Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, well known to us all from our lockdown television screens, has just released an annual report on air quality in the UK. The Stove Industry Association (SIA) made a significant contribution, and the resulting report provides a fair and balanced appraisal. The findings confirm much of what the wood-burning stove community has been saying for some years now.
The report highlights the issues with open fires and old woodstoves and endorses the use of modern Ecodesign wood-burning stoves and encourages the use of best wood-burning stove practices.
Air pollution emissions can be significantly reduced “…using modern, less polluting stoves and burning wood that is dry”. Additionally, “For air pollution emissions, there is substantial difference between the different open fire and stove designs, the age of the appliance and how well maintained it is, and the moisture content of the wood, for those who want to burn wood.”
Chair of the SIA, Andy Hill, commented: “In this Report the CMO and his team have considered a wide range of contributors to air pollution from industry, transport, and transboundary sources, as well as domestic solid fuel heating. We are pleased that the report recognises the huge advances in stove appliance technology that have been driven by the Ecodesign regulations and that it calls for the Clean Air Act requirements for smoke control areas to be properly adhered to. The report also highlights potentially ground-breaking new technology in some industries, and, similarly, the stove industry continues to develop and invest in new technology to reduce emissions even further.”
The myriad benefits of wood burning
The report recognises that the reasons for burning solid fuel in the home are varied with Professor Whitty noting that these include “aesthetic as well as practical, ecological or economic reasons”.
This line is important and acknowledges the unique qualities wood-burning stoves possess. It is something that we feel should be more fully recognised when making evaluations and comparing the overall impact of each home heating solution.
The myriad benefits wood burning offers the individual and society cannot be fully replicated by any other heating solution. Wood-burning stoves offer potential carbon neutrality, significant well-being benefits, heat security and perhaps most importantly right now, low-cost fuel.
Wood burning – the past, present and the future
With the recent positive progress of nuclear fission in the news, there is real hope on the far horizon for an energy source that transforms our society. However, even when this possibility is realized, likely many decades into the future, there will still be a strong argument for wood burning stoves. Perhaps not as a main source of domestic heating, but as a tool for connection and social bonding, while offering a supplementary heat source for when inevitable interruptions of supply occur.
Until then, wood-burning stoves have a key role to play in helping families through the challenging times we all face. No other heat solution can provide such a range of benefits that help so directly with the cost-of-living crisis and contribute to the environmental goal of Net Zero 2050.
Interior design can have a dramatic impact on the overall look and feel of a room, but this doesn’t always require a complete overhaul of a space – or even super matchy-matchy decor, for that matter. No, often it takes just one or two key features to transform a room from bland to beautiful.
Want to know more? Well, luckily for you, today we’ll be sharing a number of focal feature ideas for different areas of the home that are guaranteed to completely change a room’s ambience. From eye-catching staircases to cosy boiler stoves and more, we’ll show you how just one focal feature can steal the show.
1. Use stairs to create heavenly hallways
There’s no escaping the fact that most hallways simply serve the purpose of ushering people through to the more exciting rooms. However, as the gateway to your home, let your hallway be the star of the show for a change, using your stairs as an eye-catching feature.
If you have the space and budget, one idea is to install a fairytale spiral staircase. Curving around as you ascend to the next level brings something magical to a typically mundane act, as well as creating a stunning focal point for your home.
For more traditional staircases, why not use colour to accentuate their natural beauty? This could be brightly coloured carpet runners or a bold wallpaper print used on the back of stair treads. You could even go for painted stair treads or spindles in an ombre effect for a more playful look. The key here is to pair bold tones and patterns with pale, neutral hues like white, light grey or cream to allow the colours to speak for themselves.
2. Create a focal feature with fire
Fireplaces are a tried and tested focal feature in many homes, and for good reason. Back in the olden days, they were the place to gather to keep warm and cook, but in modern homes they offer the perfect opportunity to make a stylish design element – regardless of whether the fireplace is functional or not.
If you’re blessed with a traditional-style open fireplace with a mantlepiece or chimney breast, bring it bang up to date with a colourful makeover. This could be embellishing the hearth with patterned tiles or giving the fireplace itself a fresh coat of paint. If the fire isn’t usable, don’t leave it empty. Use candles, flowers or other decorative ornaments to draw the eye in and transform it from a functional element of the room to an integral design piece.
