The garage will be as high as your cabinets are high off the counter. Standard height is 18". Many/most countertop appliances are made less than 18" so they can be pushed back under wall cabinets and will therefore fit inside the garage. Unless the appliance height is very near 18" and your garage has a floor that raises it off the counter, then things could be close.

The garage proceeds from the cabinet above, so it will be the same depth (12" if it's a standard cabinet) and as wide as the cabinet it is located below. What is the size of the cabinet you are thinking of placing it underneath?

Mine is at the end of a run and the cabinet above it was bumped out 4" so the garage (and above cabinet) is 16" deep. Just saying you can make it any size that you need really. But how will you lift off the top of the blender inside the garage? Or the food processor? Sorry, can't quite picture that?

I have three appliance garages. Two are 18" high by 30" wide and 12" deep. I use one for our coffee maker, coffee, filters, mugs, etc. We pull the coffee maker out when we are using it so that the steam doesn't mess up the cabinet. The other garage we use to keep our wine, liquors, blender, etc. When we use the blender, again, we slide it out so we can use it easier.

Our third garage (see photo below) is 18" high by 24" wide by 12" deep. Once it's done, we'll use it for our toaster, and other small appliances in the same way.

I will probably move the dishwasher 24" to the left of my sink, so the appliance garage will be on the counter over the dishwasher. There is a window right after the dishwasher, so the appliance garage will be the only cabinet, and after the window I have microwave, vent hood, and then upper cabinets.

Judydel, I have seen your pics before and got the idea to do the appliance garage to the left of the sink. I don't have as large a sink as yours - mine is 28" wide undermount. Does the layout with appliance garage to the exact left of the sink work out well for you? I will be using the appliance garage a lot, probably for everything I cook.

Do you have a diagram so we can see the layout and understand more of what you have going on? My kitchen is pretty big so I am able to sacrifice counter space to garages and still have lots of counter space. I use the garages flanking the garden sink and they work well as part of my "beverage center". The other garage to the left of our main kitchen sink I haven't begun using yet because it isn't actually installed yet. I will use it for my toaster (once I get a smaller one that fits in the garage) and also for a kitchen aid mixer (once I buy one). I have enough room to pull the appliances out of that garage when in use so I'm sure it will work fine. My DW is to the right of my sink though. Do you think the garage will be in the way if located over your DW? That will mean it will be hard to put dirty dishes next to the sink that are waiting to be rinsed and placed into the DW. Or do you have counter room on the other side of the sink for that purpose?

It would help to see your kitchen design.

I don't have a formal plan yet because I am still changing it, but here are two plans - one that my architect had previously recommended, and one that I am thinking of.

I will have space to the right of the sink. To the left, if I do the garage like in your kitchen, I will have some space. I have a 28" sink with 10" depth which I think is pretty large. I will probably have 35"+ space between the sink and cooktop, and 24" space to the right of the cooktop.

ARCHITECT'S RECOMMENDATION

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MY THOUGHTS

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Judydel has a large sink and created counterspace within it with the drainer rack she has...With your limited counter space, I'd hate to have an appliance garage right up to my left elbow.

Judydel, I love your kitchen!

Thank you reyesuela. The family is really happy with the outcome. Now we can have multiple cooks and projects going on at one time and no one is in the way.

Newyorking I have to agree with Rhome. I think you have a lot going on with the oven, range, sink and DW all being on one wall. I think an appliance garage would be in the way over the DW. Could you store your appliances on the wall labeled "cabinets"? What does that cabinet wall consist of?

The area titled cabinets is an island that is open to the dining & living areas. There is a gas riser close to the center of the island. I am trying to locate the appliance garage on the counter where I can use it inside the garage itself instead of pulling it out for each use. My architect recommends doing a column to the extreme right with wall oven, microwave, and appliance garage. However, I don't want the appliance garage to be visible from the living room. Also, I am trying to increase space to the left of the sink, but by doing so it eats into my counterspace. The way to prevent that is by relocating the appliance garage.
I will not be able to move anything else because the plans have been filed and to move any plumbing, gas cooktop, etc., I will need to re-file plans.

Will you have to move the window, to place the appliance garage where you have drawn it? I may not be reading the plans correctly, but it seems like there otherwise won't be enough room.

Anyway, I still fear that, by locating every appliance save refrigerator, and every natural work zone, on the back counter, you will end up with a cramped layout, not enough working space, and not enough storage for things to live at their associated work zone.

If you're doing multiple dishes with lots of prep, I think you, and whoever else is cooking, will be bouncing back and forth between the ''back counter'', where water/drain/cooktop/oven/appliances are, and the ''front counter'', where there's counter space and storage. Meanwhile the only path to the refrigerator runs through all that activity.

If you squeezing an appliance garage where you have drawn it, now whoever is using the appliances will be blocking either the sink or the refrigerator.

Imagine, you're at the stand mixer, s-l-o-w-l-y pouring in the sugar, DH is doing dishes at the sink and wants to open the dishwasher, guest/child is trying to get beer/juice out of the refrigerator . . . oh, and its been a tough day and dinner is running late . . . it would make me snappish.

It sounds like your architect hasn't delivered a design that satisfies your needs, you're tired of living from your suitcase, and now you are focused on getting the kitchen ''done'' as quickly as possible. Understandable. But you are (presumably) going to live with this kitchen for a long time, not to mention spend a lot of money for it.

