Thank you so much! I’ve looked at black finishes as well, but was thrown by the undermount sink and all my appliances being stainless steel. I didn’t know if I needed to stick with that brushed stainless steel appearance on everything or something like polished chrome would work.

Definitely not necessary. Black would also work! Happy to help!

Hey Jennifer O,

I would suggest doing your hardware in a either a Nickel or Chrome finish. Satin Nickel plays very well with stainless steel and Chrome looks nice as well. You should check out Century Hardware! We have a large variety of hardware available in those finishes. Best wishes!

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Thanks!

are you planning a tile backsplash? If so, do not get the 4" quartz piece up the back.

The counter top and backsplash will be quartz.

Another question... keep the microwave over the range? Or get a hood and do a countertop microwave?

We are replacing our range and microwave with Viking appliances (our GE ones have been real lemons despite being only 5 years old.)

you mean you are only having the 4" quartz backsplash? no tile? just painted wall? you sure?

something like this (or even a subway tile) would look much nicer w/that quartz you're choosing

or are you doing the entire wall in the quartz (like the next pic, below?)

as for the micro, I'm mid reno on my kitchen and removed it from over the stove. I hated it there. I would not do a counter micro though. any where below you can stick it? maybe over in the peninsula ? You even have enough room to add on to that peninsula to fit a built-in micro. you only need another 25" or so. then you could have your quartz countertop come down as a waterfall.

or you could find another place and modify it to fit below the countertop

see this built in micro? you could do it like this on the other side of your peninsula, or if you could add-on another2 feet or so. similar to the one above in place of the DW shown in that pic

I ended up doing mine below my wall oven. I had two large drawers removed (and remade into my island) and this spot modified to fit the microwave (which is actually a built in type . GE Profile 1.5 cu. the OTR micro we had for 15 yrs was also a Profile and worked great. sorry you had lemons!)

Thank you! Yes, full wall of quartz backsplash. We are keeping our cabinets as is since they are in great condition (just changing knobs & drawer pulls and replacing the glass to solid clear & the lazy Susan’s with shelves).

Since no cabinet refinishing is being done, our options I think may only be 1) over the range (which worries me in case the microwave ever needs to be replaced in the future — In case a new microwave size affects the backsplash) or 2) on the counter next to the fridge (which would basically be hidden unless you are standing in the kitchen facing the fridge).

I just worry if over the range microwaves are strong enough ventilation since my GE microwave had so many issues.

I’m replacing my range & microwave with Viking .

hmm,,,yes, I suppose it would be hard to match the stain if adding onto the peninsula. However, a good cabinet maker should be able to match it. and if you did the waterfall over the side, he wouldn't have to make a matching side panel. All you'd really need would be the small edging around the front.

Or, any lower cab or drawer you could remove and put in there?

I suppose if it doesn't bother you to have next to fridge on countertop, you could do that. they do take up a lot of room though (unless you get the 1.0 or 1.2 cu feet micro)

as for over the range, I would think w/a Viking you would want a nice vent hood to go w/that. and you're right, venting w/micro's are sub-standard.

so you could do this

If you really don't mind the lack of venting, this is probably the way to go.

or this set up w/Viking and a regular under cabinet vent hood

maybe remove the upper w/the glass door and try something like this one?

Thanks for all the ideas! Custom cabinet work is not an option for me right now and I was told by the builder who did our cabinets, it would not match without restaining everything, which is too costly & our cabinets are in great shape. (I initially wanted to put solid doors instead of glass on two cabinets.) Also, I’m not a fan of waterfall counters.

i might just stick to a microwave above the range if is a strong enough vent. Just didn’t know if doing a hood vent and a countertop microwave next to the fridge (since it’s not visible when facing the kitchen) was a better option or more on trend.

Jennifer is that a walk in pantry to the right in second photo? Could you place microwave in there?

Unfortunately, not a walk in pantry

Black or any silver finish will work nicely for you.

Thanks!

Hi everyone. So final call... before I order my Viking appliances. Is it better to keep the microwave over the range, or put a hood under the cabinet above the range and a microwave on the counter to the left of the fridge? The counters and a full height backsplash will all be quartz.

Personally, I would rather have a wall mount microwave than placing the microwave on much-needed counter space.

Additionally your cooktop oven will require ventilation.

Do you mean putting it over range?

@Jennifer, yes. over the range.

agree. keep it over the range if you can't install it anywhere as a built-in. what does the new Viking range look like? would you do the viking MW too? or something else?

Yes, it would be a matching microwave.