See-Through Fireplace Guide: 2-Sided vs 3-Sided Designs

A see-through fireplace has glass on the front and the back, so one fire shows in two rooms. A 3-sided fireplace adds glass on an end. That third window comes in two layouts: a peninsula sticks out from a wall and is seen from both faces and the tip, and a bay sits with its back to a wall and is seen from the front and both ends.

The part most buyers don't expect is that in several lines the see-through and the 3-sided model are the same firebox, with the same heat and the same price. What changes is the framing, the number of barrier screens and where the fireplace can go in the room. Every figure below comes from the specifications on our own product pages.

The difference in one paragraph

Choose a see-through when the fireplace sits in a wall between two spaces, like a kitchen and a living room, and both should see the fire. Choose a peninsula when the fireplace ends a half-wall or room divider and open floor wraps around the end. Choose a bay when the fireplace is the centerpiece of one open room and sticks out from a wall. "2-sided" can also mean a corner fireplace, glass on the front and one end, which is a different install from a see-through. Get the shape right first, because the framing has to be built for it.

The four shapes at a glance

There is also a fifth shape, the 4-sided island, with glass all the way around. The Sierra Flame Lyon 48 is one, at $12,999.

Same firebox, different framing: Empire Tahoe

Empire builds the Tahoe multi-sided fireplace as a See-Through (model DVP36SP) and a Peninsula (DVP36PP), and again as Clean Face versions of each. Put the spec sheets side by side and the see-through and peninsula are the same fireplace in different housings.

The heat is identical within each pair, and so is the price. The third side doesn't cost more on the fireplace itself. It costs one more barrier screen on the standard Tahoe, and the Clean Face models already include every barrier they need.

The framing is where they part. The peninsula frames narrower, 39" against 40" on the standard model and 41 3/4" against 45 1/2" on the Clean Face, because one end is glass instead of a framed wall. On the Clean Face Peninsula, the end window is 25" x 16 1/16" next to 25" x 31" on each face.

Both standard models include a dimmer-controlled accent light and a banded brick liner, use millivolt controls that run with no household electricity, and vent up to 40 ft vertical and 20 ft horizontal with rigid pipe. Empire does not offer doors for its multi-sided fireplaces. On the Clean Face models, the barrier screens sit flush with the face, so tile or stone can run right up to the glass on every side.

For more on how the Tahoe line is built, see our Empire Tahoe Deluxe vs Premium vs Luxury comparison.

Majestic See-Through 36 vs Pier 36: $90 apart

Majestic does the same thing with its 36-inch multi-sided pair. The See-Through 36 and the Pier 36 peninsula share a spec sheet:

• 38,000 BTU maximum input on natural gas, turning down to 21,000
• IntelliFire Touch ignition with battery backup
• Six ceramic fiber logs, glowing embers and lava rock in the box
• Tempered glass and a black steel refractory
• DVP direct vent pipe, with SLP venting and power venting approved
• Optional 160 CFM fan kit (GFK-160A) and a propane conversion kit (LPK-MS36-IFT)

The See-Through is $4,989 and the Pier is $4,899. Both need two black firescreen fronts (MSFR-36-BK) to finish, and the Pier also needs an end panel firescreen (MSEP-36-BK) for its third side. Either one converts to a modern look later with Majestic's STPR-MOD-KIT and glass media, which is why the logs-in-the-box version is a safe starting point.

One fireplace, two shapes: Empire Vail

The Empire Vail 36 is a single listing at $3,029 that you order as either a See-Through or a Peninsula. It is vent-free, so it needs no chimney, flue or vent pipe, which makes it the option for a middle-of-the-house wall where a vent run won't reach outside.

It puts out up to 38,000 BTU on natural gas or propane through a 22" x 36" opening on each face, plus a 22" x 19" end window on the Peninsula. Framing is 38" x 40" x 23" for the See-Through and 38" x 39" x 23" for the Peninsula. The Rock Creek refractory log set is required.

