To make your wood stove look better, focus on integrating it aesthetically into your living space by considering its placement, surrounding materials, and architectural features.
Improving the visual appeal of a wood stove involves more than just cleaning the stove itself. It's about creating a cohesive and attractive setting around it that complements your home's style.
Designing a Better Look for Your Wood Stove
Based on design principles, you can enhance your wood stove's appearance through various structural and decorative elements:
Placement and Framing
- Corner Placement: Placing a wood stove in a corner can maximize space and create a cozy focal point.
- Framing: Build a structure around the stove to give it the appearance of a traditional fireplace. This involves enclosing areas around the stove and its piping.
Material Choices
The materials used for the surrounding walls and hearth significantly impact the overall look.
- Contemporary Finishes: Consider using materials like rock, rather than traditional brick, for the surround. This can give your wood stove area a more modern and stylish feel.
- Hearth: A fire hearth not only provides a safety barrier but also helps create the appearance of a real fireplace setup.
Concealing Elements
Unsightly elements like the stove pipe can detract from the look.
- Enclosing the Pipe: Hide the stove pipe by enclosing it behind drywall or other suitable non-combustible materials as per building codes.
- Boxing in the Top: Structure or boxing in the top area above the stove or fireplace framing can provide a cleaner finish and integrate the stove into the wall design.
Adding Architectural Features
- Mantelpiece: Installing a mantelpiece above the framed area provides a shelf. This creates space for ornaments, artwork, or other decorative items, adding personality and a finished look to the setup.
By incorporating these elements—strategic placement, contemporary materials like rock, concealing pipes, boxing in structural elements, and adding features like a mantelpiece and hearth—you can transform your wood stove from a simple heating appliance into an attractive and integrated part of your home's decor, enhancing its overall look and creating the appearance of a real fireplace setting.
