My tile backsplash was installed after the OTR MW was installed, so there's no backsplash behind the MW. Read the installation instructions carefully with the new one, some of them have to be installed higher than your old one, especially if you have a pro style stove or cooktop.

Oh crap! You've just given me something new to worry about! :>) I have my OTR MW lining up perfectly with the bottom of my cupboards, and have had it templated for granite to end there too! I am assuming/hoping that it will be possible to find the same sized MW when we (naively hoping IF)need to replace it! Guess I could add some gorgeous little trim if it was smaller!

Ooooh, you have me a little worried. I am planning a white on white kitchen...but back to the topic at hand. No I definitely don't think a lip of a backsplash is at all unfinished. In fact, i think most houses just have a lip? I wonder if the wall of a BS is a new thing. In fact i just took a quick look at property listings (no I am not a realtor, haha) and the 3 houses I clicked on (close to a million$) all had a lip of a backsplash. I think it is personal preference. And your right it is a dust catcher=). but better to have dust than me rub off my wall every time I wipe my counters down. (good paint may well solve that dilemma) but I do think that it looks naked with nothing. We cook alot ( and I am messy) so I have to have something behind my stove...and personally i do like the full wall of backsplash. If you have soapstone, that may break up the white enough to not make it so stark. You could possibly consider the lip of soapstone and then tile above that....? Best of luck

THanks for your replies. I guess we'll just tile up to it and keep extra tile in case we ever do away with the OTR microwave. Thing is, it is an inch lower than the cabs. So we'd have to cut tile or put a 1-inch border on the top of the tile everywhere else but there. The cabs are exactly 18" from the top of the counter, and I am using 3X6 subway tiles. So actually I'm going to have to cut some tile anyway to fit, because I have to allow for the spacing there will be between tiles for the grout. Therefore every piece (either on top or bottom) will have to be cut some. which leads me to another question - do you start the tile at the bottom or top? I'm thinking the bottom, the cut to fit right under the cabs? My head is starting to hurt.