Vent-free comes with rules, and Empire's manual is specific about them:

• Room size. The space needs at least 50 cubic feet per 1,000 BTU of input. At 38,000 BTU that is at least 1,900 cubic feet.
• No bedrooms or bathrooms. The manual prohibits unvented heaters over 10,000 BTU in a bedroom and over 6,000 BTU in a bathroom, so the Vail can't go in either.
• Supplemental heat only. It has to run alongside a central furnace that circulates air.
• Local code. Some jurisdictions restrict unvented gas heaters, so check with your building department before you order.

If a vent route exists, the direct vent Tahoe costs $790 more and drops all of those conditions. Our direct vent explainer covers how that venting works.

See-through vs bay at the high end: Napoleon Luxuria

Napoleon splits its Luxuria line differently. The see-through and the 3-sided model are separate fireplaces, and the 3-sided one is a bay, not a peninsula.

Both include Dynamic Heat Control, which moves heat away from the wall above the fireplace without fans or ducts so a TV or artwork can go above it. On a see-through, that matters on both faces. Our guide to fireplace heat management systems explains how it works.

The Tall Bay's flexibility is its selling point. The same appliance can be built in as a bay, turned into a corner fireplace with the optional Corner Installation Kit, or closed in as a single-sided unit. Both models also need a vent terminal kit, ordered separately.

Electric: where 2-sided and 3-sided split apart

Electric is where the shape names cause the most confusion. Of the multi-sided electric fireplaces we carry, most install as corners and bays. Only a few are true front-and-back see-throughs.

Modern Flames Orion V2 Multi: single, corner or bay

The Orion V2 Multi is approved for three built-in styles: single-sided, two-sided with the right or left end exposed, and three-sided bay. Its two-sided mode is a corner, with glass on the front and one end. It is not a see-through.

• Sizes: 52, 60, 76, 100 and 120 inches, $4,999 to $13,499
• Heat: 5,000 BTU at 120V, or 10,000 BTU when wired for optional 240V
• Rough opening at 60": 59-1/2" x 24-3/4" x 9" minimum depth, with the bay opening slightly narrower at 59-1/8"
• Approved for indoor and covered outdoor use, built-in installs only

Our Orion Slim vs Multi comparison has the full framing table for every size.

Amantii Tru-View XL Deep: three, two or one side

The Tru-View XL Deep ships with end panels, so it installs three-sided, two-sided or front-facing. It has edge-to-edge 3-sided glass, is rated for indoor or outdoor use and runs on 120V at up to 4,800 BTU. The 50-inch model needs a 27 5/8" x 53 3/4" x 14 3/4" rough opening. It comes in 40, 50, 60 and 72 inches, from $2,599 to $3,999, which makes it the least expensive way into a 3-sided bay.

Napoleon CLEARion Elite: a true see-through electric

For an electric fireplace that shows the fire in two rooms, the CLEARion Elite 50 ($2,779) and CLEARion Elite 60 ($3,089) are built for it:

• Privacy glass that switches between transparent, semi-transparent and fully opaque
• Two remotes and independent heaters, so each room sets its own heat
• 5,000 BTU at 120V or 10,000 BTU at 240V
• Framed for an 8" wall, with a 43 5/8" x 12" viewing area on the 50
• Both a log set with Topaz glass embers and a crystal media bed included

The privacy glass is what makes a see-through workable between a bedroom and a bathroom. Modern Flames also makes the Nova Clear 48 see-through at $9,999. See all of them in our see-through electric fireplaces.

What the third side costs

Here are the four lines on this page that come in both a see-through and a peninsula version. In each one, the peninsula costs the same or less:

The real cost of the third side is in the build. A peninsula needs a half-wall or chase that ends in open floor, a finished surround on three faces, and a vent run that still reaches an exterior wall or the roof from wherever the fireplace sits. Price the framing and finishing before you choose on the fireplace price alone.

Sizes, output and prices

Prices at Dreamwood Living as of October 2026.

Gas

Electric

For larger gas peninsulas, the Sierra Flame Toscana comes in 38, 48 and 58 inches, from $9,559 to $13,999.

