David Knight, Huntingdon 30 electric, Modern and relaxed

David, UK
December 18, 2018

Tell us a bit about your home project.

Our cottage was built in 1881 and my wife purchased it about 12 years ago. About 7 years ago I moved in and about 4.5 years ago our daughter was born. We knew the cottage was too small for all of us and initially looked to move but in the end decided to stay and do a little remodelling as we both love the area we are in and we had enough space to be a little creative.

Our original lounge was cosy but cramped if we had visitors. The original fireplace wasn’t a thing of beauty and we lost a lot of heat up the old chimney. There was no room in the kitchen for a dining table so most meals were eaten on laps in the lounge. Not the best way to bring up a family.

By demolishing an old shed at the rear we created a nice family kitchen and moving the stairs out of the lounge opened up the room to allow us to create a much more usable space. We wanted this to be a place to go and relax or read, as the lounge also benefits from the afternoon and evening sun.

Also as part of the project, the old chimney came out allowing a little more space in the upstairs bedroom and to better insulate internally as the external walls were old 9” solid brick. Finishing this off with underfloor heating downstairs gave us a much cosier place to live.

Although we had removed the chimney and old fireplace from the lounge, we had always planned to replace it with something to keep the original feel to the room. We had both seen and loved the Stovax Huntingdon 30, wood fuel was out as we no longer had a chimney and low ceilings meant that we couldn’t get the gas flue design to work. However, the electric model was perfect with an excellent real fire effect and fan for the occasional heat boost. It gave us all we needed and gave the room the focal point we both wanted.

Which stove did you go for and which fuel type?

Huntingdon 30 electric.

What drew you to this model?

We had seen this in a fireplace shop and both loved the look and the size was ideal for our room. The fact that it came in all fuel types meant we could incorporate it into any final design.

An added benefit of choosing the electric model is how family safe it is. Our four-year-old daughter loves it, and can now turn the fire on with the remote when she wants to. Plus, there is no worry about the possibility of small fingers getting burned when family and friends come visiting with younger children.

How was the installation process?

Although we had removed the original chimney we wanted the lounge to have a fireplace and stove as a focal point. We chose a limestone surround and a slate chamber to go with the Huntingdon stove and are very happy with the finished look. By choosing the electric stove we simply had one wire to connect which can’t really be seen tucked under the slate.

How would you describe your interior style?

Modern and relaxed. We have the lounge we both wanted, a place to go and read. Sit in the bay window seat and watch the world go by. To curl up in of an evening, turn the fire on and have some family time.

What are your plans for the rest of your project?

We are both very happy with the outcome of our project. Our plan now is to enjoy the house now we have all the space we need. Although to keep from getting too relaxed I do have plans to build a small workshop at the end of the garden.

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