Have you heard of an electric fireplace entertainment center? While they are fairly new, they are quickly rising in popularity with homeowners across the country looking to install them. If you’re interested in this contemporary new item, keep reading and we’ll reveal just what they are and if they are worth spending money on.As the name suggests, an electric fireplace center is a console which can house your television, stereo and movies like traditional entertainment centers do. What makes this type different, though, is its ability to produce a digital flame with real heat. Most people are pretty shocked when they first feel the heat produced by an electric fireplace entertainment center, as it’s oftentimes warm enough to heat an entire room. Electric fireplace entertainment centers typically produce heat through an electric heating mechanism hidden within the console. Some of the heating mechanisms are larger and stronger than others, so it’s important to choose one large enough for the room you intend on placing it in.If you’ve ever owned a real fireplace, you probably know how messy they can be. Every time you haul in new wood, you’re almost certain to drop some on the carpet or flooring. Cleaning out the ashes after your fire is over is a whole different problem. Have you ever had ashes get into your carpet? If you haven’t, let me just tell you it’s not fun and certainly not easy to get out. Instead of having to deal with all of these headache-inducing stresses, swap out your fireplace for an electric fireplace entertainment center. It offers that same ambiance without all the maintenance and cleaning involved with real fireplaces.Of course you can’t forget about the electric fireplace entertainment centers ability to house your big-screen television. Big televisions just don’t look right when placed up against the wall by themselves. They need some sort of stand or enclosure to give them a complete look. Find an electric fireplace center that’s big enough to fit your television on and try using it. You’re almost to certain to find the room as a whole looks better and more complete.Electric fireplace entertainment centers are made for people with all types of budget. Some of the entry-level models go for as low as $400, while the most expensive ones top the $3,000 marker. Remember, though, price doesn’t always equal quality. Do your research on any model you’re considering buying and see what other customers have had to say. If there are a lot of hardware problems with the model, you probably want to move on to a different one. However, if customers are overall pleased with it, then it’s probably a good choice.Electric fireplace entertainment centers come in dozens of styles and designs to match any style decor you may have. Look for one that’s going to match the rest of your living room and wont stick out like a sore thumb. If you’re decorating a room from scratch, you’re in luck, as you can base the style of the room around the entertainment center and not vise versa.

An outdoor movie night is the perfect way to entertain families. If you have carefully chosen the movie for the event based on who will be attending, your event will almost surely be a success. What about before the movie begins, though? Guests will arrive at different times, and many will come early in order to secure a good spot. This is where pre-movie entertainment comes in.Plan to begin pre-movie entertainment about an hour before the movie is scheduled to begin. Activities before the movie starts will keep the crowd engaged, especially young children, who are likely to grow restless while waiting. Adding entertainment to the event also enhances the experience; instead of simply coming out and seeing a movie, movie night turns into a full evening of family fun. Families heading to events like this are looking for an affordable way to have fun as a family, and keep everyone entertained; offering entertainment in addition to the movie is a great way to meet these expectations for families.What type of entertainment should you plan for your outdoor movie night? This depends, in part, on the movie you are showing, and the demographics of the expected crowd. Bounce houses, face painting and carnival games are excellent choices for family friendly events, where children will be present. Be sure to plan ahead to ensure the success of these activities. During the summer months, especially, you will need to reserve a bounce house ahead of time to ensure availability. If you are planning to rent any special concession equipment such s a popcorn machine, be sure to reserve those items ahead of time as well.Concessions are appropriate for any event, and many guests will want to purchase snacks before the movie begins. Popcorn is a classic movie snack, others to consider include candy, and popsicles for summer movie nights.Consider planning themed entertainment for an especially memorable experience. If you are showing an Ice Age movie, for example, consider bringing in a snow machine.Pre-movie entertainment is also a great way to raise some money to help cover the production costs for the movie night. You can charge reasonable prices for snacks and small fees for carnival games to keep it affordable while raising money.Hosting a successful outdoor movie event takes careful thought and some time spent planning ahead. From choosing a movie, promoting the event, securing the equipment and preparing the venue, there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make these seemingly simple events successful. Putting in a little bit of extra effort to plan some pre-movie entertainment is worth the additional time and planning. Entertainment will set your movie night apart from other outdoor movie events and give attending families a special night to remember.