Undertaking a total kitchen remodel requires a lot of detailed planning and thought. If not planned out properly the project will take longer and cost more.

Prior to creating a new design for your kitchen, it is important to consider what you desire in major appliances for cooking.

The type and style of appliances will make a major difference to the overall design of your new kitchen. Although it may appear to be very obvious, for cooking you will require a group of heating elements, and at least one oven. This can be obtained as a stove or it can be obtained as a countertop grouping of elements and a wall mount oven. If a separate group of elements on the countertop and an independent oven is the route you are planning on taking, you then have to determine how many wall mount ovens you desire in your new kitchen.

Stoves, countertop cooktops, and ovens can be gas, (propane or natural gas) or electric. This is an important consideration as it may not be economic to bring gas piping or electrical service to certain areas within the kitchen.

A stove or countertop cooktop will also require an exhaust fan. This is an important consideration, as a properly installed exhaust fan should be vented to the outside. (Non-vent exhaust fans do exist, using a carbon filter, however they do not vent the moisture that is created in a kitchen from cooking because of that can create condensation problems). Some manufacturers produce a downdraft cooktop, where an exhaust fan draws air downward and out through the bottom of the unit. These units require more space below the cooktop than a regular cooktop does and hence must be considered in cabinet design.

Countertop cooktops and wall mount ovens come in an assortment of sizes. It is important to choose the specific models that you are planning on buying in order to adjust the physical layout and sizing of cabinets and countertops within the new design. It is also important to note the power requirements so that adjustments to the kitchen’s electrical configuration or gas piping layout can be made to accommodate the appliances.

Most people no longer consider microwave ovens a kitchen luxury. The size and mounting of a microwave oven varies dramatically between models and manufacturers. Units are available to sit on countertops, be built into walls (using specially designed ventilation kits), and mount under kitchen cabinets.

If you are considering creating a “gourmet” kitchen, the appliances that you can add to your collection are only limited by your imagination. Warming drawers, bread and pizza ovens, fryers, and woks are only a few of the specialty appliances that now exist for the gourmet kitchen. Consider purchasing commercial appliances if you want the ultimate kitchen.