COSY UP Avoid getting hot and bothered when choosing a fireplace with our guide to selecting the right model for you

There’s nothing like a fire to make a house feel like home. Here’s how to choose a model that’s right for you

CHOOSING A HEARTH

A stove must stand on a non-combustible hearth extending at least 225mm out from the front of the stove and 150mm out at the sides. If the hearth is on a combustible floor, it must be at least 250mm thick. Natural stone is fireproof, or opt for a material like Texfire, which is flexible and can be made into mats.

INSTALLATION

Make sure your installer is HETAS registered (hetas.co.uk), as they will certify that their work complies with legal requirements and you will receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate – required if you sell your home.

AIR POLLUTION

The government recently announced plans to outlaw all but the cleanest stoves by 2022 as part of its Clean Air Strategy. According to DEFRA, the burning of solid fuels, such as coal or wood, in our homes is the largest contributor of harmful particulate matter (PM) emissions, making up 38 per cent of our national PM emissions compared with industrial combustion (16 per cent) and road transport (12 per cent). So it might be worth checking or upgrading an older stove. The main message is to burn the right wood in the right appliance to prevent pollutants being released into the atmosphere.

5 STEPS TO THE PERFECT FIRE

1 Use dead, dry wood If the wood isn’t dry, all you’ll get is smoke and no heat. Make sure you buy seasoned or kiln-dried wood for the best results. If you’re gathering wood, look for branches that are dead – either on the ground or hanging off the trees. Certainly Wood sells sustainably sourced, kiln-dried firewood (certainlywood.co.uk).

2 Use ash, oak or beech These all grow slowly and are dense, so will burn for longer.

3 Heat up the flue For the best results, burn some screwed-up newspaper in the stove before you light it.

4 Make a platform Lay down 12 pieces of dry wood or kindling, the thickness of your thumb, in a pile or wigwam shape to allow a good flow of oxygen so you get a strong flame early on.

5 Build up your fire Once the kindling has started to burn, add thin logs to get a good flame going, leaving larger ones until the fire is hotter.

Choosing what’s right for you

WOOD

Pros Carbon neutral and cheaper to run than LPG (liquid propane gas) or oil. Woodburning stoves are more efficient than an open fire.

Cons You need storage space for the wood and it’s more expensive than gas or electricity. Woodburning stoves can be costly to install.

GAS OR ELECTRIC

Pros You get instant heat and there’s no soot, ash or mess to clean up. Electric models don’t rely on a chimney, eliminating installation costs. Portable stoves can be moved between rooms and heat up in minutes.

Cons A gas or electric fire will never replicate the look and warmth of a real fire. Both are better for ‘top up’ heat, and electric heaters can be expensive to run.

BIOETHANOL

Pros This is sustainable renewable fuel from vegetation. Generally there’s no need for a chimney and few installation costs. Designs are modern and flexible – you could have a fire in the middle of the room, for example.

Cons It’s better as a ‘top up’. Poor-quality fuels can produce an unattractive smell, and the fire needs to be adequately insulated to prevent overheating the receiving wall.

PLUM DEPTHS This is such a cosy setting, it seems to envelop you. Starting off with an open fire and traditional black surround, the walls have been painted a dark plum shade, complemented by accessories in pale heather tones. The dramatic carpet brings the look together. Boston Stripe carpet in Lavender, £11.99/sq m, Carpetright

STACKING UP For a bold statement, create a ‘floating’ hearth for your stove, making sure it’s in a fire-resistant material (see below). The design here is offset to allow space for a handy log store. Farringdon Catalyst B stove, £2,609, Arada

WELL ROUNDED A purpose-built curved fireplace looks stunning in the corner of a room. It could be screened off with glass or mesh-screen curtain panels, which are available from Amazon. The log store underneath is a striking and practical addition. TURN A CORNER OPPOSITE This narrow stove takes up little space yet makes an eyecatching feature with its high pedestal. The classic style would suit traditional or contemporary settings. 7449 stove, £2,099, Morso

MIDDLE GROUND Building a stove into a structure that straddles steps between two rooms is a clever way of zoning an open-plan space. The Shoreditch stove from Chesneys is similar