Is it a high-end home? If so, definitely 36" range.

I strongly prefer a counter depth fridge. Typically these are ~24-25" body of the fridge, and doors stick out a few inches past that. I hate when the body of the fridge is deeper than the counters and cabinets around it.

Yes it is a higher end home. I agree with you about the fridge, but since it’s sitting next to a pantry, the pantry can be built out to match a deeper fridge at 30”, thus giving us more space in the fridge. Wondering if 5 cubic feet per person (we’re 2 adults, 2 tweens) is enough.

I think you can go either way on the fridge--I agree with stellarceline that I don't like refrigerators that stick out past the cabinetry, but in your situation you have room to ensure it doesn't. We are getting a counter-depth 36" refrigerator for our family of four with similarly aged kids, which is a slight space upgrade from our 25-year-old 30" model. The current fridge is sometimes tight, but we also have a small chest freezer in our garage, so can put large frozen items there instead.

I have also been looking at ranges recently. We have to do a 36" since that's what we built for, and we'd end up with a lot of counter and cabinetry wackiness if we tried to do 30" instead. (We currently have a vintage 34" range, and designed to allow for it to be replaced at some future point.) One thing I am really not liking about the 36" ranges is that the ovens are all huge--much more oven space than we need, and they take longer to reheat to boot. I wish we could do a 30" instead--while a 36" cooktop is nice, we have that setup now and rarely use everything at once. Tried out some of the 30" ranges in the showroom and they feel plenty spacious--I'd definitely prefer an extra 6" of cabinet space. Just something to consider.

I too struggle with my shallow but wonderful Sunbzero. Suggest you put a deeper one in, but make that whole block of cabinets deeper too so you have a uniform block.

My brother (family of four) has a 30" SZ fridge column and a separate two-drawer freezer. Works very well.

Are you working with a Kitchen Designer (as opposed to cabinet salesperson, contractor, or architect)?

I'm asking because I see a few issues with the design you posted.

Are you open to a critique of the overall design?

Regarding a 36" wide range, be aware that it may overwhelm the space since it is a bit small. Just because a Kitchen is "high end", it doesn't mean you have to have oversize appliances. The quality of the appliance means more than the size.

Perhaps if you were willing to consider a different layout you might be able to fit a 36" range in without it looking too big for the space.

For the refrigerator, another option is a 42" wide refrigerator. A deeper one may be a better use of space...however, you will need to be good about moving things around and checking the food since food can easily get lost in a deep refrigerator.

Do you really need all that Pantry space? Do you have room for a small reach-in or step-in pantry elsewhere? Higher end homes often have a separate pantry instead of less-useful pantry cabinets.

@Buehl, definitely open to critique of the design, and yes working with a kitchen designer., but only now kicking off so still early. We're limited by a few things - the opening to the dining room can't change because of built-ins on the shared wall on the dining room space. Entry into the living room also can't move because where the fridge is drawn shares a wall with our fireplace.

Our current living situation: We currently have a pantry and a second fridge downstairs because all of our current cabinetry is very shallow and we have a 25 year old 30" subzero. The 30" subzero is built in where the design shows a cut-out into the living room. For our family of 4, it's so tight, everything falls out and when we have food downstairs, we tend to forget about the refrigerated items, therefore we use downstairs more for beverages (hence the desire to have standalone under-counter beverage fridge). We have an eat-in round kitchen table and built-in banquets currently where the fridge/pantry is draw in the design. @artemis78 thanks for your perspective! Have you considered keeping a 36" cooktop or rangetop and do a 30" wall oven? That's something we considered. But two realtors who know our house and neighborhood well suggested the 36" as did our builder. Knowing how crowded my 30" always feels to cook on, I'm also desiring a 36"!

I agree with the 30" range over a 36". I would do a 30" range with a double oven (like the GE Cafe Line). The space on a range is really dependent on the range itself. I had a 30" whirlpool in my last house, which felt super crowded to me. We lived in an apartment while our house was being built - that apartment had a 30" samsung range, and it felt positively spacious. So it really depends. I have a 36" rangetop now and it feels continental - but my range wall is 11' long so I have more than enough room. I don't think your kitchen can support a wall oven and a 36" range will just eat up more counter than you have to spare (not to mention the oven problem).

