I'm also turning sixty and I don't like the idea of carrying food/water from a sink located on one counter to a cooktop at a different counter. So, if you don't mind your sink being off center under the window, I'd move the sink to the right have DW on its right as well and move the cooktop to the left of the sink. Make the peninsula a foot shorter and get rid of the end cabinets (have normal ones) on the sink counter. Where you now have the cooktop, I'll have the ovens side by side, maybe have the MW there also. I'd also move the fridge closer to sink counter to get it out of the tight area, maybe with a shallow broom closet or bookshelves next to it.(edit: Or instead of a broom sloset it can be for your plates/glasses etc.)

sena has given some very good advice on placement. As someone just 5' also I understand your concern on the ovens. How high is a speed oven? I can guess on a regular oven but don't think I've ever seen a spd oven IRL. That might make a difference on if you should put it above, below or next to your regular oven.

My sister has a wall oven that would be very comfortable for me to use. (I measured once and think the very top of it was 52" from the floor) She then has a mw above it - still low enough that I can easily use it also (tho not peer down into anything IN it to check on). It's a good sized mw - larger than my counter mw. Actually, as I think of that, for much use (and I do) I'd rather my mw be lower by maybe 4-5 inches at least (as mine is on the counter). So might be the same for you with a spd oven over reg oven. Still, you could put the reg one down a few inches and it'd still be higher than under a cooktop.

Check the hght of your spd oven and reg oven and then kind of mark it out (with tape?) on one of your now cabinets (or wall).

The mw might go on a built in shelf under a cabinet - at a hght both boys could use. (don't forget yourself in that as you might use it also). you could have a drawer below it for paper plates or mw plate covers.

sena - I'm with you on age and what we'll do anymore. In my mid 60s, I won't even carry a heavy pot of hot anything even a few ft. I don't even use my heavier/larger pots anymore (that I used when the kids were home oh so many yrs ago!). I'm blessed that where I moved a few yrs ago the stove is on one side of the L about a ft from the corner and the sink is a few ft from the corner on the other leg of the L. I can do my 'little bit' of prep for me in that few ft of space with the stove top on one side and the sink on the other.

Anyone getting up there in age and not planning to move again should consider these things when remodeling or moving to a new place.

I don't see these types of cabs in GW kitchens, but they are quite popular in european kitchens.

I've seen just a few of them. they might have been options but they didn't put them in tho...

is that the oven sitting up high on the end? very sleek looking. not something that could be said about my kitchen...

@Sena01, I don't think I can live with the sink not centered in front of the window, but you did give me some ideas to play around with. I appreciate your suggestions!

@desertsteph, the speed oven exterior is W30", D22-3/8", H19-5/8". I went to some appliance stores to check displays. I don't think I would be happy with anything higher than 62", but I'm concerned that the open door would be at my bust. I will definitely mark it out with tape.

Please keep the suggestions coming. I did not commit to anything yet.

will your countertops be at 36"? I know I wish mine were not that high...if I redid my kitchen, 1 counter run would be maybe 2" lower.

I can understand the 'not higher than 62" '. so, at 20 for the spd oven and 29" for the reg oven. Measure it out so that you can still see into each oven and actually see what is in there cooking - w/o tippytoes or a stool. Do the same for the mw height.

You'll also have to plan on that side door opening (will love seeing that - when in post w/door open also!). And take into consideration where that door swings toward or into. Do you plan to have counter space on the unhinged side?

ok, I looked up your oven - beautiful! oh, lucky you! I would have loved that 40 yrs ago when raising my kids! Anyway, if it were me getting it, I'd probably be weighting down a roaster or 9x13 pan and putting it at different hghts to see how it feels to reach for it, lift it toward me... and then ?? where does it go from there? how far to set it down? remembering that it will be hot!

the racks seem to be in the middle third of the oven - so that's the area I'd be concerned about. I might also do the same with the spd oven (use a box to represent it). Set it on your counter, a table etc at different hghts, put something heavy in it...and pull out of it. See how these work with your 5' - eye level, arms etc. Remember that when something is in the oven you'll want to be able to look in at it and down 'into' it - without a step stool!

It looks from your layout that you'd really have enough space to put each at your best level - with counter in between them (remembering that the counter needs to be to the left of the reg oven). If you could put your mw above 1 or the other and still be able to use it (see food, put stuff in and take out safely) that might work out nicely. The mw would still be a bit higher for the boys to use.

Also, when I see people put their cookie sheets etc in a slotted cab above their wall oven (or fridge) I always have to shake my head. That'd never work for me - I wouldn't be able to reach those things. With yours not as high, you should be able to do that and still reach them.

Just be sure it works for you! You're the one paying for it and the one who will be working in it every day for many yrs.

Thanks again desertsteph. I plan on keeping the counters at their current height, but with a farmhouse sink.

Still playing around with layout. I need to take a little break!

I decided to compromise with the ovens. I will keep the height of the top oven (speed oven) at 62". If need be I will do away with the drawer under the ovens, or make it narrower. If I do away with drawer, I will locate the speed oven items close by. I also decided to locate the microwave on a shelf in the upper cabinet (window side) closest to the doorway to the dinning room. I plan to use the closet just outside the kitchen as my broom closet.

Can someone please tell me why I don't get much feedback on my post. I have in the past on different forums of GW.

bump

I think more people are posting now so a posting gets off the first page faster; and, at least on my IPad, there are fewer postings on page one than there used to be under the old site?