If you are planning a kitchen remodeling project and you have the room, I highly recommend installing a separate range from your oven.  At the same time, you need to really give it some thought before you go this route so you can be certain the overall layout of your kitchen will be user-friendly and attractive.

When my husband and I started our kitchen remodeling project, I was really big on the idea of having my stovetop separate from the oven.  To be honest, I really don’t know why I wanted that.  I just thought it looked more modern and attractive, but I didn’t have any real reason for wanting that kind of set up in my kitchen.  Still, I moved forward with that set up in mind.

Now that all is said and done, I am glad we went that route (despite the fact that it made things more of a pain for my husband with the install process…).  As it ended up, we really didn’t have an option because I decided to get the double oven set-up with the convection oven on top and a standard oven on the bottom.  Obviously, unless I want to stand on a ladder as I cook, I am not going to have a stovetop at the top of a double oven.

Aside from the double oven issue, having a separate stovetop has worked out for me in other ways.  First, it keeps me from having to cook right over the oven, which can get a bit toasty.  Second, it allows me to move more freely from cooking things on the stovetop to checking on things in the oven.  Or, if one of my kids or if my husband is helping with the cooking, I don’t have to force them to move away from the stovetop as I check inside the oven.  Finally, it just looks better that way!

We chose to have our stovetop installed in a peninsula within our kitchen.  With the peninsula, we were able to create the kitchen work triangle that allows me to easily move from the stove and oven to the sink and to the fridge.  On one side of the peninsula, which separates the dining room space within the kitchen, we have the stovetop.  On the other side, we have an elevated counter area with stools for a breakfast bar.  It is nice to be able to easily slap the food onto the breakfast bar from the stovetop and then shout to the family that food is ready.

So, if you are trying to figure out a layout for your kitchen renovation, you might want to seriously consider including a separate range.  I am glad I did!