Generally people who live in apartments, town homes do not have the space to arrange traditional fireplace. So electric fireplace are best alternatives for traditional fireplaces.
You can find the corner electric fireplaces which are excellent heat sources. They provide a realistic flame effects by using patented flame technology. They easily warm up the rooms without need of vents like traditional fireplaces. So these electric-fireplaces work well even in small homes or small places. Generally, corners in a room are not used, hence, these type of models are easily installed in corners. You can purchase fireplaces, which matches for your current decor of your home. These type of designed fireplaces save the space in your home.
Another type of fireplaces are wall mount electric fireplace, which are best for small apartments and rooms. If the corner is not available in a room, then this is the best choice. They can be attached to the wall. These fireplaces are very useful for a home, where single couple and small families live. There are some inset models also, which are installed permanently. These fireplaces can heat the room up to 400 square feet. They are cost efficient, so any average person can afford them.
So these fire places can be the best supplemental to the winter.