Feeling the Hygge: A Toasty Guide To Wood Burning Stoves

 This is a sponsored post in partnership with Arada stoves. All opinions and words are my own. 

Who doesn't love the crackle of a log fire and that toasty feeling you get from being tucked up indoors as the rain lashes at the windows? Although summer is still in the air, Autumn is just around the corner (dare I say it!) - so if you're looking to get that hygge vibe down before the big chill arrives, now is the time to install a wood burning stove. But where to start? Here's my guide to get you started.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty.

Why a wood burning stove?
Those who own one will tell you they're so much more than a black steel box. As Arada puts it, a word burning stove is"a living breathing thing, sparking passion in those who own it. The rituals of feeding and caring for it become part of your day. The scent and sound of it become part of your home. The glow becomes your companion."

Oh, and they're also heat efficient, cosy and make a pretty cool focal point when not in action too!

What do I need to do to install one? 
If your house isn't listed and you have a working chimney or flue your gaff is all prepped for the installation of a wood burner. If not, you'll need planning permission for an external chimney (bit of a faff but sooo worth it!). Verified wood burning stove companies such as Arada will do the rest.   

But there are so many to choose from?!
Since the stove will become the heart of your home, it's important to pick a style to suit your lifestyle and setting.

Will I feel the heat?!
The whole point of the burner is obvs the heat. So, before we get carried away with the design (who, me?!), it's important to think about how much heat you're looking to get out of your stove. The insulation in our house is so good that a fireplace emitting too much heat would have us 'glowing' akin to a session at the local sauna. We'd therefore totally need something with a lower heat output. The London house I grew up in as a child, on the other hand, was so cold I used to sleep with a hat on (I kid you not!) and we could totally have done with a wood burner designed to heat an entire room (and more!). Read more about finding the right output for your space here.

OK, now for the fun part
The design. When it comes to stoves I love a bit of authenticity. Choose between freestanding classic, contemporary and hardworking heating stoves and designs that are ideal for an inglenook fireplace or for an empty hearth, inset stoves designed to slot into a traditional British fireplace and cassette stoves which can be recessed into the wall for a sleeker finish.

Does it have to be black?! 
It is possible to go for something a little bolder should your heart desire it (hey, you may have noticed I've been going down the root of colour lately, so who knows what might happen next! OK. Yes. I'd probably go for black!).  But for those of you a little less colour shy, Arada offers a choice of seven colours:

Gas or wood / solid fuel?
Tricky one. The beauty of gas is that it's hassle free, there's less cleaning involved, and your fire can reach the desired heat quickly - and be more easily regulated. Plus gas fires have come such a long way, they often look like the real deal too. Having said that, boy/girl scout types might be disappointed about the lack of required probing, the crackling sound and scent of burning wood. The decision is yours!


Keeping it clean! 
Fuel has come a long way since the days of coal (cue black smoke belching out of chimneys across London!), but there's still a lot we can do to keep our fireside read a little more eco-friendly. A new clean burning stove from Arada will produce 90% fewer emissions than an open fire and 84% less than that of a stove produced 10 years ago). And once our stove is installed we can also take other actions too. There's a great guide here. 

What do you reckon? Could this be the year you install a wood burning stove? I'm incredibly tempted...

Find out more about Arada stoves here and check out their FAQ's for any burning (sorry!) questions.

Here's to chilly summer evenings and a toasty Autumn!

Warm wishes,

Niki

Pictures 1 & 2  feature the i600 Slimline Freestanding stove
Pictures 3 feature the Ecoburn Plus 5 Widescreen
Pictures 4, 5, 6 feature the Farringdon Catalyst Eco Wood Burner

This post is is sponsored by Arada stoves. All words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Scandinavian Home possible. 

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Cabin Update: Wood Burning Stove (Plus Try the Tool!)

Disclosure: Contura have kindly agreed to partner on our cabin project

Over the Christmas holidays, so much more happened than playing about in the snow and drinking glögg: our little cabin sprang to life (see the design plans here)! I'd love to say that the picture above is of the interior - but we're far from finished! The good news is though, the structure is in place:

So exciting! With all the bigger aspects decided including the wood panelling, windows and doors and the bathroom, it's time to decide on a wood burning stove. I LOVE a fireplace, do you? To me, they are pure hygge and I couldn't imagine our little cabin without one! 

Which one?

I knew I wanted to get one from Contura. The Swedish brand is located only an hour from the cabin and recognised as the leading manufacturer of woodburning stoves in Scandinavia as well as a big player across Europe (AKA the guys delivering the hygge!). I've heard many a great things about their Swedish-made log burners when it comes to quality and efficiency, and I love the design!  

