WOOD STOVE ENVY

Wood stove by Andrew Wyeth

They say it's been snowing lately in Lonlay l'Abbaye and the surrounding villages. Even in Los Angeles, where we are, yesterday was gray and cool with some much needed rain last night. Thinking of snow and rain has put me in a mind to consider just how we can make our little renovation cozy and warm in the dreary weather. We will have some electric wall heaters, but I feel we must have a small wood stove as well. There is nothing quite as primal as a fire to make a room feel welcoming in winter. 

A realtor friend of ours believes that people are either fireplace people, or they are decidedly not. Same thing with swimming pools. I can live without a swimming pool (especially in Normandy, where it might be a bit too brisk most of the year), but I love having a fireplace.

Our fireplace in Los Angeles

I have to admit that our fireplace in L.A. gets scant use, but on those cold and dreary days of late fall, or around the holidays, we really enjoy having it. I also like the focal point it provides in our living room at home. As much as I love an open fire, I understand that most people in Europe have moved to wood stoves, as they are much more efficient for heating, and less polluting. Wood is a renewable resource, and not as expensive in Europe as it can be in parts of the U.S.

I know, our fireplace opening at Lonlay l'Abbaye is pretty sad-looking for the moment. Once upon a time, the opening in this chimney was probably quite a bit larger. Over the years, it was closed in and plastered, then eventually covered with a faux tile board. When Jim D. our builder first ripped away the board, we discovered the remains of some birds' nests. There was work to be done here!

Perhaps hoping to distract me from the hearth's sad state, Jim's business partner Nicola has given us some catalogs of wood stoves so we can try to decide what we would like. At some point, we will need their advice about which size and shape will work with the renovated chimney space, but meanwhile we can familiarize ourselves with the alternatives. My favorite wood burners so far are those made in cast iron by Invicta, a French company.

                       I'd like to have a wood stove set into a fireplace surround like this one above.

 Or maybe more like these settings, similar to our place in size and scope. These look to be vintage woodburners though, not new ones. Invicta makes several in vintage styles.

Invicta has a wide range of classic wood burner stoves, some of which can heat a whole house. Others are more for what we need, just a little extra warmth and atmospheric flames on the coldest days. Due to improvements in the way the wood stoves are made today, they burn not only the wood but also the gasses. This maximizes the energy output and saves fuel. http://www.invicta.fr/en/wood-stoves

Some of the designs are quite futuristic. These look more like characters from a Star Wars movie to me than a container for a log fire. What would they say, if they could talk?

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And then there is the matter of color! Not all models come in colors, but it is tempting to consider those that do.

                  A dramatic setting can take a dramatic color, but I think ours will be gray or black.

​The wood stoves can be installed in different ways, sometimes with flue pipes going into the walls or ceilings. Installers have to know what they are doing, or they risk creating a fire hazard in the home.

You also don't want to have a woodburner that will throw off too much heat in a small room. It should be in proportion to the room and its purpose.

I was fascinated to see that Invicta makes a full-sized wood stove for cooking. Like something my great-grandmother (or Andrew Wyeth) might have used.

You can put it in a modern kitchen, but you'd still have to be storing your wood somewhere nearby. Perhaps in a sleek metal container, rather than a rustic basket. I wonder who would buy and use such a stove? They can't be inexpensive.

Still a bit chilly in here. I think I'll see if we have a firelog in the kitchen...