Of course, open-fireplaces aren’t your only option. If you’re looking to give your living room a cosy feel, then a free-standing stove could be the way to go. With models available in a choice of colours and styles, you can give the heart of your home that centrepiece it deserves. Finish your design with a collection of stove accessories like a funky wood basket and a sumptuous rug laid in front of the fire for soaking up that warm glow of an evening.
For further information on enhancing your fireplace design, check out our blog here.
3. Give your kitchen the wow factor
Whatever set up you have in your kitchen, this busy room is primed for making a style statement in your home – and it doesn’t require a full-scale kitchen makeover either. Instead, pick one key feature to update and let this be the core focus of your kitchen interior.
As the workhorse of most kitchens, we love the idea of making your kitchen worktops do more than just food prep and display various kitchen appliances. With a simple countertop update, you can transform the entire look and feel of your kitchen without even having to consider replacing any other integral pieces like cabinets and appliances.
For a timeless look that can be adapted to both classic and contemporary kitchen design, sleek and elegant granite worktops are a sensible choice. Not least, they’re incredibly durable and practical, meaning they’ll stay looking pristine and beautiful for decades with minimal effort, but also the wide choice of colours gives them incredible versatility to suit almost any decor style.
For more information around why you should have a fireplace in your kitchen, check out our blog here.
4. Let original features shine through
Whether you’re updating your bedroom, living room or kitchen, sometimes you don’t need to invest in adding new decorative details to a space to give it a fresh new look. Stripping back rooms to accentuate their original features can work equally as well in altering its aesthetic.
If your property has some quirky original features like exposed brickwork, wooden ceiling beams or vintage parquet floors, let these features come to the fore. You may think this will only work if you love rustic or industrial interiors, but you’d be wrong.
Contrasting old and new interiors correctly can make these design elements even more distinctive. Think a high-end modern all-white kitchen set against a striking red brick backdrop with pops of zesty coloured accents added in to soften the look. Or an ultra minimalist bedroom design that’s centred around original wooden floors, using a cool colour palette and simplistic decor to highlight its natural beauty.
Whichever avenue you choose to go down with giving your home defining focal features, we hope this gives you plenty of ideas on how to use one or two core elements in your interior design to transform the space.
Author bio:
Sophie Armstrong is a content creator for granite and quartz worktop specialists Burlington Granite who provide a full bespoke worktop solution by offering templating, cutting, polishing and fitting, all driven by 25 years of industry experience
When it comes to choosing firewood for burning on your stove or creating an outdoor fire, there’s plenty to consider. The best results rely on opting for the best type of firewood for your needs.
So, to give you a helping hand, we’ve created a guide to everything you need to know about firewood.
First and foremost, there are two different types of firewood, falling under two distinct categories – hardwood and softwood.
What is hardwood?
Hardwoods are denser than soft woods, making them ideal for creating indoor fires. Popular hardwoods include oak, birch and ash. All are ideal for heating your home.
Hardwood is best suited for indoor environments as it produces more heat and burns for longer.
What is softwood?
Softwoods are less dense and ignite faster. This makes them far better for fuelling outdoor fires, as they can produce a little more smoke which can be unpleasant if they are burned indoors.
Again, there are lots of different types of softwood, including pine, cedar and larch. The best type of softwood for your fire will depend on your needs and how you plan to use it.
Seasoning your wood
Once you’ve chosen your firewood, you’ll need to ensure it is seasoned correctly before you attempt to light up your fire.
Seasoning involves ensuring that your wood is properly dried out in order to get the best out of your fire. Wood that contains moisture or is not fully dry won’t burn efficiently and will be slow to ignite. Suitable wood should have a moisture content of less than 20%.
There are a few ways to check whether or not your wood is correctly seasoned. For example, if your wood is light and has cracks on the ends, it’s highly likely that it has dried out. Another way to check is to examine the colour of your wood. Wood is usually yellow, grey or deep brown when it is dry. At Charnwood we do offer a pronged moisture metre that can be inserted in the log to give you an accurate moisture reading.
If buying wood in smaller volumes look out for the Woodsure ‘Ready to Burn label’ which guarantees a moisture content less than 20%.
