I have an open fire in the drawing room but you have to be careful what type of wood you burn in an open fire. Anything that spits and your carpet is fucked You get every bit as good a heat with properly seasoned wood as you do from coal and as you say, it smells nicer too.
I have a couple of log burning stoves in the house which are just fantastic things. I have old stables that I can put the seasoned wood into and I have got a huge pile of it, probably enough to last me three or four years now. When its dry it burns hot and lasts for bloody ages too. You do needs loads of space to store wood or youll end up having to burn the crap unseasoned shite that log sellers flog(telling you its perfectly dry of course)
I kept the thorn back for really cold nights as a big log will burn hot for hours Didn't think Id be needing it at this stage in the year though. Ridiculous weather.