Knutsford Portuguese limestone fireplace with a Purevision PV5 stove

The Knutsford project at a glance

This case study is about one simple goal that can be surprisingly hard to deliver in real life. Make every part of the fireplace feel like it belongs together. The surround needs to suit the room, the stove needs to suit how you want to use it, and the finished installation needs to look clean and feel solid.

For this Knutsford project, the centrepiece is a Portuguese limestone fireplace. It was designed and made to measure in our factory at Osnath Works, attached to our Warrington showroom, then installed as one complete job. The fireplace is built around a Purevision PV5 stove with a heat resistant chamber, black granite slips and a black granite hearth.

Why getting everything to work together matters

When customers come into the showroom, the part they often say is hardest is not choosing a stove or choosing a fireplace. It is making sure the choices work together once they are all in the same room. A surround can look perfect on its own, and a stove can look perfect on its own, but the finished installation still needs to feel like one coherent design.

On a project like this, the eye naturally notices the lines first. The shape of the limestone, the opening, the chamber, the slips, the stove, and the hearth all sit in the same view. If any one element looks out of place, it draws attention in a way you do not want. The aim is a result that looks clean, feels solid, and has a balance that suits the room.

The fireplace surround

The surround is Portuguese limestone. Limestone has a calm, natural look that works well in lots of settings because it is not trying to be shiny or loud. The surface and colour have the kind of quiet variation that makes the finished fireplace feel grounded rather than manufactured.

This surround was made to measure in our own factory at Osnath Works. That matters because it lets us design the fireplace to fit the room and the stove, rather than forcing the room to fit a standard size. Made to measure is not about being complicated. It is about avoiding awkward compromises and getting a finish that looks intentional.

The stove and chamber

This Knutsford installation is built around a Purevision PV5 stove. The stove sits with a heat resistant chamber behind it, so the inside of the opening is finished in a way that suits a stove installation.

Stove choice affects more than just the stove. It affects the proportions of the opening, how the overall fireplace reads, and what the finished installation feels like in the room. The PV5 is the core of the installation, and the limestone surround is designed to work around it so the whole fireplace looks balanced.

Black granite slips and black granite hearth

Alongside the limestone surround, this project uses black granite slips and a black granite hearth. These darker elements help frame the stove and give the installation definition. They also add a sense of weight and solidity at the base of the fireplace.

With a mixed material installation, the key is to make the transitions look clean. You want the different parts to feel deliberate rather than pieced together. When the lines and edges are right, the whole fireplace reads as one design.

Choosing between limestone and other surround materials

Limestone is a popular choice because it has a natural warmth and a softer, more understated look than some other materials. It tends to sit comfortably in a room rather than dominating it, especially when the shape is kept simple and the proportions are right for the space.

When you compare limestone to other surround materials, it helps to think in practical terms as well as appearance. Ask how you want the fireplace to feel in the room. Do you want something that blends in quietly, or something that makes more of a statement. Do you prefer a surface that looks natural and tactile, or something that looks crisp and uniform.

It also helps to think about how the surround will sit alongside the stove. A stove has its own visual weight and presence. The surround can either support that, by framing it in a calm way, or compete with it, by drawing the eye away from the stove. In this Knutsford installation, the limestone keeps the overall look calm, while the black granite elements add contrast and definition around the stove.

If you are unsure, the quickest way to make progress is to bring a couple of photos and rough dimensions into the showroom. Seeing the options in person makes it much easier to judge what suits your home, and what is practical for the overall installation.

What to expect on installation day

Most people want the same thing from an installation day. A job that feels organised, clean, and properly finished. The goal is not just to fit the parts, but to leave you with a fireplace that looks clean and feels solid in the room.

Because we design and manufacture the limestone fireplace in our own factory at Osnath Works, we are working from the same plan from start to finish. The surround is made to your measurements and your style, then installed as one complete job. That end to end approach is there to reduce surprises and keep the finished result consistent with the design.

On the day itself, the focus is on a clean fit and a tidy finish. The surround, stove, chamber, slips, and hearth all need to sit together neatly so the whole installation looks intentional and balanced.

Designed and made in Warrington

One point that matters to many customers is where the work is actually done. This fireplace was designed and made in Warrington, in our factory at Osnath Works, attached to our Warrington showroom. That setup lets us design, manufacture, and install as one joined up process.

It also means you can come into the showroom, talk through options, and see what is realistic for your home. If you bring a couple of photos and rough dimensions, we can help you narrow down what suits the room, what suits how you want to use the stove, and what will look right once everything is installed.