Split up your logs
A fire will burn far more effectively if you split your logs into halves or quarters. This will help your wood to dry quicker too. As a general rule of thumb, you should try and cut your wood up into pieces that are between three to six inches. For larger outdoor fire pits or wood furnaces, they can be slightly larger.
Avoid storing firewood in your home
Finally, you should avoid storing large quantities of firewood in your home. Why? Firewood is notorious for being the home of choice for ants and other creepy crawlies, so it’s not a good idea to bring your logs into your home, unless you want them to bring their extra guests in with them!
Instead, create a dedicated storage area for your firewood outside such as a woodshed, a ventilated storage container or even a dedicated area protected by a natural bark barrier. Your wood should also be kept well ventilated season to season.
For more information around keeping your property safe while using a wood-burning stove, check out our blog here.
If you have any questions about firewood or any other aspect of using your wood burner or stove, please get in touch.
After a long tough year, we are all starting to feel the urge to nestle down and hibernate so that we feel restored for the new year. The onset of winter, with temperatures plummeting and days drawing in, depriving us of much-needed light, can be ominous for many. However, believe it or not, there are some who not only tolerate the season well but actively look forward to it – wood-burning stove owners!
After all, a wood-burning stove provides the perfect antidote to the cold and darkness; and yet a wood-burning stove is much more than just a heating device. The recent Charnwood Wellbeing Survey provides some fascinating insight into life with a stove. Relating to Christmas and the holiday period, participants detailed the huge impact a stove made on their experience. Providing a unique warmth and light that lifts spirits and restores the body, while being the perfect focal point to gather around for present sharing and game playing. Helping families form those core memories that last and sustain a lifetime and building traditions that encourage a coming together and a sense of reconnection year after year.
For additional information on how to use a wood-burning stove, check out our additional blog here.
Making special occasions even more special
Below are some survey responses from Charnwood owners.
“Christmas Day spent with all the family and grandchildren gathered around our stove brings happy memories all year round.”
“Christmas especially. The stove just provides a much-needed atmosphere on a cold winter’s night. You feel relaxed, cosy and there is something about it that just welcomes you into the living room. I couldn’t live without it.”
“It’s a ritual on Christmas morning to rekindle the stove, and to unwrap the presents without a fire is unthinkable. There’s something magical about children in their pyjamas sitting on the rug in the cosy space in front of a blazing stove.”
“My young nephew visited at Christmas & we built the fire together. It was the first time he had ever lit a real fire. We celebrated with toasting marshmallows! It wasn’t just building a fire – it was building a memory.”
The inclement weather can naturally make us feel a little more vulnerable and with recent gas price rises and supply issues, those worries are perhaps a little more valid than usual. Stove owners report, however, that they benefit from the peace of mind gained from having a backup power source.
“We love our log burner. It makes us feel warm, safe and secure. It helps heat the whole house, which has proved an asset in power cuts. Nothing beats sitting in the living room with the warmth of the fire in the depths of winter.”
“Lighting the stove after a walk by the sea during winter is a joyful experience. Has helped to alleviate the worry of power failures as we live in an area prone to electricity outages during bad weather. Just knowing that we have our lovely stove for independent heat and low light is fab.”
“Having a wood burner means I am less vulnerable in power cuts. I can still have heating, boil a kettle, cook food if I need to.”
If you’d like a stove as a backup or main source of heat but thought you couldn’t have one without a traditional fireplace – Vlaze and Charnwood offer the solution!
For further information on how our wood-burning stoves help families tackle energy bill costs, view our blog here.
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A wood-burning stove is much more than just a heating device. Preparing a stove and experiencing its unique heat with the family has a hugely positive impact on wellbeing and helps ensure the most Christmassy of Christmases. If you’ve been dreading the months ahead, a wood-burning stove could change your perspective on winter…
Speak to our team or a local supplier to discuss your requirements.
Pro Christmas Tip: When you pack the decorations away this year, add a bottle of something festive and enough money for a takeaway so that you have a treat for when the task comes around again.
Charnwood recently surveyed over 1000 wood-burning stove users to better understand stove accessory preferences. Many interesting and useful insights were gained, including wood-stove users’ top 7 must-have stove accessories!
