Range Cookers for Traditional Kitchens

The cooker is usually the centrepiece of any kitchen, and often sets the visual tone of the entire room, be it a comfortable, homely, ‘worn in’ feel or sleek, utilitarian look. It is therefore essential to select the range cooker that will influence the room in the way you want.

When choosing a range cooker for a more traditional kitchen, you ideally want something that looks immediately at home and part of the fittings – think AGA-esque – and what better way to achieve this than with beautifully beveled doors to soften harsh lines, and heavy ‘rustic’ cast iron pan supports?

Arched baker’s oven-style windows add interest and relax the eye ensuring that the cooker doesn’t sit at odds to its environment, and lustrous heavy enamel lends an air of reassuring solidity.

Colours tend to lie at the subtle end of the spectrum, with creams, blacks and muted reds and greens being prolific. Chrome or brass trim adds visual relief to the frontage through oven door handles and full width towel rails, and control knobs tend to be more finialed and decorative than the minimalistic style of contemporary counterparts.

One nice detail that it is fairly common to see on traditionally-styled range cookers is an oven temperature gauge (again, shades of AGA) – not particularly useful but enhances the aesthetic nicely. When it comes to the hob area, gas burners are the only way to go for true authenticity and again enhance the overall ruggedness of the cooker – ceramic or induction hobs sometimes look almost sterile in a traditional setting.

Although most manufacturers offer classically styled range cookers, manufacturers noted for their traditional models include Rangemaster (particularly their excellent Classic, Elan and Elise collections), Redfyre and pedigree French cooker manufacturer Lacanche.

***This post is in association with Rangecookers***

By Rachel Newcombe.