Do we keep the fireplace as a feature in the kitchen with range cooker and hanging pans etc.....

[Inspirachion]

Help we arranged for builders to remove chimney breast for our modern kitchen diner but now wondering if thats a mistake. We were going for a modern fuss free kitchen, in an open plan room approx 20foot square. There is a fire place with log burner on the other side of the room near dining area. So would you keep and use the 2nd fireplace/chimney breast and incorporate in to kitchen as a feature or take a sledge hammer to it?

OT, but do you know you're not supposed to have a log burner in the same room as an extractor fan (assuming you're planning to have one)? It can cause dangerous fumes including carbon monoxide to be drawn into the room. Sorry to stick my beak in if you're already aware, just thought I'd mention it....

Personally I would remove the chimney because I don't actually like range cookers very much, but I know lots of people love the look of them.

Oh God yes keep it. Original features are so hard to find and increase the value of your house.

Plus it will look gorgeous and be really useful

Does it still work?

Keep the fireplace. Definately keep it.

I would get rid of it if you are going for contemporary and just have the other fireplace. It will give a sleek look and more room. I kept the fireplace in one of my kitchens and wish I had removed it. Buyers loved it but it broke up the line and was not good for space.

Keep it. Down the line you could replace it with a sleek modern log burner in keeping with your sleek modern kitchen.

Plus if there's already a second one in the room, that would need to go too if you were going to be hardline about the sleek, modern thing.

These can look brilliant in a modern setting.

I think they look good in a modern space but don't need 2.

Oh I didn't know about the extractor v a log burner andno one who came to quote for the log burner said anything.

We're knocking 4 smallish/akward rooms into one big one so thats how we ended up with two chimney breasts in the same room.
This particular one was bricked up by previous owner and doesn't actually lead to a chimney anymore.

the fireplace bit is1240mm wide so perfect for 2x600mm units width i imagine

Will have to google some pictures for ideas to see if can pair with amodern look or not

I would just be careful with the log burner, try not to use it at the same time as the extractor fan (when we finally got someone to agree to fit one in our kitchen we had to promise never to use them simultaneously ) and make sure you've got a working CO alarm.

What counts as the "same room" re wood burners and extractors? What if house is quite open plan but extractor and burner in opposite parts of a large L shaped area??

I think it's down to the discretion of the person fitting the burner. Some wouldn't touch ours with a bargepole, some said they would need to fit special air vents, a couple said as it was a big room and at the opposite end it shouldn't be too much of a problem. !

So you haven't actually got an original fireplace, just a chimney breast? So no original feature? And it's bricked up so you could never really use it anyway?

I would say definitely definitely get rid of the chimney breast in that case!

You already have a fireplace in your dining area (which is a nice place for one). You don't need one in your kitchen area as well (and it sounds like you can't use it anyway). It will just use up valuable space.

ah, sorry, missed the point, you were going to put a range cooker into the chimney breast.

I'd still say get rid of it - depending on how much it will cost. Will look a lot more modern without it.

This site has some nice images of kitchens incorporating stove in hearth space beneath chimney breast. (In my next house I will be going for the Eilden Ash painted cream )

Can you incorporate extractor to vent out through the chimney if you put range/cooker underneath? Might be practically useful?

The Abberley bespoke kitchen has it too, and looks quite modern yet classic????

Daisy - most modern Norwegian houses have both extractor fans and log burners. The biggest problem is if you have a "balanced system" with an engine in the loft which controls the general ventilation of your living room together with the extractor fan. (In such houses, you often need to run the extractor fan all the time...) That is overload. Otherwise it is true that you should avoid using at the same time.

Thanks guys . . . Decision made it's going and we'll stick with our original plan.

I know they can look lovely and could well be a selling point but we have decided as well as a modern look and feel we don't want the layout to be forced by the old chimney breast.

I think you've made right decision. We currently have feature fireplace with range cooker which looks fab but it wastes so much space, and is so restrictive when planning units. We will be getting rid of it when we extend early next year.

Good luck with the work!

I think you have done the right thing.