I don't know if this would fit, but I would move your range to the sink wall. Right now your range is in the worst possible spot - in the path from the LR to the basement/mudroom. I might also consider moving the sink & DW to the peninsula - again if space permits (doesn't look like it will but you never know). I'd do a prep sink under the window.

Regarding fridge size - this really depends on how you shop. I shop once a week and by the end of the week my fridge is empty. If you buy and keep a lot of food, that will drive your choice. I might consider putting a beverage fridge in a different room, though (dining or living?). As it is, you won't have much storage space and that will take up precious bits of it.

Do you want a magazine showcase kitchen or a kitchen that a real family can live with? IMO way too many people on this forum focus on form over function as far as fridges. You already know that for your family a shallow fridge doesn't work. Why in the world would you consider replicating that same type of scenario?

FWIW, I am in the final few steps of completing an upper mid level remodel of a small kitchen (true custom cabinetry, ASKO dishwasher, F & P induction range, Café fridge and Advantium microwave) , and I am so glad that I listened to my gut and installed a full depth fridge rather than a counter depth. This is what works for us.

Personally I hate deep refrigerators because things end up lost in the back. If I had the budget I would rather have two shallow fridges than one deep one, or a 48" wide shallow one.

Even with a Subzero, the door swing against the wall is problematic. The doors can be set with 90-degree stops and still function fully in terms of drawers and such. However it is recommended that you allow a full door swing, which I believe is about 5-6" past the hinge side with a 36" door on the fully integrated (Designer) line and about 11" with a built-in (Classic) line.You would have to check this on the website.

Hi, would love any feedback on this most recent iteration. This takes into account a separate 36" range and 30" wall oven. If we stayed with a range instead of two separate appliances we could actually have a counter and prep zone for the appliance garage or coffee station which would be nice. But I really love the 36" Bluestar rangetop which would require a second oven elsewhere.

Thanks!

In this iteration what you need is a set-down spot adjacent to the oven. It should probably be where you have "appliance garage" marked.

Technically the counter next to it on the other side is probably close enough but it is across a doorway/traffic pattern.

Also it appears like you have a utility sink and an undercounter beverage refrigerator occupying the same spot. A fridge will not fit under a sink.

Palimpsest- I agree with your assessment that I’d want a set down spot next to the oven and therefore leaning toward the range option and therefore don’t need the wall oven option. Good catch on the undercounter fridge. Will need to either eliminate the utility sink or move the beverage fridge to where the wall oven is drawn with just a counter/drop zone/coffee station above it. Thoughts on that?

• I would want the refrigerator near the cooking area with its small sink and range. I'd move it to the "wall oven" space (not against the wall which might prevent the freezer door from opening).
• Perhaps you could leave counter space to the left of the refrigerator for groceries you bring in and put the appliances you'd have put in an "appliance garage" in a cabinets above and below it.
• If you had a coffeemaker, toaster or other everyday appliance it could go on the countertop freed up by moving the refrigerator.
• What's the need for a beverage center? You'll have this big refrigerator.
• Perhaps: Samsung NE63T8951SS30 Inch Induction Range or Cafe CHS950P2MS1 30 Inch Induction Slide-in Range.

-- amateur

If this is a fancy house and you intend to sell soon OR you do a lot of involved cooking for a lot of people or with large-format cookware and need 36” I would get that; either way, get a brand you have cooked on before so you know you like it. (My family test-drove new ranges through cooking classes—with COVID lightening up this is a possibility for many people again.) Also remember that big ranges come with big hoods, and the bigger it is, the more it looks like a restaurant or a bioscience lab.

Also, looks like you are redesigning your kitchen and dropping a lot of money. I may be misreading, but it looks like whomever designed your kitchen put a sink over an undercounter refrigerator. If this is true, you may want to hire someone else to do this plan for you.

Haha thanks i actually sketched that out. My KD said nope can’t do that 😂

I have also made suggestions to my contractor and architect that have sometimes elicited ’nope you can’t do that’ and more dramatic reactions; I feel you.

For us a 36" w/ a 12" thermostatic griddle is an easy choice. The griddle is one of the more versatile tools in a kitchen. And yes to Bluestar RNB.

A deeper frig is not worth much as stuff tends to get lost in the back so I'd stick to shallower.

More here: https://bamasotan.us/2020/12/the-kitchen/