Wall oven and cooktop or range for a tight space?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Hi all, we’re about to embark on a DIY kitchen renovation. And by we, I mean my father, who I’ve watched build houses and amazing spaces my entire life and now finally get to have him to help us re-do our kitchen. I’m excited! It’ll be a project on a budget but I think we can still accomplish some great-looking updates. We have a very small 50s kitchen and we’ll be keeping some vintage elements and styling and including some modern touches. We love that mix of retro and modern.

There’s one area I’m getting slightly cold feet about. We have a 30” freestanding stove that’s 7” away from the base cabinets to the left, with a counter top extending to meet it. Above it is a 40” hood. This whole wall has been my kitchen headache and one of the areas we’re changing the most.

Our plan is to get rid of all the cabinetry above the stove and build custom (we’ll be painting the cabinets white, extending to ceiling and getting rid of our soffit and dreaded fluorescent lighting). The new slide-in range will go against the base cabinet to the left (no more counter top overhang). Above the range will be new cabinets that match the width, and a hood at the proper height under the cabinets. To the right both above and below the range will be a narrow pull-out cabinet, and then the cabinetry will take a sharp angle to make a diagonal cabinet to the doorway. We’ll gain countertop space on the right and have a more built-in look, plus bye-bye shoulder buster upper cabinet!

Here’s the design dilemma… the base cabinet to the left of the stove is only 16.5” wide from the inner edge of the base cabinet with the drawers to the outer edge. I’m concerned a freestanding range (the ones we’re looking at are about 27-28” deep total) will stick out enough that it makes that inner corner feel really tight, especially after 7 years of getting used to that extra 7” of space I’m fine with losing that to gain the space on the right, but I worry about the stove sticking out there making that a more awkward/tight workspace since it can’t be flush. And perhaps look a little odd when visually glancing at those 3 drawers from afar, with a stove sticking out beyond a bit.

While it seems a bit crazy, I’m now considering the complicating factor of doing a single 30” wall oven in a base cabinet below a 30” gas (not electric nor induction) cooktop, in the same position, butt up against that left-hand base cabinet. But that way, we gain a flush cabinet surface from those 3 cabinets to the left of what-would-be the oven, and then the continuing new cabinetry to the right.

It definitely isn’t a cheaper or easier way to go which is why I’ve hesitated putting the idea on the table, but I do like the sleek look of a wall oven and cook top and think having a flush surface for those base cabinets could help make it not feel as tight in that inner cabinet corner. (And no, other placements for a range and/or wall oven and cooktop are not on the table for our tiny kitchen.)

If it helps, our backsplash tile will be aqua, but my spouse wants a quilted stainless backsplash behind the range up to the hood for an industrial touch. I can’t seem to find examples of that with a drop-in cooktop online so a tiny bit worried that might look odd, but not sure. I think it’ll still be fine…?

So, which would you do—stay with a slide-in range and just deal with the fact that it’ll stick away from the base cabinet, and that corner will feel a bit tighter, or go through the extra trouble (and expense) of doing a drop-in cooktop and a wall oven below?

With the wall oven/cook top I also worry about long-term issues with replacement and matching same size space in cabinetry and counter top. But I suppose worst case we can turn that back into a 30” space for a range someday down the road. Though having never had either, it makes researching two appliances a bit of a daunting task, too.

Anyway, thoughts one way or the other? Am I just overthinking this? Stick with a range?

Or if you think wall oven/ cooktop is the way to go, what are your thoughts on mixing brands, and do you think a quilted stainless backsplash up to the hood will still look nice, vs. doing that behind a range?

Thanks for your thoughts!

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Comments (6)

Sammy
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I’d do the separate cook top and oven. And if you’re worried about being able to someday find a replacement oven that fits the same space, GE has a fit guarantee.

Or if you think wall oven/ cooktop is the way to go, what are your thoughts on mixing brands, and do you think a quilted stainless backsplash up to the hood will still look nice, vs. doing that behind a range?

Mixing brands is fine, and oftentimes is the preferred way to go. As for the backsplash, I wouldn’t treat the area over the cooktop any differently than the rest of the backsplash, i.e., if a quilted stainless backsplash is what you desire behind the cooktop, then use it for the entire backsplash not just that one area. That’s my preference, anyway. ;)

GE JT5000 Wall oven
Buehl
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
How short are you? Ovens mounted under the counter are much closer to the floor than ovens in a range. If you and/or your family are all short, you may be OK with it. However, I suggest going to see one installed somewhere b/f committing.

