When we first started discussing the relocation of our kitchen, the vision was clear, at least in some ways. We knew what we wanted: a functional, beautiful space that could meet all our cooking needs and, more importantly, a space that would accommodate something very special—a bread oven. Dana’s love for making bread is more than just a weekly task; it’s a ritual that brings a sense of calm and relaxation to our otherwise hectic lives. So, when it came to deciding on key features in our new kitchen, a bread oven was non-negotiable.
But not just any oven. It had to be multifunctional, capable of baking, cooking, and, of course, heating the kitchen during colder months. So, the search began—during a break, no less. I had paused from our ongoing renovations, sipping coffee, when I thought, “Why not start looking for the oven?” After some scrolling, researching, and narrowing down options, I stumbled upon a company online that sold wood-burning ovens. It wasn’t long before I found exactly what we needed—a Forno Bravo model, made in Spain. This oven not only met all our requirements but also came with an added bonus: it could keep the kitchen warm.
The Purchase That Came with a Chase
Once I had calculated the BTUs and confirmed the oven’s heat output would be enough for our kitchen, I started checking on the availability for delivery. Time wasn’t on our side, but after a few emails back and forth, the company assured me they could meet my timeline. The price was a bit higher than we had originally budgeted, but considering the oven’s multiple uses, we decided to go for it.
Then came delivery day, which I expected to be the easiest part of this whole ordeal. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. Living in a town with narrow streets, delivery trucks often get lost or, worse, end up parked in random spots because GPS leads them astray. Naturally, the driver took the road GPS suggested, which wasn’t remotely close to our home. So, off I went, jumping in the car to chase down the truck, weaving through the narrow streets like something out of a ridiculous sitcom. It took a bit of my shaky Italian, a lot of hand gestures, and a good sense of humor to get the delivery driver to follow me back to the house. Success! Or so we thought.
Reality Check: It’s Heavy. Really Heavy
Now, let’s talk about the oven. This beauty weighed over a quarter of a ton, and the two of us needed to get it up three flights of stairs. Of course, we didn’t realize just how heavy it would be until we stood in front of it, staring at the sheer size of it. Our first idea, which we thought was genius at the time, involved using a rope. We figured, “How hard could it be to tie it up and haul it up?” Let me tell you—hard. The rope snapped before we even got the oven off the ground. Thank goodness it did, because we weren’t really prepared for what would’ve happened if it broke mid-air!
After laughing off that disaster (and leaving the oven on the ground for the night), we regrouped the next morning. This time, we had a more practical solution. One of us would carefully disassemble the oven, while the other cataloged all the parts and recorded videos for reference. If we were going to get this thing upstairs and put it back together, we needed to do it right. Piece by piece, we carried the oven up the stairs. It was like taking apart a medieval catapult—heavy, intricate, and requiring a lot of patience.
Making It Fit: Custom Adjustments for a Perfect Fit
Once all the pieces were upstairs and reassembled, we realized the real challenge was just beginning. Our original idea was to place the oven flush against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, creating a clean, built-in look. To make that happen, I had to take apart the enclosed staircase, slowly working section by section to create enough room for the oven. It was no small task, but every bit of progress felt like a victory. We were finally seeing the vision come together, and the oven was beginning to look like it belonged in the space.
The next step was getting the Forno Bravo oven secured in place on the custom metal frame we had designed. I had gone to the local hardware store armed with my homemade schematics, and while I’m sure the staff thought I was a little eccentric, they built exactly what we needed. The frame was perfect, strong enough to support the weight of the oven once fully assembled.
The Stack: Drilling a Hole in the Wall
Now came one of the most daunting tasks—drilling a hole through our thick fortress-like wall to install the oven’s stack. We knew this was going to be a bit of a challenge, but the oven required proper ventilation, and the only way to make that happen was to carve out a path for the chimney. Armed with a hammer drill and all the patience we could muster, we drilled through the wall to create the necessary opening.
But, as with any home improvement project, things didn’t go quite as planned. We were missing some key parts to complete the stack installation. Unfortunately, this meant we could only install half the stack. With parts unavailable in time, we had to leave the job incomplete for now, with a mental note to revisit it as soon as the parts arrived. For the moment, the half-finished stack stands as a reminder that even the best-laid plans need a little patience (and perhaps a few extra trips to the hardware store).
New Challenges, New Plans
But, of course, no project goes off without a hitch. We managed to install the base and part of the stack, but we were running into issues with lifting the fully assembled oven to the necessary height to place it on top of the frame. Our previous rope mishap had taught us a lesson in physics, and now we needed a smarter, safer solution to get the oven exactly where it needed to go.
The new plan? Lift the entire assembled oven—yes, all 500 pounds of it—to the height required to secure it in place on the frame. At this point, we’ve brainstormed everything from pulley systems to hoisting it with makeshift scaffolding, but we’re still in the planning phase. Like any home renovation project, it seems there’s always one more challenge, one more adjustment to make. But that’s just part of the journey, right?
The Final Payoff
Despite all the hurdles, we know this oven is going to be worth it. The warmth it’ll bring to the kitchen, both literally and figuratively, is something we’re really looking forward to. Once it’s fully installed, we’ll finally be able to get back to what we really love—baking bread together every week, sharing that sense of accomplishment (and the smell of freshly baked bread) that Dana finds so relaxing.
The journey has been a bit comical, frustrating at times, and definitely more involved than we imagined. But the payoff—a fully functional, beautiful bread oven that’s also a source of warmth for our kitchen—is going to be a huge addition to our kitchen and our lifestyle. We can’t wait to finish the final steps and get back to doing what we love: enjoying the simple pleasures of life, one loaf of bread at a time.
