Fireplace or no fireplace?

8 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I am renovating & extending a 1830s cottage. The small, dark snug (in the old part) will have a woodburning stove (in the original inglenook fireplace) & TV. I had imagined the larger sitting room in the new extension (lots of glazing and sliding doors to) would have a woodburner too, but it's not necessary for heating purposes as there will be underfloor heating, fuelled by a wood pellet boiler, so it's just an expensive focal point (that I might never light!). Also I'm trying to cut costs so doing without a second woodburner and chimney would be a massive saving. While you can buy wood pellet boilers with a live flame and window they are pretty ugly and are not as aesthetically pleasing as log-fired woodburners. (However, I have found an inset style that could look quite mid-century, which I love, though 60s mid-century cool could easily become 60s council house cheese??). So my dilemma is: do I install a aesthetically questionable wood pellet stove/boiler in the sitting room as the focal point or do I install a boiler style wood pellet boiler (ie no visible flame, just looks like a large metal box) in the utility room and have a sitting room without either a woodburner or wood pellet boiler? Perhaps just have a TV integrated into a bookcase taking up the entire wall (or other ideas anybody?). NB. I don't want the TV as the focal point and, having spent most of my life in old houses with fireplaces, I can't imagine a sitting room without one! But with the right design I could probably get my head round it! Really interested to hear your views on this.

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Comments (5)

PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Hello Angela, A photo of the room would be good.. I agree having not had a tv for nearly 10 years... I definitely hate seeing them in people's living rooms.. I would have a projector and pull down screen from ceiling... Well then back to the question at hand.. I'd say have a wood burner you can get one for as little as £250 and the pellet ones are far more.... The wood burning stoves are fantastic and as much as you might think you may not use it.. In winter there is nothing like having a proper wood burning I get 1 delivery of logs a year and I use them economically... I'm writing this in August and it looks like a monsoon outside! I'm glancing now at the fire and thinking.. Also can you not have your tv and a wood burner? The tv could be in a less overtly visible space.. . : ))
angelaaka
Original Author
8 years ago
I will have a wood burner (such as above) in the snug which will not fire the underfloor heating. A wood pellet stove/boiler will also be necessary to run the underfloor heating and all the hot water, but it could also double up as a focal point (thereby making a second woodburner unnecessary = cost saving), except that it's not very pretty. That's my issue. I could use a log burner, but for reasons that I won't go into here, a wood pellet stove/boiler is better suited for my purposes. Can't provide pics as still at drawing stage, but need to get this sorted now as has massive implications ie no need for second chimney, extra space necessary in utility room etc etc.
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Hi, When ever I design a room I always put the TV & fire together. The TV can be concealed if you don't want it as a feature. It can be automated if you have a good budget or put a piece of artwork over it that slides to the side if you want to keep it low tech. If its a modern room I connect it to a hard drive, apple, amazon or similar and use it as a huge digital picture frame. Family pictures, holiday photos, favourite artwork etc. Nothing worse than a blank screen. When ever I try to split the TV & fire too opposite walls the room never works properly. It's an unfortunate fact of life that the TV & the fire are focal points in the room and all the furniture is set accordingly. Here is a few ideas: Hope that helps, Martin: www.angel-martin.com
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I hadn't initially spotted the trunk, it looks quite slim and should hopefully work in that you can move around it plus it brings furniture into the middle of the room. In terms of the sofa my first choice would be green if you want a colour rather than a neutral and it looks as if you like that colour anyway! I think a chair could possibly work either to the left or right of the fire. It's hard when you have furniture in a room but cutting out paper templates of everything or using cardboard boxes always works. At least the tv isn't taking up room :) good luck in whatever you do, it really is a lovely room
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Hi Keeley, I haven't seen the fireplace or its context in the room but as a rule of thumb, fireplaces are usually a great feature to have (even if they aren't being used) and in most cases, a shame to lose. But of course, it all depends on the space and what you want from it. If you have a photo to share I would be happy to help give a more informed opinion. Best, Caetana
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PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
Hello Angela, then it seems like the pellet stove boiler is a necessity. They are not hideous, and you can treat it as you would any other wood burner.. So perhaps function, cost over aesthetic wins.. : ))
angelaaka
Original Author
8 years ago
Indeed! I think this is the way I'm leaning...
Victoria
8 years ago
Obviously you need to consider ease of loading/storing pellets. Do you really want to do this in your sitting room?
If you want a fire why not consider a flue-less bio ethanol one for the sitting room (I am assuming you have no gas) and put the pellet boiler in the utility, then you can buy an "ugly" pellet boiler rather than an expensive pretty one?
angelaaka thanked Victoria

Fireplace or no fireplace?

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Fireplace or no fireplace?

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