I've just re-installed my 27" side opening oven over a heavy three drawer unit on a wall that also functions as a hall (I needed it to be chest high and used up most of the over counter space wiht a new window and door in my 8x10.5' kitchen) It's not any farther away from the stove than it would be in a larger kitchen and being the oven, it doesn't matter and it is now next to the dining room door. Since there is no counter, I fitted the second drawer down with a sliding board that pulls forward to be a set-down. It looks like a TV between a pantry pullout over a cabinet, a pantry closet and cabs above it, but it was the only solution. I store its racks and trays in the cab to the left. I'd wished for an oven with a side door because of arthritis in my neck (better now)and was thrilled to find it at a store closing sale! I've loved it despite its sort of space age steamlined look (It is 7+ years old)

Thank you all for weighing in on this decision. I read each and every comment and you gave me a lot to think about! We ended up going to Bargain Outlet tonight to order different countertop. The Soapstone Sequoia tops that we bought ended up not being long enough (Big oops) and they won't work in the final layout that we settled on. When we changed from a range to a cooktop, we could no longer do the cut for the range, and it threw our measurements off. Somehow we missed that little detail until today until we set the counter on the cabinets and realized it was 6" short. : P (Must have been DIY dilirium.) But...we think it might have worked out for the best. We had bought the counters months ago when a local store was going out of business, and then more recently we got the cabinets. Seeing them together showed us that while they could work, they weren't a super match for each other. When we picked up the cabinets, they came with a few small sections of Bella Noche laminate, and they looked great together. Since we were going to have to order counter anyway, we switched directions and ordered Bella Noche instead. We never would have picked it from the little sample cards, but seeing the remnants with our cabinets helped us to know that we'd like it. While we were at Bargain Outlet, we ordered a 30" wide x 18" tall wall cabinet to place under the short wall cabinet in our layout. Our plan is to leave the doors off of it so that I can have a little bit of open shelving, but it will be boxed in along the side of the range hood like many of you suggested. Playing around with the shelf last night made me realize I could have a lot of fun with an open area there to decorate. We also ordered a glass door for the corner upper to help it feel airier over there om the sea of uppers, and it will give us another spot for displaying pretty serving bowls, too. Colors for the oven cabinet, hood and island remain to be determined. I don't really want to paint all of the uppers at this point. We have a busy family that the factory finish will probably handle better than a home paint job. Maybe someday, though! Now I have to see what colors look nice with both the cabinets and the new laminate. Should I keep it simple and do black? (Our fridge is black... and the cabinet doors have black lines along the details of the trim.) There are flecks of dark blue in this laminate too, although it's hard to see in the sample online. Bella Noche:

Thanks guys and I'll check out that gallery Tibb, thanks. ...it might well be that it is SUCH a dramatic change and that is what you're reacting to.. Definitely. I feel better tonight about it than I did this morning. The sun really did make a difference. It's hard to take photos of the color in here. I wish it looked like the warmer red brown all the time (don't have a pic showing it.) I honestly probably wouldn't be content with beige either. The room would be brighter, but a neutral beige makes the already dingy floor stand out and does nothing positive beside the counter. And you're seeing that when you walk in the room, you know. So we'll see. Here's the wicker basket I was talking about. That warmth makes me feel better. More light will help with the addition of more color, a different rug, and more wood or texture. I have a wooden wine box top that I like to prop up, normally as a backdrop, different places around the house. I think it would look nice on the wall above my drying rack. I'm going to try and make the room work. The color isn't as orange as it's appearing in this photo. The white plastic basket I could use as a hamper in the one bathroom and just make it all work on laundry day! I stumbled upon this lovely pic tonight. I know this room doesn't look like mine, but what I noticed is if the wood wasn't there it would feel cold and not have the same appeal to me. ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com/2014/04/kitchen-updates.html Looked through my rug folder and I very much like this one though I don't know if there's any purple. The description reads red, ivory, navy, and green. I know sometimes all the colors don't get listed. It's 1'11" x 3'. I kind of like this one, but I'm not sure how I feel about the yellow for in this room and it's more stuffy. 2x3 Yes, I went from saying I was for sure changing it looking through my rug folder.... lol

"So, if one guy says "we will take off all the brick" and another guy says "you need a lintel, leave the brick" who to believe?" In conventional construction brick lends no structral support so I see no reason to install a lintel to hold it up unless it looks good. If the brick is indeed incased inside wall that hints at improper construction. Doesn't guarrantee it,just hints at it. From the standpoint of increasing width of opening,that may be better. Here's why. I suspect the addition has a stand alone wall sitting beside origional wall. If that's the case,you will of course need two headers but they can be much lighter,thus not hang as low as if the addition's roof load is carried by a header in origional wall. I think when the contractor explains the actual situation you will be fine.