wood has been set in a modern pattern.
I also like the glass panels at the edges of fire in the second image, very similar to the Pure Vision from Real Flame.  The finish is polished black concrete but would be gorgeous in metal too.

I also like these double fronted fireplaces on the side of the chimney wall, they would work with the Double Vision from Real Flame. 

Above: amazing loft (photographer unknown)  
Below: plywood fireplace by Paul de Ruiter Architects, photographed by Tim van de Velde,

This may just be the year of the gas fireplace for our home.  This post was sponsored by Real Flame but all comments and opinions are, as usual, my own.

Double Vision & Pure Vision both from Real Flame, barn wood panel detail