Cooker next to sink- will it look ok?

[monstergoose]

We're planning an extension which involves us knocking through one of the kitchen exterior walls where the cooker (range style) currently is to create a large archway into what will be a dining room. I'm struggling to decide the best place to put the cooker once the wall has gone.

The adjacent wall has the sink but there would just be enough room to put it next to it, but it would then be next to a wall (ie in the corner).

Our other option is to put it on the current external wall but beyond the new archway. But this means a walk across the kitchen (and past the archway) to drain stuff etc.

I don't think it can go against the other wall as its internal and I want an extractor fan above it.

Wwyd?

Hmm - not only will it look quite odd, but from a safety point of view it's not a good idea. You really need some workspace either side of the range or at least between it and the sink. Without a diagram or photo it's really hard to imagine what it will look like.

Can you put a peninsula in, allowing access into the extension but using some of the space where the wall was? The sink can go there with a splash back so you don't see it as you look into the kitchen from the extension?

Do you need to think about different storage which frees up space elsewhere in the kitchen design?

You don't need an extractor to be on an external wall. You can run ducting about wall units or at ceiling level to an external wall.

I would suggest drawing a scale plan of the kitchen and playing about with the layout - have a look online and try Ikea's kitchen planning tool too.

Not about - above wall units.

There would be some work top between the cooker and sink but not much, about half a cupboard width. I don't want a island/peninsula as I don't want to divide up the room as the whole point is to open the room up, there is currently a peninsula that I'm getting rid of.

Thanks for advice re ikea planner, will have a play

I think it would look odd tbh. A kitchen company will do drawings for you. You'll now either way once you see it on paper.

When you say archway, do you mean an arch literally or do you just mean an opening?

Something you could consider as you are opening up the space is an island within what is currently the kitchen and having the sink in the island. That way the space into the extension is still open, but you have the capacity for what you need.

Also consider extending kitchen storage along one of the side walls in the extension - think of it like having sideboard storage. It will also make it feel more like one big room.

we have 40cms between cooker and sink and it's fine

Neither of your options sound great. Putting the cooker in a corner means you couldn't place pan handles to the side because they would be hitting the wall, also if you want an extractor fan above the cooker you limit your options to one which is no wider than the hob (or you have to move it off-centre which would look very odd). Putting the sink and hob so close together also isn't ideal. I believe there is no legal minimum but 60cm is recommended by kitchen companies. If you have less than that, you will have water from the sink splashing onto the hob and you will again have the problem of handles extending almost to, or over, the sink. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

You really need to talk to a kitchen company when you have finalised your plans for the extension. They see problematic rooms all the time and can come up with all kinds of solutions (and considerations) which you won't have thought of. If you are having a builder/architect draw up plans they should also be able to advise you on the best configuration and if you speak to the kitchen company before the design is signed off they can suggest amendments which will aid the design.

From what I can understand of your current proposals, if you put the cooker in the extension (with extractor) you won't have created a dining room, will you? It will be an eat-in kitchen with an archway in the middle - in which case, why have an archway? If the wall is load-bearing, you should be able to open it up almost completely using a steel beam for support. Also don't discount having the hob on an internal wall, you can get extracts which don't vent externally or sometimes they can be ducted to outside. We have a hob on an internal wall with extract fan above which is vented a couple of meters to outside.

We also have an extractor on internal wall vented outside. In fact thinking about my friends' kitchens, all have extractor fans on internal walls. Extractors can go up into the ceiling, under the first floor floorboards and be vented outside, so definitely don't let that restrict you

Thanks for all the input. I didn't think about pan handles and the cooker being the corner, that's a no go then.

I've had another look tonight and think the only solution is for it to go the other side of the archway. The extension is essentially a square joining a pre-existing annexe to the house. The problems is the annexe is set further back from the house, so the extension is having to start about 2/3 way along the kitchen wall and extend beyond it, essentially 2 boxes offset. This means we can't extend the sink units into the extension as there is a bit of wall still in the way on the RHS.

The archway into the annexe will be about 90 cm and the plan would be to put a small cupboard ( and bit of worktop) next to that, then the cooker, then more cupboard/worktop to the other wall.

We can't put the cooker on the opposite wall as it isn't a single wall, it's an L shape as there's a dividing wall to the utility room and it's not long enough to have the cooker against it with worktop and I think just having it freestanding without cupboard/worktop either side might look a bit daft?

It might be easier to get rid of the cooker but I love my range style cooker and it's only a year old!