I would consider utilizing the closet-style pantry area and completing that area in cabinets if you do not want to lose counterspace.

Many people do not like them under the cooktop because they will be lower than the oven in a range. (I had it and never really thought about it, but it bothers a lot of people).

You did not ask about this, but right now the DW door opens into the spot where you would be standing at the sink to load it. You should take that into consideration with this plan.

I like having the oven in a stack. Regarding your layout, I would consider an island -- lengthwise across from where you currently have the stack. I would consider moving the refrige to where DW is and pantry over against that wall as well. Consider moving cooktop closer to oven stack and placing sink across from cooktop and oven in the island or place sink/DW where stove is currently located. I often start meats on the cooktop and finish them in the oven so having oven close to cooktop is important. I understand there may be undisclosed reasons for current setup. So, I like the stack, but would not object to oven below. Had both, like both -- depends upon what works given the layout. Good luck.

ludy,
That already is an island if I am looking at the plans correctly: I believe the wall is just a pony wall so the sink and DW are on an angled island that is two level, not on a full wall.

Thanks for all the feedback. I am not able to do major changes to the kitchen layout. The refrigerator and wall pantry stay where they are. The island is the shape shown but we are removing the raised bar and making it all counter height so it will be about 38" deep. Is it bad to have the dishwasher on the left side of the island and have the oven cabinet next to the refrigerator? To be honest, we don't even use an oven much. We mostly cook range top and for the occasional oven use, we much prefer something like a convection oven. We are vegetarian so we don't need to put large meats. Most of our oven needs are for cookies, vegetables, brownies, baked pastas, etc. These can all be accomplished in an advantium style oven. The only real reason for the bigger oven (27") is for future needs and for home sale purposes! We are hoping to stay in this house forever but you never know now a days.

What prompted us to make all these changes was my wife's desire to get a 36" induction cooktop (we were going to get a gas range before and then a gas cooktop instead). We are also debating whether to get a cabinet above the cooktop and install an under the cabinet hood or just get a big hood and eliminate the cabinet. Otherwise we could try and get a OTR microwave that is 36" wide but I don't see too many of those.

BTW, any comments on the induction cooktops.

If you don't use an oven much, it may make sense to place it under the counter.

If you are looking at induction, chose carefully because some induction cooktops can Not be mounted over an oven. Or, some must be used with certain compatible models.

The 36" wide MWs seem to be 30" wides in a bigger carcass.

A hood without a cabinet is more prominent than a hood under a cabinet. It all depends on the look you want. Serious venting can be done either way.

Can I go with a 27" wall oven beneath the 36" cooktop or will that look weird? I still need a place for a microwave. We would like to avoid OTR MW since they are mostly 30" and not 36" wide. We have a counter top microwave but don't know if we want to put that on the counter! GE makes a convection microwave that is counter top - may be we can put it on a shelf in one of the cabinets!

The other concern is the induction cooktop. We are looking at the GE monogram 36" cooktop. In the installation instructions it says that I can put a wall oven underneath, but then it says that a 12" space is needed below the cooktop for proper airflow to keep the electronics cooled. Confused!! I want to make sure the induction cooktop works properly.

Also to the person that noticed how the dishwasher is laid out - this is the first time anyone has brought this up and I am now concerned. The floor plan is based on a standard floor plan from a local builder here in Melbourne, Florida. I will probably go look at a built house with this floor plan and see how it is.

Here is a link that might be useful: GE Monogram 36

Can't do 'serious venting' with a micro hood vent, anyway, and the other choices, as margareta mi, said, is an appearance preference, and whether or not you value the storage above.

I still think your plan to put the oven beside the fridge is good. You could put the micro above the oven. (I would) Putting a countertop unit in an open cabinet shelf is a fine idea, too...That's what we have.

I think a microwave and oven stack next to the fridge will be out of the way when using the cooktop, while still handy to use, and, I'm sorry to be repeating, but to finish the thought, under the cooktop is such a great place to store pots and pans. Why use 36" of wonderful, potential drawer storage for 27" of oven? :-D

I have both a wall oven and a oven under an induction cooktop. The wall oven is at my baking center and I really like that it is higher and I can easily look in the oven. However, I use the oven under the induction cooktop 9 out of 10 times even if I am baking. It only required a few inches clearance (not 12" as you said the GE requires). I wanted the ovens separated because there wasn't room for a double oven along the cooktop wall and I wanted an oven close to the cooktop for meal prep. I do miss not having the large storage under the induction that I originally had planned. And, do be careful about which ovens are compatible under the induction. I have a Miele induction and (of course) the salesman told us the only thing suitable under it was a Miele oven. ??? Anyway, it worked out fine because it is my favorite oven and some day I may replace the other one with a Miele - that's how much I like it.

If you decide on the 27" oven under the cooktop, it will not look funny/odd. I have a 30" oven centered under a 36" cooktop and it looks fine. My cabinet maker customized the inside of the top drawers on either side of the oven to accommodate the difference from the top drawer and the other drawers in the stack.

Have you considered keeping the microwave in your pantry? We are planning to put a countertop microwave on a pull-out shelf in our pantry.

I agree with Rhone410 on why not to have the oven below the cooktop -- what about having it on the same wall as the cooktop, immediately to the left of the entrance. You could consider an oven and a steam oven (e.g. Miele), since you're vegetarians... might get a lot of use out of that, and a future owner could always replace w/ a second oven if desired.

We did it in our last three kitchens and would do it again.

I have a 27" wall oven under a 36" cooktop, and no-one thinks it looks odd. My GC made a panel to surround the oven, and painted it to match my cabinets. I like the look, and didn't want the whole thing to look like a range. However, if I had, my GC came up with a great suggestion of covering the front panel in stainless steel, to match the oven, which would make the lower section appear to be the same width as the cooktop. I didn't want that, but I think it's a clever idea if you want that effect.

