Morning! Thanks for all your votes, emails and comments about the floorboards yesterday. The jury is still out, but we may have narrowed it (husband has gone off the dark boards - hallelujah!). I think I need to see some real samples now in the driftwood, smoked and black and classic walnut (I still also …
Morning!
Thanks for all your votes, emails and comments about the floorboards yesterday. The jury is still out, but we may have narrowed it (husband has gone off the dark boards – hallelujah!). I think I need to see some real samples now in the driftwood, smoked and black and classic walnut (I still also like smoked and limed)… I’ll keep you updated on what I decide. I may also switch products yet, so I’m still researching 😉
Ok, so today I have another house dilemma. We’re talking about fireplaces…
I’ve always wanted a double sided real wood fire. We had a real wood fire in a house we rented last year. I loved it so much that I’m building this house with one.
But this one will be double sided… Below is a sketch of how it will work. I have a floating wall.
There is a rough drawing of Kitchen/Family/Meals area. You can see where the wall will sit between the 2 areas. I haven’t labelled one Meals and the other Family, because I am wondering which area would you use as Family and which area as Meals? Then I may move the wall ever so slightly as I would prefer the Family to be bigger than the Meals.
If you’re not sure how this will work – you can see the fireplace will be double sided. That is, there will be a front plate in the Family room AND in the Meals area. I also still wanted to be able to see the tv when I’m in the Kitchen, but can’t really with this drawing (so I am still deliberating the wall’s position). The Family room will house a recessed TV. The shelves will see through from one room to the other to open the wall up. I am still on the fence about adding some wood in to the end of the wall as a feature?? You can see in one of the photos below what I mean about the wood (image number 1.).
Below is the actual fireplace I have looked at. It’s the Eureka Double Sided. Obviously it will be built in – not free-standing.
This product has not been set-in-stone yet. I’m still looking. A couple of things to add:
1. This wood fire will not be my main heating source – I am putting ducted gas through the home as well.
2. Wagga is cold for 5-6 months of the year so I will use it.
3. I will be buying the ‘flat front’ on the fireplace. It won’t look exactly like the one in the image – you can get front plate options. So it will be a little sleeker.
4. I won’t necessarily be buying the fireplace to build in to the house straight away. What, you ask?? Well, I am having the wall built and fire-rated and all the provisions done, but this fireplace is so expensive and I am saving some money for other stuff during the house building process and if I have some left at the end I’ll buy it straight away, if not, I’ll save for a few months and then add it in before next Winter.
Well, now what do you think? Any advice on making this better? Different? Sway me another way?
Any heating companies that want to talk to me about their products and benefits? I’m sure someone will have ideas that I didn’t think of? Maybe I’ve chosen the wrong fireplace? Maybe there are others to consider?
PS. I’m sorry to all the lovely people who are asking me to share my whole plans, but I have decided I won’t be for now. So sketches will have to do. Sorry! I’m just trying to protect my privacy while the house is being built. It would be like I’m inviting 100,000 people in to my home! Hope you understand 🙂
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Comments
Leonie
Love the idea!!!!! I also love the stacked wood…..but having recently moved to this neck of the woods….I would have to say spiders!!!!! that would be a perfect house!!! other than that I love it!!!! I think we have the same taste so I will be building through you…. ohhhhh I wish it we me!
Katrina
Thanks Leonie, yes everyone always says ‘Spiders’! But this wood would not be used as such – for show – so I’d have to ‘prepare’ it. If you know what I mean!! Thanks though xoxox
Michelle Hayward
I’m not going to be much help on this one except to say I love the idea of the double-sided fireplace and family room bigger than meals works and it doesn’t! My meals area here is too small – plan was altered at the last minute, regretted it ever since. We all sit around the table and talk a lot so it’s frustratingly annoying there’s not more room! I had open plan last time so I feel a bit hemmed in this time with more walls! Though it’s efficient heating and cooling, so what can you do!? Oh and it’s cosier I guess, and gives me room to hang pictures where as open plan doesn’t! Hmmm…
I did buy one of these above, but never had it installed and ending up selling it, which I regret…
I have a ‘thing’ about sharing my plans on line! I won’t do it. Photos are one thing – plans another. It’s like saying ‘here’s the entry points to my home.’ It makes you vulnerable! I wouldn’t let the agent do it when selling and I won’t do it on my Blog! Your home is a very personal thing! It also leaves you open to people copying it. Which I suppose is not that big a deal, but during the initial stages (especially BEFORE it’s built) I just like to keep it for me! So I completely understand you doing that!
Mandy
I love a fireplace and think its a must! We have ducted heating throughout our home and a conara type fire in the lounge. I would much prefer the heat of the fire anyday. I really don’t find our ducted heating great, its expensive to run and not nearly as effecient as the fire. In the future I’m going to look at hydronic heating.
Love the idea of a double sided fireplace.
Sarah B
I love having a woodfire. We built one in when we bought our place as the old fireplaces had all been pulled out. I assume it would be a similar set up to you – we have a steel box that the woodire sits in and then the fireplace and wall is built around it. I know what you mean about cost, they are crazy expensive. I think ours was around $6k without the walls and mantel. It really is worth it. We have no other heating in our house but don’t need it, the lounge area sits around 22-25 degrees. I saw in a mag last night where you can buy tvs now that look like mirrors for hanging over fireplaces when they are not in use. A good idea. The pic was in the new Real Living mag.
