Someone once asked me if she could put a microwave on a fridge, and right now, I am about to answer a similar question, “Can a pantry be next to an oven?” This is a straightforward question and answer.
Yes, a pantry can be next to an oven as long as they are lined up in the same direction. However, as a general rule, remember that if you have to align them in a specific direction, that’s the most optimal option since it minimizes dead space and avoids unnecessary obstacles.
This article will discuss what we mean when we refer to “next” and highlight differences in some of your available options depending on your preference. We’ll also explore whether or not it is possible or desirable for two pieces of furniture to share an exposed side and give some pros and cons for each case.
What does the phrase “next to” mean?
When we ask, “Can a pantry be next to an oven?” the first thing to consider is what it means to be “next to.” We might be tempted to think that it means there is only one possible position for them. This isn’t necessarily true, though. Many depend on what options are available in your kitchen and some common pitfalls in measuring a room.
Consider these options:
Option 0ne:
We are talking about a kitchen with a pantry next to an oven, but the distance between them is 2 feet instead of 2 feet from the table’s edge. In this situation, you have at least two options for layouts. The first would be to place the pantry next to the oven, but you would need an extra shelf for bread since it would be higher than the top of your oven (assuming that it is usually open). This setup will also take more space than just placing them side by side.
Option two:
The second option would involve not using any shelves on the wall and putting them next to each other. However, this may be possible only if you have a tall wall and the wall is parallel to the floor. In this case, you could remove the oven door and put it next to the pantry. This would also allow for a greater variety of options if desired.
The first option is more compact and might be right for your situation, but let’s assume that you don’t want to change your kitchen layout. If so, then there are still two more options available:
- Placing them side by side,
- Leaving an empty spot on one of the walls AND putting them next to each other.
Since they share an exposed side, they can be placed at almost any angle with respect to each other.
You are talking about a kitchen with a pantry next to an oven, but this time it is not in the same direction as before. Instead, there is an empty spot on the wall, but there is no need for shelves since the oven door doesn’t block it. In this case, you would be able to place them at almost any angle.
Depending on your preferences and available space, you could even place them very close to each other. However, these options will limit you in terms of creativity. For example, you can’t put them side by side if the walls don’t exactly match up, and you won’t have any extra room on the other end.
As a general rule, remember that if you have to align them in a specific direction, that’s the most optimal option since it minimizes dead space and avoids unnecessary obstacles. So, if your pantry is next to an oven and there is another shelf above it, then placing them side by side will provide more space than leaving an empty spot, but placing them next to each other will still work well.
How to draw the line of vision if they’re close
This is still a fairly common question that you might get asked by people who want to know if it’s possible or desirable. Looking at the layouts above, it is clear that once you place two pieces of furniture next to each other, there are no obstacles to the line of sight. However, this doesn’t mean that you will be able to see into the spaces between them or the space above and below. It does not even mean that you will be able to see all of your space in the kitchen since there are blind spots behind these pieces.
Let’s consider this in more detail. In the image to the right, we have a layout with a pantry and an oven next to each other. The layout itself is similar to what you might find in many kitchens.
Let’s assume an angle between 20 and 30 degrees before you can directly see the kitchen space between them. When standing in the room, even at a slight angle, you can clearly see how much of an impediment it is. A door is required if they are adjacent to each other, omitting windows, as they don’t count. You’ll need to go with this arrangement even if you have a pantry adjacent to an oven and no choice for a door, as it’s the only alternative.
The same reasoning applies in other situations as well. For instance, imagine you have a kitchen with a large island with storage on the opposite side and not along the wall:
Once again, let’s assume that there is an angle somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees before you can see the space between them. In this case, however, there are no blind spots from behind. This means that if they are next to each other, they can share space since they match up at those angles.
If there is no angle, it does not matter if you place them side by side or next to each other. In either case, you will see directly into the space between them. The only exception would be if you had a corner and one of them was on the edge of the room:
In this case, placing them next to each other would allow you to see into those spaces. However, positioning one next to the other would prevent you from seeing these spaces since the corner is right on top of that point where they match up. Therefore, only the side-by-side option would allow for shared space.
Conclusion
As a general rule, if you want to position the pantry next to something and share space with it, then the options are:
- Put them on opposite walls in the same room, OR,
- Put them at an angle of 0 or 90 degrees OR
- Put one of the pantries next to a wall (e.g., island) while putting another in front of another piece of furniture (in front of the island).
This also works if you place a tall piece of furniture like a cabinet between them if there is no other way to separate the spaces.