Contura 856G Style

Choosing a stove using the virtual tool

Anyone who's been in the market for a wood burning stove will know there are so many out there to choose from, it's almost overwhelming! Keep a look out for a stove that works for the size and design of space you have. Plus, I found the Contura 'build your stove' tool super handy! It allows you to build your own stove and then virtually place it in your home to see how it looks! Hours of fun! 

Admittedly, I got a bit carried away and Per was very nervous when I revealed pictures of how one might look in our bedroom, sitting room and bathroom at home! 

To use it, just head over to Contura and click on ' build your stove' (top right orange button) and follow the simple step by step instructions. 

Contura i8G Cosi

In the end I decided on the Wood burning stove Contura 810 in black steel with built-in wood storage for our cabin, which I think is super sleek and great for space-saving. 

Positioning

Above is a snapshot from inside our cabin right now (taken from the loft bed ). We plan to place the wood burning stove in the far left corner. This is how it will look - except a little larger in size and with a chimney:

I think it's going to be great and feeling so excited now. Here's to cosy days at the cabin! 

Just need the panelling to go in and get the bathroom and kitchen fitted, the floors laid..... gaaah so much to do! 

Do you have a fireplace in your home? Or perhaps you've been considering one (try the tool if so!)? Please do share your experiences below! 

Wishing you all a hyggeligt weekend!

Niki

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Before & After: A Dated Cabin Becomes a Dreamy Airbnb Hideaway In The Woods

Have you ever dreamed of owning a little home from home? Somewhere you can escape to at the weekends and completely switch off. Often the cost and effort involved in acquiring and renovating a second home is enough to put most people off. But actually, a fixer upper doesn't need to cost the earth - there's a lot you can do with a small, remote place on a tight budget. Tom and Hope had always dreamed of owning and renovating cabin in the woods. The answer came in the form of The Cobb Haus, a wooden cabin at the end of a track in the quiet rural neighbourhood of Whispering Pines, Cobb, California. The pair closed in February and set about transforming it into a peaceful retreat, a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life. I caught up with the pair to find out more about their wonderful hideaway in the woods - which is also available to rent! 

EXTERIOR BEFORE

How long did it take you to transform your cabin into the lovely hideaway it is today? 

We completed in February and had it finished (I say that loosely as it is a continuous work in progress!) in June.

EXTERIOR AFTER

Wow, that was quick! What type of work did you carry out in that time?

Most of the work we did was purely cosmetic aside from the bathroom which was a complete remodel. 

KITCHEN BEFORE

What was your decorating goal? 

We really wanted to keep the original 40s / 50s charm while adding some modern touches. It's a small space so keeping the decor minimal and well thought out was key. 

KITCHEN AFTER

The upper cabinets were replaced with relaxed open shelving and the lower cabinets were painted in Woodland Lichen by Sherwin Williams. The green was a perfect choice as it draws the surrounding nature indoors. 

BEFORE - WOOD BURNING STOVE / SITTING ROOM

"There is no central heating but there is a wood burning stove and two small space heaters you can move around as needed."

WOOD BURNING STOVE / SITTING ROOM AFTER

The pair painted the wood burning stove with special paint and replaced existing the hearth with tiles from Home Depot. 

The cosy sitting room has been kitted out with poufs and a side cabinet from IKEA and an Article sofa. There green curtains from Target were picked out to match the kitchen cabinets for a cohesive look. 

What inspired the interior style? 

It's hard for me to pinpoint one style as inspiration, but I love to pull from Scandinavian, mid-century and a little boho, while keeping a minimalistic feel. 

DINING AREA BEFORE

DINING ROOM AFTER

I see (with glee!) that you rent out your cabin through Airbnb - did you have this in mind during the renovation?

Ultimately, we wanted it to feel like home for whoever walks in. We wanted it to feel cosy and inviting with a focus on the beautiful views of the surrounding forest. 

BEDROOM BEFORE

BEDROOM AFTER

A lick of white paint on the floors, walls and ceiling have completely transformed the bedroom into a light and airy room. A glimpse of the forest through the window makes a great focal point (almost like art!). 

The side table is from HomeGoods, however, you'd be forgiven for thinking it has been fashioned out of a tree trunk from outside the door. A perfect nod to the surroundings! 

Truly inspiring, don't you think? 

In case it's rekindled your dream of going for that fixer upper you've always dreamed of, here are some budget friendly lessons to learn from this renovation:

6 ways Tom and Hope saved money

1. Carrying out a lot of the renovation themselves
2. Painting existing kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them
3. Working with the existing structure
4. White washing the interior for a fresh feel
5. Furnishing with items from IKEA, Target etc
6. Renting out the cabin via Airbnb to cover running costs

Not quite ready to purchase your own rural hide-away?! The Cobb Haus is available to rent through Airbnb. And word on the street is that you can also order healthy, homemade meals directly to the door! It sounds like a trip to Whispering Pines (beautiful name!) might be in order, don't you think?

