Heat & Glo: Rutherford 36

A fire that rises tall instead of wide, in the classic Rumford shape.

Quick Facts

• Heating Capacity: Designed for ambiance, not as a heat source.
• Viewing Area: 36″ wide and 38″ tall.
• Fuel: Wood.
• Fan: None

Who It’s For

Most fireboxes are wider than they are tall, and the fire sits low. A tall opening shows off the full height of the flames, the way the old Rumford fireplaces did. The Rutherford 36 is that shape in a modern, factory-built fireplace: an opening as tall as it is wide. It suits a reading room or a traditional living room where the fireplace should feel historic and grand.

What Makes It Special

You choose how the inside is built. Order herringbone or traditional refractory panels, or have the firebox laid with real firebrick in red, cream, or black, soap or split, for a hand-built look.

Matching brick hearth extensions are offered in the same patterns and colors, so the floor in front can tie into the firebox.

Possible Downsides

• The interior is a required, separate purchase. Pick a refractory set or firebrick.
• It is not approved for installation in Canada.
• As an open fireplace, it is built for ambiance.

If you love the look of a tall, old-world fire, the Rutherford 36 is the right decision. The fire becomes the tallest thing in the room worth looking at.

Choose firebrick or herringbone or traditional refractory, a matching brick hearth extension, black bi-fold glass doors, a gas burner with cement logs, a hearth extension, and a wood or non-combustible mantel shelf.