We did just that. When we saw how low it was to the floor we immediately nixed the idea! The handle of the oven just barely was above the floor.

I would go with a range. Consider a slide-in or drop-in range and add cabinets on either side of the range (which you would have to do anyway with an under-counter oven). It gets rid of the "range backsplash" but the oven is still a bit higher off the floor and you get more counter workspace/landing space and storage.

Slide-in Gas Ranges: https://www.ajmadison.com/b.php/Slide-In%3BGas%3BRanges/N~25+4294965555+4294965554

I know you have gas, but have you considered induction? Much better response, more precise temperature control, etc.
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wdccruise
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I rebuilt my kitchen from scratch using IKEA cabinets. Everything required work to install except the range and the refrigerator which just had to plugged in and shoved into place. I'd pick a few cooktops and wall ovens -- ones that can be paired -- and look at their installation instructions before considering installing separate appliances. The LG LSG4513ST range is well-rated by Consumer Reports. Yeah, while the chassis is 24" deep, the total depth including the handle is 29-7/8". Ignoring the handle, would the fact that the range's face would stick out 2" from the fronts of the adjacent cabinet doors or drawers really make a difference?
PRO
Beth H. :
4 years ago
I'd do a cooktop w/a wall oven. (worry about the backsplash after everything else is completed)

can you do the wall oven to the far right? maybe close the doorway a bit to gain some space?

what about elsewhere in the kitchen? any other pictures?

Since this is prob the last time you'll be redoing it while you live here, spend the extra amount and do it the best you can and exactly what you want. in the long run you'll be happier.
T
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for the comments and things to chew over, everyone! To answer some of the questions--

We can't do a wall oven further to the right of the current stove location as that's a relatively small entryway, due to the fact that the fridge is on the opposite wall and can't be moved or recessed. Unfortunately we are locked into our configuration, so trying to do the best with what we have. At least either way I know we'll end up with a more eye-pleasing setup than we've have now! (I must admit though I'd really love to have seen what the setup looked like when the house was built in the 50s.)

Buehl, actually we're both quite short, 5'2" and 5'4". But even though I've seen some setups with the wall oven below the cooktop, I hadn't considered how low the oven controls would be. Do-able for us, but perhaps a little bit annoying. And then conversely because I'm short, I don't love the idea of having knobs along the side as the ones towards the back might be a bit of a reach for me. I'll try to find a setup in person before committing, though currently seems like we're leaning away from the idea at this point.

We're not interested in moving to induction. I don't have a huge thing against it but my spouse does most of the cooking and put a foot down. I'm getting my biggest desires in this kitchen in almost every way, so I'm happy to stick with gas for that reason alone. ;)

wdccruise, it's almost the researching separate appliances and finding two separate things that will go together that both have good reviews that kills the idea for me. It's hard enough trying to find one appliance. I also can't get the nagging feeling out of my head about how much more something truly built-in feels limiting if you run into issues down the line and need to replace. Whereas the beauty of a slide-in range is that it's just that, slide-in. I can change it out easily in the future should I have to. (Not that I want to! But I know nothing these days will last like the older appliances, which is the literal only reason I'm slightly sad to get rid of the 90s tank of a range we have currently. But good grief after almost 8 years in our house I hate looking at that ugly thing.)

Beth H. it's this comment that really has me thinking:

Since this is prob the last time you'll be redoing it while you live here, spend the extra amount and do it the best you can and exactly what you want. in the long run you'll be happier.

Ultimately I think if we're going the extra mile, the extra mile and the thing we really both would be happiest with wouldn't be the wall oven/cooktop setup, but in actuality a pro-style range. As wdccruise noted it's really only a couple extra inches off the face of the cabinetry, even in a small space. I'm probably worrying too much about that area. I still love the idea of the sleekness of the look of a wall oven, though my spouse loves it less than I do. And even still, when I picture things in my head that will make this our perfect kitchen for this space, I'm really picturing a range.

It's been really interesting the thought processes you go through in a kitchen reno. We did our bathroom several years ago and that was a complete gut job, but a much smaller scale obviously, and so many less things to think about. Phew!
opaone
4 years ago
How often do you cook? What styles of cooking currently? What styles of cooking would you like to be able to do? Do you entertain often? For how many people?

Without knowing the answers to these questions I don't see how anyone can provide very meaningful advice.

Wall oven and cooktop or range for a tight space?

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Sammy

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Wall oven and cooktop or range for a tight space?

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