James, Studio 2 Profil, Smart Home
A new eco home in Oxfordshire built by local design firm RPA Architects and Ashbrook Homes has chosen the Stovax Studio 2 to showcase the building’s blend of tradition and innovation.
James Barrett, Oxfordshire
December 1, 2016
“The profile of the fire and its landscape was chosen because it reflected back to the shape of the property and the glazing… we wanted the home to reflect the countryside and the natural landscape, yet be modern in design.”
– James Barrett, homeowner and Director at Ashbrook Homes
Tell us a bit about how the project started…
My wife and I were looking to move from Oxford to a more rural location to bring up our children. The opportunity came up to build something special in the garden of my parents home in South Oxfordshire. As I run a property development and building company we were able to undertake all the work ourselves directly or via our usual sub-contractors.
Q. Were you always keen to have a wood burner in the property?
A. Yes – we had a small (non Stovax) wood burner in our old property in the centre of Oxford and loved the feel of a real fire. When we were designing the current home one of our first thoughts was were we could locate the fire and what style we were looking for.
Q. Why did you pick the Stovax Studio 2 Profil fire in the end?
A. The Studio 2 Profil’s overall design, size and shape suited our open plan living / kitchen area the best. We were drawn to the contemporary style of the Studio 2.
Q. How did you go about finding the perfect fire and fitting it?
A. I sourced the fire and fittings directly and we fitted it using our own in house team. We are delighted with the overall look, and have the fire on most days during the autumn and winter.
Q. The Studio fire really suits your contemporary interior style, even though the project nods to the natural landscape – was it always your plan to blend the two styles?
A. Yes – the profile of the fire, its landscape was chosen as it reflected back to the shape of the property and the glazing. It was exactly the plan to blend the two styles together as we wanted the home to reflect the countryside and the natural landscape, yet be modern in design.
“As a practice we like to incorporate features which make a positive contribution to our clients’ experience of the buildings we create and a well-designed fireplace can make a significant impact both visually and in terms of comfort.
When we were asked to design a new home in the grounds of a grade II listed Georgian property we proposed an innovative and highly sustainable contemporary solution. In much the same way the Stovax Studio 2 Profil meets traditional demands and expectations within a modern and efficient design – as the completed project demonstrates so well the two go hand in hand.”
Richard Potter RIBA, Director at RPA Architects
For more information on this Smart Home, pick up the latest edition of Self Build & Design
Please note that Stovax & Gazco accept no liability for their installation suitability, safety or building regulations conformance. The images shown on these pages are from real independent homes, many taken before installation is complete, and these form no basis of an installation recommendation by Stovax or Gazco. Please consult the complete installation instructions for your chosen product and consult with an appropriately qualified person for your own installation.
Studio Profil Inset Wood Burning Fires
The Ecodesign Stovax Studio Profil inset fire features ultra contemporary styling that fits in perfectly with all modern interiors. The wood burning Studio Profil is finished in Metallic Black and is available on all sizes of Studio fires. In addition, by fitting the optional ducting system you can also heat up to two adjacent living ... Find out more
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