I agree, don’t share too much info 🙂
x
Katrina
I have the new Real Living – going to grab it off my coffee table now!
MM
A friend just did something almost identical but with a gas log version instead and it looks amazing! As much as I love real open fires they are hard work (we have 2) so we only end up lighting them on weekends. In my last house we had a fake gas one and I loved being able to flick it on and have that instant cosy effect. Have you looked at Hydronic Heating instead of ducted? It is amazing, if you use a heater for half the year its definitely worth looking at. We just put ducted in and its ok but a friend put hydronic in and the difference is amazing, just constant steady warmth,can’t compare it to ducted especially roof ducted as we are on slab. Im seriously thinking of saving up and having the ducted replaced.
Katrina
I have looked at it MM – thanks. It’s pretty expensive though??
Kira
Oh I love the idea of that wall and double sided fireplace! I really miss having a wood fire for the warmth and atmosphere. It’s on my wish list for when the fiance and I get to build a house of our own one day.
Something Gorgeous
I’ve been looking at fireplaces for our apartment and I’m rather taken by the Ecosmart fireplace that runs on ethanol. They do double sided and they are clean and don’t require a flue so can be positioned anywhere. http://www.ecosmartfire.com
Anyway I would have my dining table in Area 2 for what its worth. xT
Katrina
OK, great! Will look them up 🙂
Kylie
You can install an air transfer system that ducts heat from your woodfire throughout your home! We installed a woodheater 12 months ago and LOVE it!! I will be looking into the air transfer system if we swap houses with the IL’s! Our little house doesn’t require it but if we were in a bigger home I would install it in a heartbeat. Happy woodheater hunting. (We bought a Jindara)
Katrina
Oh yes, that is a good idea! But when you’re out all day, or away and the fire hasn’t been lit it takes ages to heat the house 🙁
Kylie
Very true, and gas is pretty quick to heat up a house!!
Kylie
woops…here is a link! http://www.thefireplace.com.au/air_transfer_systems.html
Penny
We are out looking at fire places today. Arguing heaps!!! Off to the next showroom as I am writin this.
Pen x
Katrina
Hahaha let me know what you decide on! But does it ever get cold enough there to even have one?
deb
I love the idea Katrina. We have wood heating backed up with gas. For us part of the charm is spending time on weekends collecting the wood. I love the idea of stacked timber but immediately think of spiders, dust and webs. If you are going to use wood maybe factor somewhere nearby an outdoor woodbox and an access door. I love looking at plans like this so keep then coming please.
Katrina
Yes, I was worried about the spiders, but it will be wood I won’t use – just display wood (I think!), so I will make sure they are clean. Hubby says he’s on to it because he wants the display too 🙂
Megsy
Love the idea! I would have area 1 as the meals area, I personally prefer the kitchen to overlook the family area, easier to supervise kids and remain part of family chatter while cooking dinner/cleaning etc.
B is building a house
Really looking forward to watching your new home come to life <3
We also have a dedicated meals. It is right next to the kitchen, however, it never gets used and I wonder if it ever will … We use the overhand on our kitchen islad for all meals *shy* … probably a bad habit …
We only use the dining table for entertaining.
B
Emily
These plans look great. Love the idea of a double sided fireplace and a great way to divide a room. We have a log fire and ducted gas heating and I love both. The gas is great when you get home late at night or first thing in the morning but you can’t beat the warmth of a fire and I love to have a heat source to sit by.
Katrina
Yes that’s what I was thinking 🙂
Michelle
Looks like its going to be great. I think I would prefer to have the area closest to kitchen as the meals area? Definitely a good idea about having a fireplace and instant heat, I know my friends said they wished they had that too (only have combustion heater) just to get some instant heat in the cold mornings!
I am pretty sure I saw a similar layout in one of the homes featured in Home Beautiful recently, looked good.
Good luck!
Nik
Rather than have the wall dividing the room in two with the fireplace in the centre of the room, have you thought about having the double sided fireplace on the outside wall so you can have a fire inside in a large open plan lounge/diner as well as in your outdoor entertaining area? I’ve always wanted to do this at my place.
Katrina
Hi Nik! This is definitely an option too. Have thought about this one as well. Hmmm… Pondering! 🙂
Joanne MacGregor
Just curious about heat flow from the fire. Does the heat generated by the fire rise & cause damage to the TV/wiring behind the wall?
Our fireplace is built into the wall cavity & the chimney is external so the heat travels straight up behind the wall where I’d love to put the flat screen.
M
I think the double-sided fireplace will be great. With the floating wall and the meals area, I think Area 2 for the meals area, as then if you entertain or have a BBQ, you can connect to the veranda and outside living spaces better. All looks really lovely. We built years ago and I would love to do it again. It’s so much fun. Mx
kellie
Hi Katrina, am just sitting here reading this and had a quick look to my right, and Eureka! That’s our wood heater right there…though ours is flat fronted and built in. We have our living on one side and little library/studio on the other. We just love it, can highly recommend, especially when your husband is king of the fire-building, it warms our whole house. You won’t look back!
Sharon @ Funken Wagnel
Do it!! We live about an hour from Wagga, and we’ve been loving our fireplace this autumn and winter. So freezing out this way.