Cabin season in Ontario isn’t just summer. Some of our favourite cabin memories are from the fall. The colourful leaves, soft breeze, and slight chill make the warm and peaceful fire in the heart of your cottage a perfect retreat. If you’re wanting to craft and design that cozy Ontario Cabin fireplace, we have some tips to help you create the perfect autumn refuge.
The Classic Stone Hearth
Cabins recreate the feeling of old homes out in the forest. Wooden walls with stone features evoke the days of houses before steel beams, drywall, and concrete. Thus, the classic cabin fireplace is the stone hearth that matches this aesthetic. For a true rustic look, you can go with stones of various sizes. These look as though they were picked right from the cabin’s surroundings. If you’re imagining a design that’s a little bit more polished, a stone brick facade evokes the same idea of wilderness with a touch of urbanity.
Frameless Fireplace Designs for that Modern Cabin
If your cabin has a more contemporary style and you’re truly looking to step away from the traditional cabin fireplace design, then consider a sleek and modern frameless fireplace. These fireplaces are built with minimalism in mind. The lack of frame means they blend into any wall, ensuring that they also suit a modern cabin’s style.
The Traditional Elegance of Stoves
A fireplace might be floating around in your mind, but we recommend you also consider the timeless tradition of stoves for your cabin retreat. Stoves sit outside the wall and evoke the classic home fire. They also come in various styles. Some hold onto that century-old look, while others have been designed with modern aesthetics, such as the Stuv 30 which blends traditional quality of design with a contemporary style. Stoves also don’t have to be wood burning. Jotul provides stoves in various designs with the convenience of gas. The Jotul GF 300 features a classic look while the GF 370 has a modern style and doesn’t require electricity to run, perfect for a cabin away from it all.
Wood or Gas?
That leads us to a key question: Which fuel option works best for that cozy cabin fireplace retreat, wood or gas? Of course, a wood fire with its crackle and smell is a natural fit and adds to the atmosphere of the classic woodsy cabin. However, a gas fire offers the convenience of no firewood and immediate ignition. Plus, many gas fireplaces and stoves include ceramic logs to emulate a wooden fire. Either option will work well, and it’s more down to personal taste and what your Ontario cabin will facilitate.
Creating Your Cozy Fireplace Retreat
While the fire and stove are a critical part of creating a cozy cabin retreat, there are other key aspects you can’t ignore. For a proper cozy retreat, you’ll also want comfortable seating with blankets and pillows. You may also want to place a rug on the floor for a comfy space to recline closer to the fire. You should suit all of these to the style of your fire, cabin, and tastes. Together, these will create a cozy nest to enjoy the warmth of the fire after enjoying a chilly fall day outside.
Hearth Accessories to Complete the Cabin Fireplace
For a proper cabin retreat, you will want to get accessories to complete your fireplace or wood stove. For inside a wood fireplace and some stoves, you can consider andirons or a fireplace grate to raise the burning wood. A fireplace screen reduces fire risk and adds to the fire’s look. Fireplace tool sets with a poke, brush, and ash pan are all useful for managing the wood fire, while also acting as a perfect decoration. Some vintage bellows are a great addition as well. Firewood baskets come in various styles and add to the fireplace’s appearance while providing a convenient spot for firewood. Log and kindling bags provide similar practical and aesthetic functions. The fireplace screen, tools, firewood basket, log and kindling carrier, and bellows are all meant for wood fireplaces. However, if you have a gas fireplace that emulates a wood fire, these accessories will also help complete the atmosphere of a traditional cabin fire.
Maintenance
Our last design tip for the perfect cozy cabin fireplace retreat is maintenance. Be sure to have that fireplace or stove serviced annually by certified professionals like the team Classic Fireplace. This ensures your fireplace is working correctly and heating your cabin efficiently. With proper maintenance, you’ll have a truly cozy corner in your cabin this fall.
The Right Cabin Fire is Cozy Year Round
Following these styles and tips should help you design that perfect cozy cabin retreat for the fall and beyond. If you want to consider more fireplace and stove options, be sure to visit one of our showrooms in the GTA. Be sure to you to contact us, if have questions about design or installation. If your cabin’s fireplace to stove needs maintenance, schedule a service before you’re left out in the cold.
