My old apartment was like that. It didn't bother me for the most part, but occasionally smells would waft up when I opened the silverware drawer; especially if there were odiferous things in there like bananas, or coffee grounds, or old cat food cans.

If I would have had the space, I would have bought a prettier trash can, and kept it outside the cabinets. It was not an ideal set up for me.

Not sure how this is any different from having Baggies or veg peelers or rolling pins or napkins stored there.

For me the issue would be whether or not the flatware is very accessible to tablesetting activities and to dishwasher for off-take from the DW.

Just be sure not to drop your grandma's spoons into the garbage!

We had our foil, plastic, wrap, etc over the garbage pullout, because it was a logical place to wrap leftovers or scrape plates. I much prefer a freestanding garbage pail and cleaner cabs. I never felt that I could get to the back to really clean out the trash cab. I'd pull out the guts as much as possible and still have trouble with reach. It was a function issue for me.

I think if you have no other choice, then it is not the end of the world to put the silverware over the garbage. I just would hate for a guest to open my silverware drawer and get a noseful of rotting garbage (if someone put something that belongs outside in there without me knowing). We usually hustle any meat or fish trimmings to the outside cans during prep or after dinner. Occasionally, something will sit overnight and ripen and gross us out in the a.m.. IRW, that is going to happen.

We had our silverware in a drawer above the trash pullout in our last house. I never considered it might be weird until your post. It worked perfectly for us because the drawer was the perfect size for a silverware tray and it was the closest drawer to the dishwasher. I never noticed garbage smells when opening the drawer.

Thanks for the input, everyone!

I didn't mention, that in our case, there is a piece of wood separating the two drawers. What I mean is, when you open the silverware drawer, there is no way to be able to smell the garbage because there's a complete piece of wood sealing the garbage drawer off from the top drawer. It isn't as if the only thing separating the two sections is the top drawer, which in that case you'd be able to smell and possibly even see the garbage can below.

Just like kaysd, this is the best place for the silverware in our setup. We're going to stay with it.

I don't see a problem with it. I would much rather have my silverware drawer most accessible from the DW.

silver or steel? Silver will tarnish quicker when these minor diffuse smells reach it.

I was going to suggest a horizontal divider below the drawer, to wall off the garbage area - but you already have it. Given that, there shouldn't be any smells or any other issue.