This must be the naturalist’s way of things.

For many of us, the arrival of fall signals the typical vignettes: back-to-school, leaf-peeping, pumpkin spice lattes and decorative gourds, mf’ers. For those of us with property in the country, it can also mean that the delivery of fuel for the fireplace (or stove) and the stacking of said fuel is upon us. We’re talking about wood.

Stacking wood has its merits:

• It’s exercise
• It’s a family activity
• It’s time spent outside
• It can be beautiful (I mean, do you want to be a wood hoarder?)

Yes, our second post in years is about making stacked wood pretty and we’re being tongue-in-cheek with our approach. So without further ado, here are some ways to make the wood good at your place in preparation for the chill:

The Modernist

If you like the combination of straight lines, right angles, and organic material, custom built-ins with room for your split wood underneath might be the way to go. Easy access is a major perk with this approach in addition to creating a visual interest that carries your eye around the room.

The Minimalist

“Minimalism” is a term buzzing it’s way merrily around the internet these days; how to do it, why you should do it, and how to feel about your stuff. While we aren’t delving into any of that today ( we’ll leave it to these guys), we will tell you that if you are taking the minimalist approach, wall-mounting your wood with the Wooden Tree Wall by Radius is the way to go. Look ma, no feet!

The Apartment Dweller

If you are lucky enough to live in The City and have a working fireplace, you are probably lighting fires more for ambiance than heat. For small wood stacks and small spaces, the House Log Holder from the Hearth & Hand holiday collection at Target is the way the go.

The Brutalist

Just like The Modernist, you don’t like a lot of fuss, but maybe you like things to feel a bit more raw and industrial. Enter this beauty by Italian Designer, Orietta Marcon. See more of her work at civicoquattro.it/

The Overachiever (or Canadians)

If you really want to impress your neighbors (or piss them off because everyone is parking on their lawn to take pictures of your masterpiece) you can make like Canadian Sculptor Alastair Heseltine and turn your chore into a work of art!

The Neat Freak

This approach is quite similar to the Modernist, but we’re calling it “neat” because the wood has less of an opportunity to drop it’s delightful dust and chips on its way into the fireplace or stove. We’re in the business of making things attractive after all, and keeping a shop vac nearby isn’t exactly chic.

The Utilitarianist

If you’re more the type to light a fire for s’mores and company and prefer items that do double-duty, this Layered Log fire pit by Terrain could be a great addition to your backyard or patio. It has a built-in grill and a griddle in addition to a shelf just for wood. All you need are the fixins!