Hi
We have been looking at a number of properties as part of our research for purchasing our first IP in Melbourne, and we came across a brick oven in an old property that has been a family's home for 3 generations over 80 yrs.
My question is: What to do with the brick oven?
Any suggestions?
Regards
Daniel Lee
What do you mean by a brick oven? Do I take it that they have a kiln? It would make a great pizza oven….LOL
Maybe it could be converted into a pantry?
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Hi
Should have given more details.
The brick oven is located in the kitchen. It is one of those small ones. I have attached the link to a photo of a similar oven.
http://www.nomadpizzaco.com/oven.html
The oven in this property has been disused for a long time, so the family 'rendered' the inside of the oven and placed a small microwave oven in it. I found it hilarious at the time though.
To me, it seemed like a waste of space, as the microwave oven is angular shaped by the brick oven was dome-shaped. As the oven is built into the structure of the property, removing it would be expensive. Best I have thought of was to built a specially shaped drawer to fit into the disused oven and convert it into a cupboard
Has anyone come across such a situation and what did they do?
Regards
Daniel LeeKnock it down or seal it up.
We are doing a reno at the moment on a house that had an old stove in the kitchen with a huge chimney that stuck out. The stove had long gone but there was still an alcove that housed a newer oven. A couple of days with a jackhammer and the problem was solved!
I tried to find ways to keep the alcove but decided that it imposed into the kitchen too much. With things like that you tread a very fine line. Either a reno keeping original features can look really cool or, and more likely, any prospective purchasers will see that you have just tried to incorporate an ugly feature into a reno and it will look cheap.
If you can cover it with gyprock then I would think that would be the best way to go.
Cheers
K
In Melbourne, you have a greater appreciation for these sorts of "period originals". Especially in a lot of inner subburban areas.
You would be crazy to knock it down.
If it can be incorporated into the theme of the property – I'd make it a feature.
If you can't, cover it up carefully… you don't want to damage it.
This kind of thing is the stuff that lights the hearts of melbournians and will one day be worth more than it's weight in gold..If it is still functional, I would keep it and bake bread or pizza or a good roast in it. However you mention rendered the inside ( uhuu) and does its still have it's original door? Do you have room to store firewood? What is the rest of the house like?
I would love to have a wood fire oven in my kitchen.
Having said that I have a brick open fire in my living room and it was so poorly designed that I had to brick it up. Useless. We tried everything to get it to work and I mean everything.
As for you oven it may be a feature you don't want to loose. Make a wodden framed glass door, place a light inside the oven and store plates and glass…or maybe put the cat bed inside? The soya been germinator? Hum…Pantry for tins and jars?
However if you want to do something special and don't mind spending a few hours of work and a few hundred dollars, here is what you do.
Get yourself a bar fridge, and strip the refrigeration unit out of it.
Make a well fitting frame to the opening, and a double glazed door. Sounds difficult but it is not. We are talking about a tiny puny little door, come on!
Fit the evaporator inside the oven and the compressor under the bench, or outside depending on set up. Seal the flue.
Take the cat bed out of the oven.
You have now a very original bar fridge.
Include some racks to stack white wine and beer in it.
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