I think chimneys do have a romantic vibe to them indeed.
My parents had one, and I must admit it felt great. But it's a pain in the ass to take care of indeed.
Actually I think there is something that I like better than chimneys, and that's old fire kitchens.
You know, the ones completely made of iron, where you would burn wood and you would cook your food on top of them.
And the whole kitchen would be warm, and the family would always gather around it.
*googles an image up*
Like this.
Not sure whether they were common in other countries though.