Johnliu, no I will not have to move the window - I have ample space to the left of the window, around 24". Your post sums up exactly what I am going through. I really don't want the column on the extreme right because it makes the kitchen very small, and will not look good from the living room. Since I cannot change plumbing, etc., I am trying hard to make whatever I have work. Should I do away with the appliance garage and instead have the appliances I use regularly displayed out to the left of the sink? That way if there is less space I could just put the appliances inside somewhere.

Another alternative is for me to move the appliance garage to the island adjacent to the island load bearing wall. However, with the gas riser in the middle of the island, there will be very little space between appliance garage and gas riser.

I need to get back to my contractor tomorrow and am not 100% sure of the plan!

I think you are smart to have the oven underneath the cooktop so that you can have counter space to the right of the cook top. Tell me about the built in microwave. Are you thinking of placing that under the counter also, so that there is counter to the left of the cooktop also?

I see your island is 9' long by 2' wide. Maybe you can shorten your island and have it start to the right of the gas riser (is this a gas pipe that is enclosed in a column like box?) If you do this then you could have a base cabinet, upper cabinet and appliance garage to the left of the gas riser.

I wouldn't plan on using your appliance while it is in the garage. Just like a car, you take the appliance out of the garage when being used. But if the garage is just to the side of the island that would be easy. You'd take the appliance out, place it on the island to be used where you have room to really use it.

The built-in microwave will be over the counter most likely adjacent to the hood for the cooktop.

Newyorking did you say you have a dining room in addition to the breakfast room?

Judydel, where did you get the light over the sink? I'm in a bind because the light I thought I'd use over the kids' non-recessed medicine cabinet won't work, and that would be perfect!

Yes I have a formal dining room in addition to the breakfast area. The view from the window in the breakfast area is the best, so my architect has the living room facing that way. But DH wanted a formal dining room as well, so I have a formal dining area near the island.
For the appliance garage, I was thinking along the lines of this: http://121studio.com/default.asp?catID=5&pID=73

BTW Judydel, your kitchen looks really good!

I spoke to my architect, and I am thinking of moving the appliance garage to the column on the island. It will be 18" wide and will leave around 2.5 feet between the garage and gas riser. It will open sideways onto the island so that I am not restricted by space - maybe I will it open to the island and to the kitchen walkway.
The dishwasher will probably be relocated to the right of the sink because the fridge's freezer handle may interrupt with opening the dishwasher. What do you guys think?

I like the idea of having the appliance garage at the island. It will be helpful to see the new plans when you have them. I'm having trouble visualizing the column/gas riser that you speak of.

Do you cook a lot? Do you sometimes have multiple cooks in the kitchen? I'm just throwing this out there . . . if you cook a lot and if you have adequate seating at the dining table, maybe you should consider nixing the breakfast room and using all of that space to create your kitchen.

Personally, I would not like having my refrigerator and sink/DW on top of each other like that. I'd rather have more storage and room to design the kitchen rather than duplicate seating (unless of course you have the need to seat a lot of people regularly).

You could even angle the island at the end to accomodate seating.

Reyesuela the wall sconce is by Schoolhouse Electric. It's called Olivet. They have a new similar one also. I had it fitted with a pull chain . . . love that vintage touch.

Newyorking thanks also for the compliment : )
Another thought . . . An 18" wide appliance garage isn't very wide. I'd suggest figuring out exactly what you want to store there and then put the appliances side by side to see how much room you really need.

Thanks! It's got to go in this week, so I went for a Lowes version that isn't anywhere near as pretty. I'll remember that if I ever get a chance to change it out!

You should submit your kitchen to the finished kitchens blog.

I cannot quite visualize the alternate garage location, but in general anything that makes the front counter do more work seems worth considering.

Incidentally, I don't quite understand the restriction of the gas riser either. If it is not being used, seems it can be removed and capped. I'm probably missing soemthing here.

On the sink-dishwasher-refrigerator locations, clearly having a refrigerator that cannot be opened when the dishwasher is being loaded is going to be inconvenient, so you want to avoid that. Along the same lines, you'd also want to avoid having a refrigerator whose doors interfere with the person standing at the sink loading said dishwasher. It's not uncommon for one person to be placing leftovers in the refrigerator while another is doing the dishes. Dishwashers are rather irritating things - once opened, they tend to stay open for quite a while, occupying a 30'' by 24'' chunk of floor and preventing people from moving freely along the counter side.

Thanks reyesuela. I will when it's done. Still need:
Crown molding
Back of island
Shelves and valence over garden sink
2 cabinets to the right of refrig need to be installed and hardware applied
Wainscoating in dining area
Glass in glass front cabinets
Several interior shelves (Cabico didn't send enough)
And last but not least . . . need to pick out and install backsplash
By the time all that is done maybe my stools will be in that are back ordered until spring. lol

Then I'll submit photos to FKB ; )

Johnliu, continuing from the other thread where you responded to my layout, I am thinking of this layout for the kitchen.

KITCHEN LAYOUT

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MAIN COUNTER LAYOUT
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ISLAND LAYOUT

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Regarding the microwave placement, I can either have it over the dishwasher inside a cabinet or get a MW drawer and have it in the island below the appliance cabinet. What do you think? I cannot move the gas riser in the island since it serves the entire building - I live in a condo.

I would put the microwave under the appliance garage. Reduces congestion on the other counter and is pretty close to the refrigerator where food to be microwaved often comes from.

I decided to do the appliance cabinet in the island and put the microwave below the counter, and will probably get Sharp or Dacor or Wolf microwave drawer. My architect likes the idea as well. It will also cover the island counter seam - I did not want any seams on the island but 9 feet with no seams was stretching it since its the maximum that would fit in the elevator. Now I can have a seam without ruining the island.
Thanks, John and everybody here, its been very helpful.