My name is Wasyl Nastychenko. I am 63 years old, born in Ukraine, and I now live in Germany. I am married and have three adult sons. My background combines both technical training and an artistic education.
Stove building runs in my family: my grandfather and my father were professional stove builders. From childhood I observed their work closely and helped whenever I could. Those early experiences shaped my respect for the craft and eventually led me to build stoves and fireplaces myself.
In my home country, vocational training in stove construction was often limited to the basics. For that reason, I focused on self-education and systematically expanded my knowledge through professional literature. I studied works by well-known local authors such as V. E. Grum-Grzhimailo, G. Ya. Fedotov, I. S. Podgorodnikov, and I. V. Kuznetsov, as well as international authors including L. Myakela and Seiichiro Kumagai. Over the years I have also built up an extensive digital library on the subject.
For me, a fireplace is more than a heating system. It is a piece of functional architecture and a work of art, and it requires precision at every stage—from the initial concept and design to construction and final handover to the client. Every detail matters, especially the design. Because each home and each person is different, a fireplace often becomes a central place in the living space: a calm, warm area where the family can relax. That is why the final result must be not only technically correct, but also aesthetically convincing and genuinely comfortable to live with.
A stove and fireplace builder needs a wide range of practical skills, as well as a solid understanding of geometry, physics, and chemistry. Today the work also requires confident use of computers and planning tools—alongside artistic sensitivity and a creative approach.
I have been building stoves and fireplaces for more than thirty years. During this time I have gained extensive hands-on experience. I value professional exchange and I am always glad to share what I know with people who are genuinely interested in the craft, design, and the culture of fire.