Adding a log burner to our new build home...
Last year my partner and I made the decision to install a log burner into our new build home, this was a huge project that involved making a hole through the outer wall and building a false chimney breast. You may remember I shared a vision board in another post last year, and I've also shared most of the process over on my social channels. I ended up getting so many questions, so hopefully this post can answer most of those.
I will say that cost wise, this costs a lot to get done professionally, but we were able to save thousands of pounds simply because Jake had the skill to do this himself as a DIY. It still cost us around £4k, so even as a DIY it's still a massive chunk of cash. You have to factor in the external flue which was about 1.5k on it's own, then the internal false chimney breast which consisted of metal stud work, fireboard, electrics, brick slips, register plate, the hearth, the surround, and mortar. Then we had extra costs for the finishing touches like brackets to put our TV up above the fireplace, skirting board and paint.
I will say that absolutely none of this would have been possible for me to do, my partner Jake gets all the credit, I simply got to decide how I wanted it to look when finished. I picked out the brick slips, stone for the hearth, paint colours, and the general overall design of the fireplace. The actual log burner was a joint decision, however Jake let me have the final say on which one we picked, and we both absolutely love our choice. It really is the making of our home, so keep reading to see how it came to life!
The Before
The top left photo above is the before photo, which I really can't quite believe is even the same room. It's changed so much! The wall on the far right is the wall that we did the installation on, this is the outer wall of our house and on the other side is our driveway.
The False Chimney Breast
Jake started the build by removing the plasterboard and took the wall back to brick, and then built the frame for the false chimney breast with metal studs. Once the stud wall was built, the chamber was cement boarded so it's non combustable, and the inside of the chamber then had loads of insulation added to protect the TV that we intended to put above the fireplace.
We got our brick slips from somewhere local, and these were then added to the inside chamber. Our hearth was then put down and we used Umbrian Limestone Tiles from Floors of Stone. These were then both grouted with the same light beige grout, which I think turned out gorgeous. We often rested the surround against the outside wall just to see it coming to life!
The Flue Installation
During the build of the stud wall, a hole to the outside was made for the flue installation. This was one of the most exciting parts of the whole project as once the flue was up, it became very real that we'd suddenly be able to have a real fire going inside the house!
The flue was built to the current regulations, and was done in the most affordable way to fit within our budget. We had a few comments online (naturally) about the look of our flue, but it ties in with the dark roof and window/door frames of our new build. Not only would it have been much more expensive to build a brick chimney breast on the outside, but it's on our driveway and would block access to our back gate, so we're happy with it how it is. And I can honestly say that I never ever notice it day to day, it's not even at eye level it's that high up. It's more than worth it for the beautiful log burner we have inside.
Our Log Burner
Our log burner is the Ecosy+ Newburn 5 Wide "Idyllic" Stove, which is a multi-fuel stove and Defra approved. As far as stoves go, this one is so affordable and in our opinion, one of the prettiest we've seen. We got a black handle with brass fittings and couldn't be happier with it. The glass is so big and open and it really is a beauty to look at when the fire is roaring.
If you're considering adding a log burner to your home, you can also explore a range of options and find inspiration at Gr8Fires.co.uk.
The alcoves
We lived with just the fireplace and unfinished alcoves for quite a few months whilst we saved up some more cash, and the plan was to have the alcoves done in time for Christmas. Jake then ended up getting really poorly with viral meningitis so the alcoves were left unfinished, but after a few weeks of recovery he managed to finish off the cupboards. We still have shelves to put up but we're in no rush as they look lovely as they are. Jake built the cupboards and doors for the alcove from scratch, something he already has experience with as he's built tons of cabinets already. We used picture rail for the detailing and they really have turned out beautifully.
The paint we used for the whole feature wall is Farrow & Ball 'Mizzle' which is a lovely sage green with grey undertones. It adds a splash of colour to the room without being overpowering and honestly, I really do love it. We were originally going for a neutral beige shade from Little Greene, and as soon as we started painting, I just knew in my gut it wasn't right for the space. Jake wasn't really on board at first, but now he admits that I was right as he's in love with the green that we ended up changing it to - women just know these things right?!
The finished space
It really is the most beautiful space to be in and something we're so glad we invested in. Not only that, but we've saved a fortune on our gas bill over the winter months, due to our open plan space, the log burner heats the whole of the downstairs so quickly and easily. Every time we have guests round, they complain that they're melting, and we've usually only had it going once that day!
The photos at the top are from Christmas, and I adored styling it with a lavish DIY garland and really making the most of my first Christmas having my own real fire. That was my first garland too and it turned out beautiful, I was so pleased. The below photos are the most recent ones, it looks a little more plain without the garland but still gorgeous none-the-less.
If you have any questions, please leave them down below and I'll do my best to answer them 🙂
