If you’re planning a move to the Sunshine State from a colder climate, you might regret leaving one aspect of your former home behind — the fireplace.
It’s a common feature where winter is a prolonged experience, and sentimental attachments can make the parting more sorrowful. You might recall warming up before a crackling fire during 
But fear not. Florida can have cool winter days — sometimes chilly ones if a strong cold front plunges our way — which means a fireplace won’t be superfluous in your new custom home.
Read on for how to enjoy fireplaces in sunny Florida.
Research the typical weather in your new town
Why? It can be very different depending on where you move.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Hardiness Zone Map plots the North American continent with 11 different planting zones. Zone 1 is arctic-cold and Zone 11 is equatorial-hot.
Remember that Florida is mostly a north-south peninsula. Its northern counties, including its Gulf Coast Panhandle, are Zone 8. You’ll get the occasional, scattered freeze watch or warning.
Heading south, central Florida is mostly Zone 9 and there’s not as much to fear from freezes (a big reason the state’s citrus industry is concentrated here).
Further south, the climate is tropical, in Zone 10. You’re closer to the equator and the Caribbean, so “chilly” in weather forecasts becomes relative. That might be 50-degree lows!
You’re more likely to use a fireplace on a regular basis the further north you live in Florida. But keep reading. We promise you can have one anywhere you end up.
Gas or wood-burning?
We know. The aromatic smells of pine, oak and charcoal. But gas fireplaces are easy to start, and need no continual stoking, feeding and tending.
Plus, you don’t have to store wood and haul ashes through the house to a trash bin.
Some ICI Homes community are natural gas communities while others have more traditional fireplace options available. Talk to an Online Sales Counselor about which options are available in which communities.
Either way, try this during the warmest parts of the year: use your fireplace to display aromatic candles or house plants.
Take them outdoors
Want to enjoy a Florida fireplace in a less traditional manner? Make it part of your outdoor living space.
One perk of Florida living is the opportunity to be active outside year-round. A fireplace can be a component of that. Every ICI Homes home comes with a lanai, and you can work with one of our floorplan designers to dream up more options.
The summer kitchen — an outdoor cooking, dining, and serving area — is a staple of Florida living. How about a pizza oven?
Another popular option is a freestanding outdoor fireplace with a chimney, a built-in fire pit, or a portable firebox you can move around and use to create homemade S’mores any time of year.
Ready for your new custom Florida home? Talk to ICI Homes here.