Our History.
Sustainable Hearth, a new name for European Home electric fireplaces. Owners Holly and John Markham (above).
History
Sustainable Hearth is both old and new. With roots from early 2000s when Holly and John founded European Home. Empire Comfort purchased European Home’s gas fireplace business in May 2026. Our new company, Sustainable Hearth, focuses on electric fireplaces that offer the same clean lines and high quality as our former gas fireplace lines.
What is it about design that particularly excites you?
I find design to be emotional. Something visceral happens to you when you sit in a particularly well-crafted chair or hold the perfect hand-made coffee mug in your hands. I am largely self-taught in design so I feel fortunate to be a part of a thriving design community. We collaborate with inspirational architects, builders, and designers, helping them bring their overall design vision to life. It really is a wonderful feeling to be a part of a larger design-driven community.
Why are fireplaces still so relevant to interior design?
Fireplaces provide a gathering place and appeal to people because of their warmth and visual allure. They encourage conversation, relaxation, and it brings us back to our roots as people. There is simply an emotional and universal draw to fire.