Not gonna work. You have a fire hazard and want to make it a painted fire hazard with structural issues too. Save your money and do it right by replacing it all.

Thanks for the feedback. What do you mean by fire hazard? Also what structural issues do you foresee?

I suspect Sophie is concerned about the cabinet holding the fridge being right next to the range. There are codes about how close areas of the range can be to combustible elements like wood. You will want to check those codes out before proceeding. Also, you need to be very careful that if you build a cabinet for a fridge, the fridge doors can still open all the way. I do think that it is a good ida to change the stovetop to a range.

You might try working with a reputable local custom cabinet maker. He might be able to make you the shaker doors and help retrofit some new cabinets. It might not be much more to get new cabinets already done in a shaker style.

Perhaps...but the wood is already there, so I suppose it would be no worse than it is now. I'll have to look into codes again - I didn't think it was an issue, but I might have missed something. I don't think door clearance will be an issue. The cabinets come out only about 26", so I would think it would be easy enough to find a fridge that has doors that start around that depth (but maybe not!). To be honest, ripping out the cabinets and replacing them all with new ones isn't really an option...too expensive. At the very least painting and shakerizing them should be something we can take care of ourselves. Looking into a custom cabinet maker to help make the fridge happen (for the area above the fridge) may not be a bad idea, but I'm not sure how much we would be spending at that point. We'll have to look into it.

It’s an all or none proposition. You’re proposing changes that require moving electrical, plumbing, and cabinets. The cooktop already has inadequate clearance and shouldn’t even be located there. The fridge doors won’t be able to open fully and access the internal bins. Redoing any of the finish is 10x as much work as you think it would be.

Start over. Try the IKEA planner. That gives you a rock bottom price on replacement cabinet costs. But at least your efforts wouldn’t be going to a dangerous halfassed patch that doesn’t really fix what is wrong with the space.

Given that your kitchen isn't that big, your savings by re-using the boxes will not be much, if any, in proportion to the amount of work you'll need to MacGyver everything. Your results will be much better if you tear out and start fresh. I realize that is not the budget you have, but I really think you won't save money by keeping what you have, because you may actually spend more in all your efforts to fit a square peg to a round hole.

You can gain counterspace by replacing the separate cooktop and oven with a range (I noticed in your OP you are using the wrong words; a "range" is an appliance that is cooktop and oven all-in-one, not separate). A range is also less expensive than a separate cooktop and wall oven. And while I usually do not recommend an OTR MW, in your kitchen an OTR MW would be another means to save space. A "counter-depth" fridge would also add a feeling of space to the kitchen. They are 24" deep so that they don't protrude from the cabinetry (which is likely the 24" standard depth, not the 26" you mentioned). The regular-depth fridge you have now will stick out and create a pinchpoint no matter where you place it in your kitchen. Sell it on Craig's List, or if you have a garage or basement, keep it there for extra fridge storage. You can find great deals for "scratch and dent" appliances at Sears.

I think you need to get educated a bit more, and the best way is to lurk on these forums a few months, reading as much as you can. I guarantee you will have a fresh and better viewpoint if you do that.

Thanks for the feedback. So given our space, what would a good layout be assuming a total redo of cabinets? Range where the cooktop is? Fridge still built in to the side of the range? Or the counter depth fridge where the old one currently is? My concern with the over the range microwave is that it will take up more space in an already cramped space. Would it sit down too far, or you're thinking moving it up further with no/smaller cabinets above? Any other thoughts on how to maximize use of the rest of the space in general?

Sophie, it wouldn't necessarily require any electrical or plumbing rework. Electrical outlets (including two junction boxes tied to separate fuses for cooktop/range) are already present in the cabinet space underneath the cooktop. Regarding plumbing, we wouldn't move the sink or dishwasher, and there is no plumbing for the fridge. Did you have something else in mind? What did you have in mind that would be dangerous? How would we "fix what's wrong with the space"? Do you have any recommendations?

Nonya, I think for the layout questions you are asking, you need to create and post your current layout, with measurements. It can be handwritten layout, you don’t need fancy software. Start a new thread for layout, with a good title. There are layout experts on the [Kitchens Forum[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kitchen-discussions-dsbr0-bd~t_28581) that are generous with their time. But before you do that, I recommend you do some reading, so you are more set on what questions to ask, what you are looking for - you don’t know what you don’t know.

This thread I am linking below is a very good educational tool. it has links within it. It will take a good amount of time to read the information, but if you are educated you will save money and avoid costly mistakes and end up with a better kitchen. I also agree with the previous comment about lurking and reading on these forums.

[Thread called “New to Kitchens? Read Me First”[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first-dsvw-vd~3246697)

Thread called “How Do I Ask for Layout Help?”

A cooktop requires its own circuit. A wall oven requires its own circuit.Moving it will mean an all new circuit. A range requires a larger ampacity circuit than either. A new circuit from the box. A refrigerator is suggested to have its own dedicated circuit, as is a MW. Your lighting is terrible as is for any layout. But a layout that is moving things around needs a different lighting plan entirely.

You’ve got 5-8K in electrical before you even start thinking about anything else. Paying labor to alter those old cabinets will cost more than just getting rid of them and replacing them appropriately.

You are already well over half way of doing every single thing. But, the expenses are already 90% of the cost of doing every single thing.

Might as well do the job correctly.