Read on to learn about the Charnwood Stove Accessory Survey and the top wood-burning stove accessories you should consider next!
Stove accessories are an important consideration for wood-burning stove owners. Not only do they help you ensure the optimal running of your stove, but they look great too! From vintage pokers to contemporary log storage, there are so many to choose from. That is why we asked the Charnwood wood-burning stove community to share their ‘must-have’ stove accessories.
The Top 7 ‘Must-Have’ Stove Accessories.
The following quotes are from Charnwood wood-burning stove owners.
1/ Log Storage/Basket
This is a great accessory, especially if you plan to burn wood in your Charnwood Stove on a regular basis. It helps keep your logs and kindling organised so they are ready for use at any time.
“Having a full wood basket during these crazy days makes me feel safe and secure, whatever happens I know I have heat and hot water and light.”
“Keeps all the logs tidy and looks great beside the stove. Also useful for carrying in logs from the store outside!”
“It reminds me of my grandparents’ days as they always had one. It also keeps all my logs safe and tidy away from the children.”
“It adds to the ambient feeling of the room when partially or fully loaded but I suppose more importantly it stops me from having to pop outside too frequently to get more logs, thus letting me enjoy the fire uninterrupted.”
“It saves us fighting about who is going to get more logs when it’s cold!”
For a full range of log holder storage click here!
2/ Stove Pipe Thermometer
A thermometer is an essential piece of equipment that allows accurate monitoring of your stove’s temperature. This helps burn wood efficiently, protecting your stove and chimney, while reducing emissions and maximising heat output.
“Makes it so much easier to see if my fire is working at optimum temperature and if I need to adjust amount of wood/air flow.”
“It means that I always burn my logs in the most economical and environmentally friendly way.”
“I hadn’t realised just how hot the stove gets at full output making this an essential piece of it when topping it up with firewood.”
“It allows me to regulate my stove temperature to maximise the life of the stove and have efficient burning of my wood”
“Ensures the fire is hot enough to keep down the accumulation of creosote. Wouldn’t be without it!”
“I constantly use it to check that the stove is burning in its optimum range for efficiency and to prevent damage and tarring.”
You can get a Charnwood Stove Pipe Thermometer here!
3/ Stove Gloves
Good quality heat resistant stove gloves are a necessity for protecting your hands from burns and splinters.
“Without them it would be very difficult and dangerous to use the burner”
“Provides confidence in 100% protection when refueling the stove.”
“Just love them, total safety when loading the stove”
“Offers safety when handling logs, opening & closing stove and promotes attention to avoiding burns.”
“They just make life so much easier handling logs and placing logs in the stove. No splinters or burns!”
Watch this space – Charnwood stove gloves are on the way!
4/ Dustpan & Brush
A dustpan and brush are essential for keeping the area around your stove clean. We recommend a metal version so that you can be confident when dealing with any errant hot embers.
“It makes emptying the stove so much easier and cleaner, the house is relatively dust free after clearing.”
“Keeping the hearth clean and tidy stops ash and debris, from the stove and wood pile underneath it, from spreading to the floor and messing up the room.”
“Whenever the stove is used it is necessary to clean up small amounts of ash that fall out. The brush and pan are thus used very frequently.”
“The dustpan & brush makes removing the ash so much easier, our charnwood is used every day from October to February so we collect a lot of ash which we use as compost.”
5/ Poker
A poker is great to have on hand when you need to move logs around to ensure an even burn.
“An absolute must have accessory to reposition burning logs and coal.”
“Can re-arrange wood in the stove when going, safely.”
“Brilliant for getting fire going”
“I can poke the logs to get maximum burn.”
“Great to look at, well made and does the job perfectly.”
“You can move the logs about to create space and so regulate heat a bit better.”
Having an ash bin or carrier is important for easy and mess-free disposal of ash and embers. Once you use one, you won’t want to do without!
“Easy to use. Metal. Compact. Stops dust flying around. Carry handle is useful.”
“I have two Charnwood stoves. One has the ash bin/carrier and the other doesn’t. It’s SO difficult to get the ash out of the stove that doesn’t have the ash bin/carrier.”
“It is a safe and clean way of dealing with the only downside to a log burner, the ash.”
“Makes it easy to empty ashes no fear of dropping them all over the floor.”
