I wouldn't say that 30" is small. That's a pretty standard size and it's very appropriate for a lot of different types of cooking. Now, 24" wide ranges, that's small and makes things a lot more challenging. I have cooked on a 24" stove before, and I wouldn't want to go back to that.

As far as brands are concerned, personally, I am quite partial towards a Blue Star RNB. It's quite the beast and cooks and bakes beautifully. It also has an amazingly big oven cavity that fits a fullsize cookie sheet, if that's important to you.

But I hear you about the looks of a LaCanche. They can be quite stunning.

Please note that any high-powered stove requires a powerful vent hood. And the hood should ideally be about 3" wider on each side than the stove. If your kitchen is really tiny, that could pose a problem.

I would check out induction. You get the range top as counter when not in use. It also doesn't heat up a small space while being more responsive than gas. The Bosch Benchmark is one model.Here

You get the range top as counter when not in use

That's a good point. In a small kitchen, it might make sense to design multi-purpose surfaces wherever possible. Even the sink can become a very versatile prep surface: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4647411/am-i-crazy-to-want-a-24-sink#20253986

Be prepared to pay for this versatility though.

@Rhonda when you say "tiny", just how small are we talking about. Can you post some architectural drawings? I am kind of picturing a galley kitchen in a 747 :-)

Bonjour Rhonda ! And big congrats on the upcoming new kitchen. A Range choice is so personal, and will live in the heart of your home for years to come, so no decision is too light or too small :) A near 30" Range though can still offer a myriad of cooking options, it's all just dependent on your needs and lifestyle. If you're interested in configuring a range, come say bonjour at frenchranges.com/configure to get a feel for your options, but know that Blue Star are fantastic Ranges as well. Happiest of Shopping et à bientôt !!

Blair & Lacanche US Team

We are also downsizing from our 5 BR, 4B family home of 30+ years to an over 55 community and we're eagerly looking forward to moving in within a few weeks. While we were willing to sacrifice space we weren't going to compromise on appliances and planned our renovation to include a 42" Sub Zero, a 30" Thermador wall oven, a Bosch DW and my DH's favorite - a 30" BlueStar Platinum range. Remember to plan for the appropriate hood and MUA air too. The kitchen is small so we had to stay with a 30" hood too which isn't ideal but it's one of our compromises. To compensate we have a 1200 inline blower.

As you can see we didn't opt for a color - honestly there were too many to pick from and DH rather liked the traditional SS look and it fits in with our other SS appliances. We even had the choice of free color knobs but kept with the originals. We removed the wall between the kitchen and family room and I wanted a simpler, quiet palate in this space. If you pick a color you can also get a hood to match.

If you are contemplating a separate oven, look into combination steam ovens. They can often (but not always!) substitute for sous vide cooking

Thank you so much for all the great feedback and ideas! All very helpful! I am very interested in Bluestar and we do have a dealer in our community. We are working within 11' x 10', roughly, and the current footprint is G shape. Huge pantry we've decided to keep as pantry. Large bank of three connected windows overlooking woods and mountains. The G footprint old kitchen is very functional so we will work with that with new upgraded cabinetry, appliances, soapstone or granite, and a farm sink. Having the pantty remodeled as well with space for Kitchen-aid mixer, grain grinder, and wine storage.