Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Oct 29, 2010 1:43 pm We are having a galley type kitchen, in the centre of our open plan living area around 14m x 5m total. The wall where the fridge and pantry will be is about 5m long, with the fridge on one side, pantry on the other. The island bench is basically in the centre of our room about 4m long, opposite the alfresco family room on one side, dining on the other. We are considering putting an induction stovetop into the island and having the sink against the wall. Mainly because I have given up trying to teach my family to use the dishwasher, they are apparently unable to open the dishwasher and put anything in, instead choosing to place their dishes on the bench beside the sink . I really don't like the idea of dirty dishes being the first thing you see when you enter the living areas. The problem I am having is, we don't have high ceilings and I want to area to look as spacious as possible. If we put the stove on the island and use an island rangehoood, the rangehood will effectively be hanging in the centre of our room. Do you think that will be an eyesore? Is there an alternative to using a rangehood? If anyone has a stove in their island, please share your pics and your pros and cons too. Thanks Dee Re: Island bench stovetop 2Oct 29, 2010 3:52 pm We have a U shaped kitchen at the moment with one of the arms of the U off the wall to form an 'island bench'. So it isn't technically an island bench in the centre of the kitchen but we call it an island. It has a small 4 burner gas cooktop in the island section with no rangehood. We want to renovate this out by making it a full U shaped kitchen, by getting more bench space. The people we bought the house off must have like the idea of cooking at the island and over looking the dining/living room. However we don't like the island cook top, and want to put the oven against the wall. Reasons we don't like the island cook top are: 1. no rangehood and we don't want to install one to make it the feature of the room (you could go for a concealed unit flush with the ceiling so you would only see ceiling vent - cleaning might be an issue). 2. Your pots and pans become highlights to your kitchen as you cook and if you leave them there dirty after you have cooked. 3. I think it's more dangerous for children as access to the burners/pot handles is now from two sides. 4. I think our kitchen ceiling fan blows the gas flames around which I think they'd be more protected if the cooker was up against the wall with rangehood and overhead cupboards to shield them. 5. When frying (not even tried deep frying yet in a saucepan) oil seems spread further as there is no spashback to contain it. Sorry I don't have a photo of our kitchen to upload but here is a fancy kitchen that I saw while browsing realestate.com.au, which looks good if the space is big enough and the rangehood is slimline: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Island bench stovetop 3Oct 29, 2010 4:09 pm Erin has an island cooktop and a few others are considering one. Erin also has a rangehood over her's and it looks good. Me personally I would never have one without a raised servery behind it to stop splatters. Your set up sounds similar to ours. Our area is a massive L shape with dining to your left kitchen on your right with living area in front of island bench. Each to their own tastes but I prefer the safety aspect of my cooker against a wall and the sink facing the living / outside areas. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Some things are worth waiting for. Re: Island bench stovetop 4Oct 29, 2010 4:47 pm OMG Barrahunter that kitchen is gorgous. You make some good points about the flames etc, but I was thinking of using an induction cooktop, so that the burners don't get hot and won't burn kiddies fingers. Kyton your splashback is AMAZING! I really like the raised servery idea, but I am not sure our budget will allow one What width bench would be best to get if the stove was on one side and the kids sat on the other? Re: Island bench stovetop 5Oct 29, 2010 4:48 pm Here's mine. Love having the rangehood in the centre, it helps that we decided on pretty one Our island bench is 1.5m wide. Perfect width to sit accross from the stove top safely http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac165/aaron4erin/uploadkitchenDSC_0951.jpg http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac165/aaron4erin/uploadkitchenDSC_0937.jpg http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac165/aaron4erin/uploadkitchenDSC_0914.jpg http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac165/aaron4erin/uploadkitchenDSC_0925.jpg Re: Island bench stovetop 6Oct 30, 2010 11:03 am Re: Island bench stovetop 8Oct 30, 2010 11:55 am I think Erin struck the perfect idea with her island cooktop - a glass rangehood and extra-wide bench is definitely the way to go. The glass doesn't stop your line of sight and make the space look small, and the width of the benchtop should catch any splatters. I'd never have one in a standard width bench.... my floor would be a disaster. Re: Island bench stovetop 10Oct 30, 2010 12:22 pm Helyn Just a little off topic comment about the kitchen barrahunter posted: why does it have 3 sinks - 2 on the island bench and one double one on the back bench ? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Standard double sink at the back, food prep sink on the island and the other is a filtered water tap (probably with boiling water too) with a drain thingie under it, not an actual sink. Re: Island bench stovetop 11Oct 31, 2010 11:41 am Wow, I have just noticed that kitchen has 2 rangehoods as well. One over the bench and it looks like one in the back corner?? Re: Island bench stovetop 12Nov 02, 2010 11:21 pm (sorry OT) ERIN!! look at the size of that ensuite! HEAVEN! And does your living area face north?? Recently moved to a 60's home in need of some improvement! http://s797.photobucket.com/user/leenii ... ch%20House Old house: http://s797.photobucket.com/albums/yy25 ... loo/House/ Re: Island bench stovetop 13Nov 03, 2010 11:40 am leni (sorry OT) ERIN!! look at the size of that ensuite! HEAVEN! And does your living area face north?? Re: Island bench stovetop 14Feb 17, 2014 9:55 am Dee2010 OMG Barrahunter that kitchen is gorgous. You make some good points about the flames etc, but I was thinking of using an induction cooktop, so that the burners don't get hot and won't burn kiddies fingers. Kyton your splashback is AMAZING! I really like the raised servery idea, but I am not sure our budget will allow one What width bench would be best to get if the stove was on one side and the kids sat on the other? Do you know how much a raised servery is? I am looking at getting one for my kitchen. Any info would be fantastic Re: Island bench stovetop 15Feb 17, 2014 11:59 am Steph23 [ Do you know how much a raised servery is? I am looking at getting one for my kitchen. Any info would be fantastic We really need to know the design, size and materials. Otherwise it would just be a stab in the dark! Cutting Edge Kitchens and Cabinet Making http://cuttingedgekitchens.net.au http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutting-Edge-Kitchens/290484196676 Mobile : 0419 430 575 PH: 9452 4772 Fax :9452 4772 cuttingedgekitchens@outlook.com DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Are you going to have the frame exposed or are you cladding it with something. Usually if you are making an exposed frame you would use solid legs around 100x100 or… 3 6715 Hi - thanks for your reply. Yes I think 'Ill go for whitish with very speckly bits rather than pure white something like this. PS was actually 2008 I built the… 2 11987 Building Standards; Getting It Right! 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