“Makes it more convenient to remove ash over several days without having to fill smaller bin bags thus reducing plastic waste.”
“Easy to use with minimal dust released when moving around can hold at least 1 month’ worth of ash.”
“Simplifies the worst job – cleaning out the ashes and getting them to the bin without being covered in ash from head to foot in a gust of wind.”
Having the right stove accessories can make all the difference when it comes to getting the most out of your Charnwood Stove. We hope this list helps you choose. Happy Burning!
It’s that time of year again. To enjoy the holiday season to the max with your wood-burning stove we strongly recommend reading our list of Elf and safety tips!
With fuel prices going up across the board it is hard to know which fuel now offers best value for money. Well, the SIA’s latest data release reveals that seasoned wood is now the cheapest domestic heating fuel!
Read on to find out how much you could save by switching to wood-burning
Seasoned wood logs are now the least expensive domestic heating fuel, costing 74% less per kWh than electric heating and 21% less than gas heating. The Nottingham Energy Partnership have also found that using a modern Ecodesign wood burning stove costs 29% less to run than an air source heat pump.
Not only does using seasoned wood save you money, but it also has by far the lowest carbon intensity of any domestic heating fuel. Wood logs release 87% less carbon than gas, 88% less than electricity and 74% less than an air source heat pump.
In addition to reducing your energy bills and carbon footprint, modern wood burning stoves also help lower harmful emissions, by replacing open fires and old wood stoves.
A recent survey of wood burning stove retailers and installers showed that, of the stoves installed in the last 12 months, 82% were replacements rather than new installations. A modern Ecodesign compliant wood burning stove emits up to 90% less particulates than an open fire and up to 80% less than an old, basic model.
Here are some top wood-burning tips from the SIA
Choose an Ecodesign compliant wood burning stove such as a clearSkies certified appliance. If you currently use an open fire or an older, very basic wood burning stove consider upgrading. A modern Ecodesign compliant wood burning stove, such as a clearSkies model, releases up to 90% less emissions than an open fire and can be up to 80% less than some older stoves. Your local SIA Retail Group member can help advise on the best stove for you and your family.
-If you live in a Smoke Control Area, your stove will also need to be Defra exempt. All clearSkies Level 3 and above models are certified as Defra exempt.
-Visit your local stove retailer for guidance on choosing the right size stove for your property and for a detailed installation quote. You can find your nearest SIA Retail Group member showroom here.
-Use seasoned wood with a mositure content of 20% or less. Never used chemically treated wood or burn waste on your stove.
-Ensure your stove is fitted and maintained by an appropriately qualified competent person such as one who is HETAS or OFTEC
-Have your chimney swept at least once a year by a registered sweep. The Federation of British Chimney Sweeps has links to all the main sweep associations. Chimney sweeps are a valuable source of information for good practice and advice – and they are happy to engage and encourage you to “Speak to a Sweep”.
-Keep your stove in tip top condition by having it regularly serviced.
Best Firewood Chart UK
When it comes to burning seasoned wood, most people are looking for the most sustainable option. Wood is not only a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, but it’s also an extremely affordable heating source. To make things simpler for you, we’ve put together a chart with all the different types of firewood and their benefits. Click here, to find the best option for your needs.
The importance of using seasoned wood
Whatever wood species you choose it will require seasoning (drying) until it reaches a moisture content of 20% or less. This will keep harmful emissions to a minimum and significantly improve efficiency while protecting your stove and chimney.
Look out for the Woodsure Ready to Burn label which guarantees a moisture content of 20% or less.
For a list of approved firewood sellers in your area click here.
latest cutting-edge equipment and exceptional craftsmanship. In this blog, we will share with you some of the processes involved in making a Charnwood Stove from our UK-based factory on the Isle of Wight.
Metal fabrication
To create a high-performing and durable stove, we select the best of British sheet steel as the base metal substrate. The steel meets BS EN 10209 standards.
Laser cutting the steel
Our high-tech laser cutter is then used to produce accurately shaped component parts. The tolerance of this system is 0.2 mm with the ability to cut materials from 0.5mm up to 25 mm in thickness. This level of accuracy allows us to achieve sleek finishing touches on even the smallest details.
Shaping the metal
The stove’s body panels are formed to the required shapes and sizes with just a 2mm margin of error.
