Sunday 6 April 2008

Daisy Cottage - Decisions - Aga do or Aga don't


Another decision to be made about the cottage is whether or not to keep the Aga stove. We swing form yes to no on a regular basis and as yet we have yet to decide 100%.

Yesterday, we decided it must go. This decision was based on a number of facts:

1. It takes up a huge amount of room in the kitchen.
2. It is plonked in the middle of the kitchen side of the kitchen/diner making it very awkward to fit cupboards around.
3. It would need to be restored, and at what cost?
4. It's conversion to oil is rather clumsy looking.

So for now, it is going. For now ...

But then again there are also pros for keeping it:

1. Well, it's an Aga and so iconic and I'd feel a total philistine for taking it out.

2. They are way too expensive to buy one to replace it at a later date should we rue our decision to remove it.

3. It would make the kitchen very warm.

4. It fits the country cottage setting well.

I love ranges and we are actually having one put into our home in Letterkenny tomorrow (sadly not our Aga as it is too big for our kitchen at home). But I am used to ranges and so know how to use them and cook on them. But we do have to take into account the fact that we will also be using our cottage for holiday lettings and as such, are there many people willing to try cooking on it? I seriously doubt it given the amount that is written about the temperamental nature of an Aga. And even if some people were willing to give it a go, it takes a lot of time to get it right and to heat it up (about 8 hours) - time no-one will want to spend getting to know an Aga while on holiday I'm sure.

Oh, decisions, decisions! I have a feeling this one will run and run.
Should it stay or should it go? Click on the poll at the top right of the page.

2 comments:

Mick T. said...

Keeping it might add to the charm of being in an Irish Holiday Home? :)

Catherine McGlynn said...

Hi Mick

It would indeed have been good to keep it but the size of it and the upkeep outweighed the benefits. So, sadly, it has gone.