I had previously had my oven higher, next to the fridge, but I have a small kitchen and desperately needed more counter space.

Palimpsest, of course it is. Thank you. That makes all the difference . . . nevermind.

I agree w/others that you have plenty of counterspace and the addition of an oven stack will not hurt that at all.

Oven...Wall ovens mounted under the counter are several inches closer to the floor than ovens in a range. We originally considered it but when we saw an oven mounted under counter and realized that it was so low that the door handle pretty much touched the floor when open, we realized that was much too low. If you are seriously considering this, find a kitchen place that has your chosen oven mounted under counter and check it out. If you are even marginally tall, it will probably not work for you. OTOH, if you're a short family, it might be OK. One thing, if I were house shopping, an under counter oven would be a big black mark against the house & if there was no way to rectify the problem, it might even be a deal-breaker. Ditto for a 27" oven...I would want a 30". But, there are a lot of people out there who are fine w/27", so you'll probably be OK with that.

Dishwasher...Right now, you cannot open the DW and stand in front of the sink comfortably. You need at least a 12" cabinet b/w the DW & the sink to work. (If it were a 90 degree corner, you would need an 18" cabinet b/w them.)

Yes, it probably is a "standard" floor plan, designed by either an architect or builder, not an experienced/informed KD...this is typical of architects, btw...form is more important than function for most.

You say you can't make major changes, but how about the following:

Put the oven stack on the range wall at the end

Move the cooktop to the left (toward the corner)

Move the DW to the other side of the sink

Put a 12" trash or other cabinet b/w the sink & DW. That will mean the island will be an extra 12" longer on that side. However, you have 4'10" aisle on that end, so you have room to move into it. It will leave you with a 3'10" aisle....plenty of room.

This is what I'm thinking....

I noticed that you mentioned that you are vegetarians. Perhaps you stir fry. If so, you may wish to get a smaller cooktop and include an induction wok.

buehl - wow!!! You spent more time on this than my builder ever did!! I should have hired you :)

This is the first time we are building and we are making this up as we go. As you can see, this kitchen's design is for a 30" range with an OTR microwave. All that has changed recently due to my wife and my desires to have better appliances. I work for GE and get good prices on GE appliances. My builder gave me a small credit for appliances and I get to choose my own. But now he needs to get a quote from the cabinet company for all the changes they are doing. The island was not symmetrical before (the right side was actually even shorter). I worked with the builder to make it symmetrical. I talked with one of the other owners of a home with this design and she said she finds it very convenient to load dishes from the sink into the dish washer. I am going to visit her home next week and see for myself!

I noticed you used a 42" hood. Is that needed for a 36" cooktop. Also, is there a specific reason that you recommend the oven stack next to the entrance wall? What is the advantage of putting it here compared to next to the refrigerator?

I'm not Buehl, obviously, but have a comment on the hood width. (my opinion and experience) Some prefer/suggest/strongly encourage a larger hood for better capture, but it's not a rule or code and I wouldn't even call it necessity. I'd worry about adequate CFMs and maybe depth, rather than width. We have a 24" deep, 48" wide hood over a 48" Wolf gas rangetop, on which we high-heat stir-fry and sear meats, and have even done some deep frying, and I have no complaints about the job it does. The only reason I might have liked wider, is because we use our Panini grill and waffle irons on the counter beside the rangetop and it'd extend over that area a bit, but does a good job pulling any steam and odor from them, too.

I think it depends on your budget and if you're willing to give up upper storage. Can't hurt, but you likely won't have a problem without going wider than the cooktop.

Buehl has given you a very good layout. Putting the oven/micro stack where she did maintains a landing area next to your refrigerator. While symmetry can be pleasing, in the case of your island, I think you would appreciate the other location for the DW as well as the trash pullout. In fact I'd suggest making it 3" longer and putting in a 15" pullout as 12" is too narrow.

Thanks Bommai!

Your most logical Prep Zone will be b/w the refrigerator and cooktop..usually it's b/w the sink and cooktop, but b/c your sink is on an island with limited workspace, you will probably take your veggies over to the sink, rinse, and then move them over to the counter b/w the refrigerator & cooktop. From there you'll move to the cooktop.

Because of this, I wanted to (1) maximize your prep zone workspace, (2) keep the prep zone as close to the refrigerator as possible, and (3) provide a landing place for refrigerator items right next to the refrigerator (and where most items will be needed for prep).

I also thought that having the two tall items on opposite ends would balance each other and act as anchors for the kitchen.

Hood....It's recommended that a range/vent hood be 6" wider than the cooking surface. This allows a 3" overhang on each side to increase the capture area of the hood. Steam and smoke begin expanding outward as they rise so the 3" overhang helps to capture anything that has expanded beyond the cooking surface. No, the extra 6" isn't required, but it is recommended.

Island...The longer island that I drew also offered you a bigger expanse of workspace. The problem w/a sink in the middle of an island is that it interrupts the large expanse of workspace that is one of the biggest advantages of an island...workspace that's great for school/science projects, crafts, baking, gift wrapping, serving food, etc.

If you were open for more extensive changes, I probably would have redesigned your kitchen with the main/cleanup sink on the wall and a prep sink in the island. That way, you could use the island for prepping as well as keep most of the island open for projects, etc. (70% of the time spent in the kitchen is prepping, 20% cleanup, 10% cooking.)

Dishwasher...There isn't that much room to stand or move around at the sink in the current design. I wonder if that person would actually choose it if she had other options.

I like Buehl's location for the ovens. If you put it next to the refrig, you would have no landing area when you are taking things out of the refrig. buehls' layout solves that problem.