So which one

Start with where the fireplace sits in the room, then the fuel, then the look.

• In a wall between two rooms: see-through. The Empire Tahoe See-Through and Majestic See-Through 36 are the gas starting points, and the CLEARion Elite is the electric one.
• At the open end of a half-wall or room divider: peninsula. The Empire Tahoe Peninsula, Majestic Pier 36 or Empire Vail.
• Sticking out from a wall in one open room: bay. The Napoleon Tall Bay Luxuria in gas, or the Orion V2 Multi and Amantii Tru-View XL Deep in electric.
• In an inside corner: a corner install. The Orion V2 Multi, the Amantii Tru-View XL Deep, or the Tall Bay Luxuria with its corner kit.
• Between a bedroom and a bathroom: the Napoleon Luxuria See-Through, which is approved for both rooms, or the CLEARion Elite with privacy glass. The vent-free Vail is not allowed in either room.
• No way to run a vent outside: the vent-free Vail in a room of at least 1,900 cubic feet, or any of the electric models.
• A covered patio or indoor-outdoor wall: the Orion V2 Multi or Amantii Tru-View XL Deep, both rated for outdoor use.
• Still deciding between see-through and peninsula: look at the Tahoe or the Vail. They cost the same either way, so the room can decide.

Not sure which shape your space can take? Call us at 888-486-2909 with a sketch of the room and where a vent could exit, and we will tell you which models fit. We are here Monday to Saturday 9am to 9pm and Sunday 9am to 6pm CST. You can also browse all of our see-through and multi-sided fireplaces, or narrow it to see-through direct vent gas fireplaces.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a see-through and a 3-sided fireplace?

A see-through has glass on the front and back and sits in a wall between two rooms. A 3-sided fireplace adds glass on one or both ends: a peninsula is seen from both faces and one end, and a bay is seen from the front and both ends.

Is a peninsula fireplace the same as a 3-sided fireplace?

A peninsula is one kind of 3-sided fireplace. The other is a bay. A peninsula juts out from a wall like a kitchen peninsula, with glass on both long sides and the tip. A bay keeps its back to the wall, with glass on the front and both short ends. The Empire Tahoe Peninsula and Majestic Pier are peninsulas. The Napoleon Tall Bay Luxuria is a bay.

Does a 3-sided fireplace cost more than a see-through?

Not in the lines compared here. The Empire Tahoe, Tahoe Clean Face and Vail cost the same as see-throughs and peninsulas, and the Majestic Pier 36 is $90 less than the Majestic See-Through 36. The extra cost comes from the third barrier screen, the extra surround and the framing.

Do see-through fireplaces put out less heat?

Not by rating. The Tahoe See-Through and Tahoe Peninsula are both rated 35,000 BTU on natural gas. A see-through puts its heat into two rooms instead of one, so size it for the combined space it serves.

Can a see-through fireplace go between a bedroom and a bathroom?

Some can. The Napoleon Luxuria See-Through is approved for bedroom and bathroom installs, and the CLEARion Elite electric adds privacy glass that turns opaque. Vent-free gas units like the Vail are not permitted in bedrooms or bathrooms.

Do see-through gas fireplaces need a vent?

Direct vent models do, and the vent has to reach an exterior wall or the roof. The Tahoe allows up to 40 ft vertical and 20 ft horizontal with rigid pipe. Vent-free models like the Vail need no vent pipe, but they come with room size, room type and local code limits.

Is there a see-through electric fireplace?

Yes. The Napoleon CLEARion Elite 50 and 60 are true front-and-back see-throughs with independent heaters and a remote for each side, and Modern Flames makes the Nova Clear 48. The Orion V2 Multi and Amantii Tru-View XL Deep install as corners and 3-sided bays but not as see-throughs.

Can I mount a TV above a see-through fireplace?

The Napoleon Luxuria See-Through includes Dynamic Heat Control, which allows a TV, sound bar or artwork above the fireplace. On other models, follow the mantel and clearance charts in the installation manual for each face.