Welding the metal
Our welding process involves cutting-edge robotics as well as our extremely experienced and skilled team members, who have a combined 50 years of experience in the manufacturing industry.
Refining components
Smaller components receive finishing touches by hand.
Spraying high-temperature stove paint
After rinsing and neutralising the metal, our skilled team uses a spray gun to apply even coats of our specially formulated high-temperature stove paint. In addition to the standard Charnwood Black, we also offer you a choice of seven other beautiful shades.
Drilling & Assembly
After the drilling is complete, we move on to assembly. We carefully put all the pieces together, making sure that everything is aligned correctly and functioning optimally. Once the stove is assembled, we conduct a series of tests to ensure that it meets our high standards.
Packing & Shipping
Each stove is signed off by one of our experts before being processed for shipping. We continue to look for ways to reduce excess packaging while aiming to use environmentally friendly materials and encouraging reuse where possible. You can read more here.
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We take great pride in the products we produce at Charnwood. That’s why every one of our wood-burning stoves is handcrafted with care and precision. We hope that this behind-the-scenes look at how we make our stoves has given you a better understanding of the love, care and attention that goes into every Charnwood Stove.
If you are interested in finding out more, we highly recommend contacting an official Charnwood stockist.
Used in many homes, firewood is a sustainable and cost-effective way to heat your property or outdoor space.
Whether you’re looking for suitable wood to burn in your stove or use in your fire pit on chilly summer evenings, it’s important to choose the right type of firewood. Not all types of firewood burn in the same way, so it’s important to understand the differences if you want the best possible results.
Here’s our guide to everything that you need to know about firewood.
What’s the difference between hardwood and softwood?
Firewood falls into two main categories – softwood and hardwood.
The main difference between hardwood and softwood is their reproduction and physical structure. For example, hardwoods are a lot denser than softwoods, meaning that they produce more heat and burn for longer.
On the other hand, softwoods are less dense, meaning they ignite faster and produce more smoke, making them more suited to outdoor fires.
Perfect for creating indoor fires in log burners and woodburning stoves, there are lots of different types of hardwood, including oak, birch and ash. Hardwood is especially useful for those looking to fuel a stove or heat a house.
Let’s take a closer look at the most popular types of hardwood:
Ash
Ash is particularly good for wood burning, as its properties allow it to burn on its own and produce an intense heat output, with a steady flame.
Oak
Oak is one of the most common types of hardwood used in homes, due to the fact that it is capable of burning for long periods of time and can be used efficiently with a different types of logs.
Birch
Available in black, yellow and white, birch can burn for a long period of time and can also be used as a natural fire starter.
Why choose softwood?
If you’re looking for firewood for an outdoor fire, softwood is a much better option than hardwood – it ignites far more quickly, meaning its ideal for campfires and kindling.
Softwood also seasons more rapidly than hardwood. There are lots of different types of softwood to choose from, including pine, cedar and larch.
Here’s a closer look at their properties.
Larch
Low maintenance larch is the hardest of the softwood family and requires intense heat to burn effectively.
Pine
Easy to light and burn, pine produces an impressive flame and is great to use as a fire starter. It’s important to note that pine should only ever be used in outdoor environments due to the fact that it burns incredibly fast.
Cedar
Finally, cedar produces a distinct crackling sound with a small flame. One of the main advantages of this type of softwood is that it can be burned unseasoned. It also gives off a lovely wood burning smell.
To find out more about the best type of firewood to use with your Charnwood wood burning stove, please get in touch, we’re always on hand to offer help and support.
As the heart of the home, the kitchen is the perfect place to pay attention to when it comes to your interior design. If you love to spend time whipping up a culinary storm and dining together as a family, it makes sense that you give the kitchen the touch of TLC it deserves when it comes to decorating. In the name of creative inspiration, we’re here to help. Today, we’re looking at 3 reasons you should consider bringing a fireplace into your kitchen design - offering tips and advice along the way so you’re left with a space the whole family simply loves spending time in.
1. It can be stunning focal feature
Unlike most other rooms in the home, the kitchen serves several practical purposes, and this means that the appliances often act as the focus points in this space. While you might have an attractive looking fridge or top-of-the-range washing machine, it’s unlikely that you want to draw attention to functional appliances when you’re considering interior decor.
