First, here's the pic (you'll get more comments if the pic is embedded in the post)

To tell you the truth? I don't see the perks in switching from a range to a cooktop and one wall oven, no matter where it is. An undercounter oven is miserable, IMO - its just too low, and you lose the storage drawer of the range - and I'd rather have the cabinet space you'd lose if you put in a wall oven.

How about a slide-in range, with an undercabinet hood, and the micro somewhere else? It would give you that totally flat look of having a cooktop, but it would still be a range - and therefore, easy to use, move, replace, etc.

Buehl, Thanks for posting the picture :)

I wouldn't put the oven under the cook top either- way too low. Nor would I put the oven/combo next to the cooktop. It needs to be in a tall cabinet probably next to frig. You'll probably still have a little room for drop space next to it. Are you keeping desk ?
I think the one reason to have seperate cook-top/ oven, besides a "classier" look for lack of a better word, is to raise your oven to a better height, not having to bend down to lift heavy turkeys or just to peak in.
BTW- I wouldn't have known how to embedd a picture either. Thank goodness for all of the GW experts, cuz I was going to move on... :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: granite countertops

You're welcome BlueBee_Sky!

Some questions...

• You say it's a budget remodel...are you replacing the cabinets? If not, how are you planning to get the cooktop & oven cabinets?

• Are you sure you want an under-counter oven? They're lower to the floor than the oven in a range. If you can get a cooktop or oven cabinet, why not go for a tall oven cabinet and put an oven and MW in it higher off the floor. I recommend you find an appliance store or kitchen showplace that has the oven you want mounted under counter and see if you're OK with how low it is.

  If you build a shelf for a MW in the tall oven cabinet, you might be able to reuse your current one for now. [That'll depend on air clearances required by the MW...it may not work b/c it's designed to have nothing beneath it. Check your manual or find a manual online.]

• What's behind the refrigerator wall?

• How far apart are the desk & that railing...both diagonally and horizontally?

• How wide is the desk?

• Are the upper cabinets on the Refrigerator wall the same sizes as the base cabinets below them?

• How wide is the refrigerator?

• Do you need a desk? [Many of us here have found desks to be "clutter magnets" and would rather plan a Message Center than have a desk. More about Message Centers later.]

• What do you use that counter to the right of the Refrigerator for?

• Can you tell us a little about you and your family & how you use the kitchen? Things like...

  • Size of family?
  • Children?
  • Do you entertain a lot?
  • What kind of cooking do you do?
  • Do you cook a lot or just sometimes?
    
    We're not being nosy, these things help us to help you find a design that will work for you and your family.

Here are some ideas, but they're dependent on the answers above.

I'll assume you're keeping the cabinets....so, how about this...

1. Remove the range & OTR MW (they're not very effective anyway)

Put in a 30" cooktop cabinet w/drawers & a 30" cooktop
Put in a wall mount range/vent hood over the cooktop and vent it outside if it isn't already.
Remove the desk...both the desk & upper cabinets
Put in an oven stack next to the Pantry w/a single wall oven + MW (probably just an alcove for the MW since countertop MWs are less expensive than built-ins and you have more options w/countertop models than w/built-ins. Just put the countertop model in the alcove.]
Move the Refrigerator down to where the desk was (it doesn't look like the island would be any more of a barrier than it already is...the refrigerator is still a pretty much straight shot to the range/cooktop & sink...just from different sides of the island)

With the refrigerator moved down, it puts it on the periphery of the kitchen. It's accessible from both the kitchen & snackers...and those snackers will not get in the way of the kitchen work.
Recess the Refrigerator into the wall. If possible, recess it into the room behind it as well. Ideally, it should be recessed as far back as needed to bring the...

buehl,

Thanks for the response. You opened up a lot of things for me to think about!! I'll take sometime digesting all these suggestions :)

Thanks again to melanie, granite-girl and buehl!

I vote #2.

I have to agree with everyone else: I'm considering doing the wall oven under cooktop thing, but my *entire* kitchen space is slightly less than you have to the left of the pantry, less the island.

It's certainly not ideal and if I baked a great deal I wouldn't consider it, even in my small space. With the amount of room that you have, there's bound to be a better way.

I like #2, as I like an oven at a better height, and love my under-cooktop drawers. I'd also want the desk counter brought up with the rest, and make sure you won't be hitting the oven handle with the fridge door. If there might be a conflict, you might want a pantry cabinet or broom closet in between, just wide enough to prevent the problem.