The fire that burns within

As COVID-19 continues its inexorable spread and working from home stretches into the winter months, I have found myself thinking more about how to stay warm while at home.

To keep my feet warm while working at my home workstation, I have purchased my first ever pair of Ugg boots. It may sound surprising that this is my first ever pair, but I’ve never sat still for long enough in an uninsulated thermally inefficient mid-20th century built house to notice my feet feeling cold.

I also purchase my first ever down-insulated puffy jacket from Macpac. You know the type. Hopelessly fashion forward….if the Michelin Man rather than Tom Ford is your style icon.

So as I sit at my desk, I basically look like Post Malone:

The only difference between Post Malone and me? His puffer jacket and Ugg boots match his car, while mine clashes with my work-issued Dell computer and IKEA desk.

This fashion faux pas got me thinking. If I can sufficiently heat my home, then I wouldn’t need to wear a clashing outfit and all would once again be right in the universe.

The solution to sate this fashion fire that burns within me is simple: I need a flued gas heater. It produces instant and satisfyingly toasty heat while having the old-world charm by looking like a traditional fireplace.

Unfortunately, we didn’t discuss this with Eden Brae or their suppliers during the colours selection stage!

Touring the recently completed Waldorf show home in Box Hill only hammered home the opportunity missed. Instead of this:

We have this:

Not all is lost. We have a gas point here, so we can have a fireplace installed after handover. However, it won’t look as flush as in the show home because we missed the opportunity to alter the house frame to better accommodate the heater.

The trade-off we now face is whether we want to give up a couple of feet of floor space for a gas fireplace. The cost of a retrofitted fireplace will probably also be more than having it installed during the build as well.

This is yet another lesson learned: think about how you will want to use the space all year round.

Even though you may make your selections on a warm summer’s day, if you fail to think about how you will want to live in that space during colder months, you may end up having to sort out a retrofitted compromise or worse, you may end up committing a fashion faux pas.