How to find room for a range cooker in your new kitchen

by Lesley Sampson Freelance Writer

Renovating a home is a big job regardless of whether you have experience or not. Overhauling a room might start with the spark of an idea but it can take months or even years to see that dream through to completion. Surveys have shown that the kitchen is one of the most heavily-used rooms in the home and this is partly down to the increased use of laptops, smartphones and tablets, and our ability to access the internet quickly and easily. As a result, householders these days place more emphasis on getting their kitchens exactly the way they want them, which may include changing everything from the amount of surface space available for socialising, through to the amount of space there is for cooking.

Planning a kitchen renovation is a big job and it's one that no homeowner should enter into lightly. There are many planning stages to go through before work begins and one of the most important points to consider is how you are going to find enough space for all you want to accomplish. Having a firm, yet flexible, plan will allow you to get a good mental image of how you want your kitchen to look, what must be included and what you would ideally like to have in there.

When it comes to appliances such as range cookers, then if it is on your must-have list there will potentially have to be some space-saving compromises made elsewhere. For many families, a range is the centrepiece of their kitchen and something that they simply wouldn't want to live without. It is not only a fantastic way of preparing food, but also a visually important item and a focal point that many people will base the rest of their kitchen around. The amount of space that will be needed will of course depend on the size of the range that you're looking at. Induction range cookers come in a variety of styles and while it is possible to buy models that come with four ovens suitable for roasting, simmering, warming and baking, and have a width of close to one and a half metres, it is also possible to select a model that is much smaller and will take up far less space in the kitchen. For example, a two-oven model with boiling and simmering plates will do some families just as well.

Of course you might not want to compromise on the size of your range, in which case it might be worth looking at other space-saving appliances. If you can't stand the thought of living without a dishwasher, consider a miniature version such as the Zanussi ZSF2450S which is only slightly larger than the average microwave but can wash up to six place settings. Also consider swapping that two-door American-style fridge freezer for a slim space-saving model which will provide you with an extra few centimetres of space in your kitchen.

To begin with, the most important things are to work out exactly how much space you'll have available, to measure accurately leaving room for error, and then enlist the help of a professional to help bring your dream to life.