Contemporary fireplace perfect asset for winter
Here in Canada, there’s littlemore certain than the onset of winter. OK, so the last few days have been a little warmer, but whilst we dream of stretching autumn, we know where temperatures are going: to hell in a handbag.
That’s why, winter beckoning, our client roster typically embarks upon a package of home improvements (amplified insulation, thicker drapery, warming rugs, etc.) to stave off colder climes.
Another hot ticket seasonal ambition is the installation of hearths and fireplaces, whether electrical, propanefuelled or log-burning variants.
Consumers are appraising alternative ways to heat their homes. Fossil fuels, for many, are a turn off, whilst wood burning options (contingent upon local permissions) are garnering affection. There’s something captivating, after all, about the flicker of genuine flame and the warmth and kinetic atmosphere it delivers, therein.
Which brings us neatly to today’s subject: the home from home that Chris Meiorin (president of Euro Glass House, one of Canada’s leading window manufacturers) shares with his wife Susan.
Nestled in cottage country, the property is stunning: all-glass frontage and breathtaking sightlines to the lake. Designed, a decade past, by Toronto-based STAMP Architects, the immaculate respite has it all: commodious proportions, considered architectural lines and slick furniture detail.
Chris and Susan’s cottage is divided into two separate compartments, each warmed by radiant floor heating, with living, eating and dining arranged to one side, and sleeping and bathroom quarters secreted to the other.
As effective, though, as infloor heating can be, warmth is often an issue in cottage country. To this end, Chris augmented the heat quotient by way of a drum-shaped log fire, flue vented through the cottage’s roof.
As years passed, however (and with the prospect of
spending more time up north due to the Covid crisis) he elected to invest in a more capable stove than the one specified when the cottage was built.
At this point, we entered the ring to assist. Toying with various ideas, we settled on this cube shaped STUV 16 model, the installation of which adds visual and literal heat to the couple’s respite. Capable of warming 2,100 square feet, the appliance makes short shrift of the living compartment’s temperature requirements.
Essentially a large metal box with a glazed aperture, the stove floats above a log stack box — an optional extra — and onto a granite base (manufactured by Chris) thereafter.
It could have been placed (without the log stack compartment) directly onto a stone or metal platform (either custom, or as an accessory from STUV) but either way it makes a huge statement.
The heat radiated, reports Chris, exceeds expectation, with superlative log burning qualities and minimal ash or dust transfer thanks to the unit’s advanced design. “Because of the size of the cottage, we often struggled to attain required temperatures, but that issue has now been entirely resolved.”
That which sets this stove aside from many other log burners, Chris reports, is its volume, scaled to accommodate pre-cut logs. The couple’s previous log burner had a narrow aperture, requiring specially cut (at extra expense) lumber to be inserted vertically, rather than arranged in traditional fashion across the base of the combustion chamber.
Crucially, installation should be carried out by WETT (Wood Energy Technology Training) certified personnel. Take a tip: do not cut corners by pursuing a DIY route: consult with your local township to assess regulations, and get a permit, as required.
In conclusion, Chris and his wife are thrilled with the unit’s esthetics. As Susan enthuses: “Form, for us, is as important as function, but both issues are now amply satisfied. The fire provides immediate focus that complements our esthetic, and the cottage is never cold. We couldn’t be happier.”
So do your worst, Mother Nature: bring your most frigid arsenal, for it stands little chance as pitted against a formidable appliance such as this. Yes indeed, warmer times lie ahead. Of that we can be sure.