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Yes, I believe the microwarve we are getting has an oven exhaust built into the bottom of it. I'll have to check with the other half on that though.
Be sure the fan will cover the stove. Our unit is a POS and any smoke from cooking on the front burners goes right up the front of the microwave and is blown into the living space by the fan.
Be sure the fan will cover the stove. Our unit is a POS and any smoke from cooking on the front burners goes right up the front of the microwave and is blown into the living space by the fan.
I've ranted about my recirculating micro-vent enough on various posts so I won't do it again here... just be sure your new kitchen has a vent that takes the cooking fume OUTSIDE, not recirculates and blows back into your house. If you get an actual exhaust fan, the cfm will probably be higher than what a micro-hood combo can do. Some brands have high cfm models and the design makes it easier to clean.
Anyone have a similar setup that could post a picture so I could see how yours flows?
Someone posted the following pictures in a different thread. The appliances are in different places but the setup is similar to your kitchen, only yours is a narrower kitchen with less floor space. If you notice, one is a picture of the old island and the other is a picture of the new white island. I'm just posting both so you can see both sides of the kitchen and where the dishwasher is located.
Think through this---those last two photos--you have 2 people prepping dinner--one is at the sink washing vegetables, the other at the island cutting food and using the microwave--the person at the island needs to get something off the stove so the person cutting/preping veges at the sink has to squeeze in or the island person has to walk around the island to the stove. It's just not efficient. The island isn't big enough to do any real prep work so it's just an obstacle in the kitchen. Look at the counterspace on the sink side. Take out that sink and that is the prep space you would have if you went with peninsula design. The kitchen we have now is very much like what you have--appliances are placed differently. We can't have more than one person making dinner at a time because of the stupid island in the middle. It's not big enough to really use--we do but it's not really functional, and if you are opening cupboard doors or have the dishwasher open, you can't move around in the kitchen.
With your layout with all of the appliances on one wall basically, you won't be able to have more than one person in that space...it looks pretty, but if you actually want to use your kitchen, get rid of the island. Even if you keep the U-shape and don't add the peninsula, move the appliances to different walls and gain countertop space on the sink wall and you will be way better off.
You can still have that counter set up for buffets for friends, etc. and if you move the fridge to the other side of the room- you would have several feet of uninterrupted counter space and more room for more cooks.
If you keep that layout, I'd put the stove on the wall by the dining room, the fridge on the wall opposite of the sink...away from the dining room.
Lighten up about the island, golfgal. People like them. I understand what you're saying. I had a similar problem with a peninsula. We removed it due to always running into each other and having two dogs underfoot in that small space. It turns out I miss that prep space across from cooktop. The counter space was much more important than running into each other. Now that we're redoing our kitchen, I'm putting in an island. I figure it will be better than a peninsula because there's two ways out of the space. It's possible for the OP to have an island without committing to it. She can have the flooring finished under the island so removing it won't be a big deal if she doesn't like it.
I do agree that she needs to split up her appliances. Having them all in one area causes everyone to run into each other even if they're not working in the kitchen together. I can't tell you how many times I've run into my husband while he's heading for the coffee maker because it's between the stovetop and the sink. In my new kitchen, the coffee maker is going to be on the opposite side of the room by itself. The same goes for my refrigerator. It's accessed the most by family members. I want it on the other side of the room, like in the photos above. You claim it's a pain to walk around the island to the fridge. For me, an island makes it easier. I unload everything from the fridge onto the island, and it's all within each reach from every other part of the kitchen.
What annoys you doesn't annoy everyone else. Islands are popular because most people prefer the advantages over the disadvantages.
The stove is where it is because it has to vent to the outside. So it;s easiest to put it on an exterior wall. It's a lot more work to vent it from where the fridge currently is without running it through the tops of the cabinets and then I lose space.
I agree its an awkward place for the stove but we don't have tons of choices unfortunately.
The stove is where it is because it has to vent to the outside. So it;s easiest to put it on an exterior wall. It's a lot more work to vent it from where the fridge currently is without running it through the tops of the cabinets and then I lose space.
I agree its an awkward place for the stove but we don't have tons of choices unfortunately.
Why does it need to be vented outside? My stove isn't vented outside. You do have many choices. If you insist the stove be vented outside, you could move the sink instead. I would do anything possible to ensure substantial counter space on both sides of the stove. That little space to the left of it would drive me crazy.
I'm not quite sure. My husband just said the specific stove that it is has to be vented outside. I don't know much about stoves personally. Where would you move the sink?
I'm not quite sure. My husband just said the specific stove that it is has to be vented outside. I don't know much about stoves personally. Where would you move the sink?
I think your husband doesn't know what he's talking about. The microwave might need to be vented outside, but you can easily buy an over the stove microwave that doesn't need to be vented outside.
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