Read more about The Cobb Haus here and check out more pics on instagram. 

Other incredible rural retreats to dream about this Monday:  

A magical Norwegian mountain cabin

A rustic Norwegian log cabin

A family retreat on Sweden's west coast

A photographer's charming summer cottage in the woods

Wishing you all a truly inspiring start to the week! Here's to new future projects, big and small!

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Cobb Haus, with kind permission

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A Light and Airy Danish Cabin by The Sea

A few weeks back I told myself it was time to wrap up the Scandinavian summer cottage posts and return to the city or year-round country homes. But you know me, I'm never one to stick to the rules - especially my own! I couldn't resist sharing this charming, simple Danish cabin with you today. The wooden structure is situated in a cosy, untouched area on the southern tip of Falster, an island in south-east Denmark. 

Zine bought the cabin in 2020 and has been busy transforming it into a simple, relaxing, light and airy place to spend weekends and holidays. As with most Scandi getaways, mix and match 'loppis' (flea market) finds, open storage and a cosy spot in the sun are the order of the day. Enjoy the tour! 

Despite being potentially a little higher maintenance with the dusting, open shelving gives kitchens a relaxed grab and go feel and also means that your porcelain and vases can be a part of the decor! 

Coffee beans and percolators - the most important items in any Scandinavian home! Remember to make it extra strength! 

Stripes and art with nautical motives are a subtle nod to the coastal location. 

Le Klint Sax - A popular Danish lamp, for good reason! 

When designing our own cabin, I was very much inspired by Danish cabins with high, wood panelled walls and ceilings and a stark black wood burning stove (ours is from Contura and looks similar to this). I love the contrast, the statement chimney but also the promise of warmth! 

I also love the parquet floor; it makes me feel really nostalgic as we had a similar one in my childhood home. Some of the pieces had become loose and I used to pick it a part and then build things with it. I don't think that gamer was particularly popular with my parents. 

Baskets are really handy at a cottage like this - and make pretty wall decor when not in use! There are so many beautiful vintage baskets available on Etsy*. 

I am guessing you can enjoy this cabin year-round thanks to the wood burning stove and insulation (thinking blustery walks along the beach followed by a coffee by the fire!). 

And the good news is, it's 1 hr 45 mins drive from Copenhagen and available for short term holiday lets! Danish island life, anyone? 

See more snapshots from Zine's cabin here. 

Would you like to explore other Danish cabins and country homes this weekend? Take a look at: 

The idyllic thatched cottage of a Danish artist

Before and after: a century old Danish cottage is given a revamp

A Danish cabin by the sea became a lockdown haven 

Right guys, that's it from me. I hope you've enjoyed the tours this week of three very different properties (did you see the artist's home in Kent and Copenhagen apartment).

Have a wonderful weekend, see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Landfolk. 

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Cabin Update: Our Cosy Wood Burning Stove

Partnership with Contura, all words and pictures are my own

Back in January I shared an update on our little cabin while it was under construction. I remember the day well. The sun was streaming in through the windows, even so, clouds formed in the air as we spoke. We decided then and there we needed a log burner!  

  

The idea was to place it in the corner of the sitting room, so we'd be able to see it from all the corners of the cabin (after all, it's about the hygge, right?). 

Our go-to was Contura, who are well respected for producing high quality and efficient Swedish-made log burners .

Since our cabin is only 30 metres square (323 f2), we were looking for a relatively small model and settled on the woodburning stove Contura 810 Style. 

Above, you can see how it looked when I tested it out using the virtual tool back on that cold January day! 

Would you like to see how it looks today? 

Tadaaaa! This is the view from our bed! I can't tell you how much we love to wake up beside a roaring fire. So cosy! 

The 810 model is available in several different finishes and we chose black steel, with a black steel plate underneath.

We also opted for wood storage underneath to save space (it's only a tiny cabin after all) - it's great to not have to go out to the woodshed every five minutes and I love to be able to see the logs, they add a cosiness to the room even when there's not a fire on the go!

I have to say, the log burner is so efficient that we haven't had to use our electric heating once - we're mercifully grateful for that right now! 

Roll on the Swedish winter, we're ready for you! If anyone's looking for us this weekend, we'll be right here by the fire! 

Do you have a fireplace too? I'd love to hear about your experience!

Have a cosy weekend friends! 

Niki

PS If you're looking for a wood burning stove for your home, Contura offers a really broad selection and has dealers throughout Europe - you can view the entire collection here. 

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