18.12.2024 Decisions-decisions!

 ~o~

  Wednesday 18th 42F/6C [9.50] Anther dark, grey, wet, windy day. SW wind.

 Up at 8am after drifting for hours. I woke at 4am then glanced at the clock several times. Until I was too bored to stay in bed. I have an aching back. No surprise there. 

 The kitchen is in an awful state. I couldn't reach the sink to do the washing up last night. There are stacks of well filled drawers from my larder shelves. I have no idea what to do with all that stuff. The shelves can't go back up because of the new oven protruding upwards.

 I rang the plumbers who promised to call yesterday. They had no record of any contact. They suggested I need somebody with a mini-excavator to do the outside work. So I have contacted a local builder they recommended. He now has my phone number and address but can't call today. I wonder whether the mystery plumber will call again? 

 I have moved the heavy washing machine aside. So I can continue with my chores. The washing up backlog is done. 

 Now I have given up on trying to make a 60cm deep oven look as if it is far away. As it sits on top of the pine recycling cupboard. It isn't distant. Not remotely. So let's make it physically further away but keep it easy to reach, see into and use. I'll put the oven in the right side of the alcove. Housed in an IKEA 2m high Metod cupboard. The alcove is 156cm wide and 50cm deep.

 The oven remains on display and accessible in the middle of the cabinet. With some variation on installed height. The alcove depth means that very little of the oven or cupboard projects. [Only about 10cm/4"]  All of which will have a very similar projection. The washing machine is moved to the left. Even nearer the outside wall but still with a useful 32cm gap. Any pipework situated there will become invisible behind the machine.

 The problem then is using the rest of the oven cupboard efficiently. A midway shelf in the top cupboard "box" is slightly out of reach. The bottom box requires hands and knees access. Is a deep drawer a standard option for the lower box? Perhaps to hide the pots and pans. Would a drawer be a tripping risk to kitchen users when open? Would the upper box become too warm to act as a larder/pantry? 

 A shallow but wide box cabinet over the washing machine could become the new larder. While providing a useful gap over the washing machine. Allowing the top of the machine at 120cm high to act as a casual working surface. 

 After careful examination of the height of the oven I have settled on 140cm to the top. I still like the present 160cm height, sitting on top of the cupboard, but have experienced some criticism. It would [arguably] be too high for many ladies to find comfortable. Which might mean selling the house, on my demise, was made more difficult.

 I stood on two different stools. To simulate oven heights of 120 and 140cm. The top of the washing machine standing next to the oven would be at 120cm. Should I try to match the heights of their control panels? For a more orderly "kitchen designer" look.  

 Or not! The IKEA catalogue shows their "200cm" high cabinet with drawers and door is actually 208cm high. Only the bare carcase is 200cm high. My cottage kitchen ceiling, between the exposed joists, is only 203cm. So it would be physically impossible to tip the cabinet carcase upright. After building it flat on the floor or on trestles. The geometry of rotating diagonals simply wouldn't allow it.

 So, I have just ordered the IKEA 140cm high cabinet. With two deep drawers below the built-in, oven space. In white with wood grain, inset panel, drawer fronts. Similar to the image but all white. Clearly somebody thought 140cm was the perfect height for an oven. Delivery inside the house was slightly more than half the price of the cabinet itself! Arriving on the 28th December.

 Meanwhile I can practice my cooking with the naked oven sitting on top of the pine cupboard. First it needs to be heat soaked for an hour to shed any undesirable odours. A day without gales would be a bonus. I could open a window.

 Dinner was sausage, mushrooms and tweggs. Plus the other half of the tin of baked beans. I'd be happier if baked beans came in much smaller tins.

  ~o~