By bringing in a fireplace, you can accessorise the borders and hearth with fireplace tiles to completely transform the look of your kitchen and make the fireside the focal point. A wood burning stove, acts as an eye-catching feature in its own right. However, you can always add the finishing touch by having a basket of wood and any pokers or accessories beside the stove.
2. It will provide warmth in winter
When the winter months set in, home cooked food is what most of us crave. But preparing to spend potentially hours in a frosty kitchen doesn’t hold much appeal, especially when you can be sitting snug and cosy with your throws by the fire in your living room – so how do you remedy that? Bring the fire into the kitchen, of course!
Heating your home using your kitchen fireplace can also be a way to keep energy costs low. Most modern stoves today are highly efficient and very clean burning. From wood pellets and firewood to mineral fuels, there are several options available to you when it comes to using your fire, so you can spend some time figuring out the best option for your home.
For more information around making the most with a fireplace during winter, check out our additional blog here.
3. It will create an atmosphere
Last but not least on our list of reasons for adding a fireplace to your kitchen is the atmosphere that this can create. A fireplace can add character to a room that has perhaps previously been all about being functional. While it still provides a purpose, it can be an attractive centrepiece even when not in use.
If you’re lucky enough to have space for a dining table and chairs in your kitchen, a fireplace could be the perfect finishing touch. In the winter evenings, you can light it up and allow the warm glow of the fire to bathe the kitchen in an ambient light as you eat together as a family. In summer when the fire isn’t needed, use the hearth to display candles and freshly picked flowers.
By choosing to have a fireplace in your kitchen, you can create a truly unique focal point that is practical, yet gives off bags of aesthetic appeal.
Author bio:
Suhayl Laher works at Tiles Direct, one of the UK’s largest independent tile distributors and retailers – bringing design inspiration to homeowners, architects and developers.
‘A Charnwood Christmas in the Cotswolds’ is a short video that illustrates the sheer joy of owning a wood-burning stove and the magical moments they help create. It was captured during a recent visit to our friends Charlie Irons and Josie Fear (aka @charlieirons and @josieldn ) and their wonderful and aptly named Strawtop Cottage.
It’s an idyllic Grade II listed thatched cottage built with original Cotswold stone. Traditional features are sensitively blended with the contemporary, reflecting their impeccable taste. Warm tones, wood paneling, aged brick and stone, finished perfectly with the warmth of Charnwood wood-burning stoves throughout.
Charlie and Josie are huge fans of their log-burners and Charnwood have been delighted to supply them with a number of stoves for their main home too. The warm and inviting atmosphere they have managed to create showcases the very best of country living and it is no wonder they have a steady stream of bookings at the cottage.
Chatting while walking the dogs in the cold but stunning Oxfordshire countryside and later over a lovely roast (the first Christmas dinner of the season), it was clear how integral wood-burning is to their lifestyle. This is particularly true in the festive winter period when one wishes for nothing more than cosy evenings with loved ones by the fire.
Now, we might not all be able to reach such high levels of festive perfection (I know I don’t!), but no matter, because the significant benefits of wood-burning can be felt by any stove owner. To that point, here are some comments from other Charnwood owners regarding Christmas and their stove:
“It’s a ritual on Christmas morning to rekindle the stove, and to unwrap the presents without a fire is unthinkable. There’s something magical about children in their pyjamas sitting on the rug in the cosy space in front of a blazing stove.”
“The stove just provides a much-needed atmosphere on a cold winter’s night. You feel relaxed, cosy and there is something about it that just welcomes you into the living room. I couldn’t live without it.”
“My young nephew visited at Christmas & we built the fire together. It was the first time he had ever lit a real fire. We celebrated with toasting marshmallows! It wasn’t just building a fire – it was building a memory.”
Winter can be a difficult season for many, but as you see from the video images and quotes above, there is a way to flip the script. The onset of winter, with temperatures plummeting and days drawing in, needn’t be something to dread. Join fellow wood-burning stove owners and start to actively look forward to those long cold wintery nights!
The Strawtop cottage sleeps four adults and up to 2 well-behaved dogs and if you would like to book a stay (highly recommended) then check out the previous link and their Instagram page.
