Katie chooses a Stovax Studio Freestanding wood burner for her oak-framed extension project

Katie, Surrey
September 5, 2018

Tell us a bit about your extension project.

When we bought our house in 2011 we knew we had a lot of work ahead of us before it became anywhere near our dream home! We fell in love with it because of the location, plot and the amount of light that streamed through the windows all day long.

Before we moved in we did a phase one refurbishment and a slight alteration to the layout which included knocking the kitchen, dining room and breakfast room into one to make an open plan family space.

A couple of years later we knew the time had come to tackle the other problems in a phase two build. To either side of the main house, there were two ugly flat roof extensions and with low ceilings which ideally needed attention.

After consulting an architect, we decided that the right-hand side of the main house would be rebuilt to create a double storey extension, which is now a playroom and utility at ground floor level, and two new bedrooms on the first floor.

To the left, we reconfigured the internal areas to keep our existing TV room and created a hallway and study, then we built a large, high ceiling, oak framed living room which leads onto a terrace and swimming pool.

Did you know you wanted a wood burner before the extension was built?

The wood burner has always been the central focus of our living room extension. After the first phase of works, one of the things we felt our house lacked was a cosy living room with a fire. At Christmas, it was particularly noticeable when we went to other people houses and sat in front of their fires. There is something magical about it! The very first image we drew of the living room incorporated a wood burner, and the oak frame manufacturer cleverly designed an exit for the flue. Throughout the building works I couldn’t wait for the wood burner to be fitted, as I knew it would transform the space and be a beautiful central feature. When the day finally arrived we were all delighted with the result.

What drew you to the Stovax Studio freestanding?

Wood burner shopping became a bit of a joke in our household because we did so much of it! In the end, our children would tentatively enter the car when asked, followed by a pleading ‘please don’t say we are going wood burner shopping AGAIN!’.

The wood burner was such an important feature we had to get it right! We decided on the Stovax Studio freestanding after seeing it lit in one of the showrooms. I loved the width of the fire and it gives out a lovely glow that filled the room. Sensational. We decided that was the one there and then. We were further comforted that we had made the right decision when we realised there was an option to have a heat proof back plate, which gave us peace of mind when it came to installing it close to oak and glass.

How would you describe your interior style?

My interior style is certainly smart and elegant. I find it hard to move away from this as I don’t like clutter, however, I do like it in other people’s homes and when I walk into a country style kitchen I love the charm. In my own home I tend to stick to neutral tones as I find them calming. I love texture, and my home is filled with rugs, blankets, cushions and lamps to make it feel cosy. At the moment it is sparsely furnished, but this is only because we have just finished building works – soon it will be much more full.

What’s your next project?

After spending nearly a year doing building work I would like to say we are finished but unfortunately not! We still have a bathroom to do and some reconfiguring upstairs. In addition, our poor digger and tractor torn garden needs some love and attention. We have several sensible maintenance things to do which I am sure we will tick off over the next few years but my ultimate dream is to do a beach house renovation. Maybe that is somewhere in the future, who knows! But I can tell you already it will definitely have a wood burner!

Follow Katie’s home updates on her Instagram page.

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