Kitchen halfway built (pictures) but where to put the #@&%! microwave?
Ok, someone needs to give me a push because it’s decision time and I’m at a standstill! Our kitchen is halfway built (DH is doing it/pictures below). We now have an island and the back counters, now just need the pantry and upper cabinets. BUT, a microwave is holding me back from making the final decision on those. Originally, before we’d put much thought into it, we just assumed we’d do an OTR microwave. Once I redesigned the kitchen, I really wanted a hood, but I still have no truly good place for a microwave. To make matters worse I’ve started to think I really want a combo convection/microwave so that I can do away with small appliances like air fryer and toaster oven (which I don’t use a lot, but which are really useful for what I do use them for). I think the convection MW would replace what I use them for but they tend to need a lot of extra space to vent.
WHAT I’VE WANTED - from the beginning I have wanted to keep my kitchen from feeling enclosed and dark, it doesn’t get much natural light and we’re using unstained cherry so I’ve gone with white counters and will use white tile backsplash. DH wants to take the upper cabinets to the ceiling, so I have insisted that the natural wood trimmed windows at least have breathing room. I didn’t want the wood cabinets to blend with the wood window trim. So, nothing over or against the window trim it so I could put the white tile around it and all the way to the ceiling.
THE DILEMMA – The problem is that all I could get was 2 inches around the main window which was enough to do what I wanted but THEN because our floor and walls were so off level, we lost an inch on the range side of the window during installation. So, there are two main problems with an OTR microwave/cabinet combo now:
- They really crowd the window and you couldn’t put a panel on the window side of the microwave without cutting part of the trim
- The symmetry, which was already going to be slightly off - with a range on one side of the window and an enclosed refrigerator on the other - is now a lot more off.
SOLUTION 1 - to use a chimney style hood. Which would open up the area over the range and wouldn’t call attention to the lack of symmetry since it wouldn’t be trying to BE symmetrical. Aesthetically I like this best.
SOLUTION 1 PROBLEMS –
- No really good place to put a microwave now. The three options are:
- Countertop: Don’t want to do it, to be assessable from the one place it would not be in the way (the corner) it would have to be angled and would make the counter look crowded.
- Built into pantry: We may not have enough room for this, especially if I want a convection MW. If we are lucky the pantry will be 24” wide, but due to losing our inch it may have to be slightly less (and heaven knows how off level the other wall will be). I did find an RV built-in convection MW that would probably fit. On the good side its less than $300, on the bad side it’s not terribly attractive.
- Hang or build into cabinet over coffee station: I like this option best, because it would be out of the way of my cooking area, but not so far as to be inconvenient to use while cooking and it would have a countertop under it for landing space.
- Hanging or building in a microwave any place other than OTR would mean:
- Adding another outlet/circuit, which DH can do, but he will not be happy with me. He thought he finished all the kitchen wiring and then insulated the crawl space under the kitchen so new wiring will be much harder.
- Also, designing cabinets other than OTR around a microwave sort of paints you into a corner for later, but maybe I’m over thinking here. This is the case for a lot of what we’re doing because it’s all custom to our space.
SOLUTION 2 – DH has offered to remove and rebuild the window trim narrower so that we can just use an OTR microwave/cabinet. (It actually is wider than the other window in the kitchen.) This wouldn’t totally fix the symmetry problem but it would help, at this point it is certainly the easiest solution, especially as I am getting worn down by all this and just want to get it over with, but…I just don’t like it…but I’m tired and ready to just surrender. Am I missing something? Is there another solution? What would you do?
Here is where the kitchen stands at the moment. DH is finishing up the drawer fronts this weekend and they’ll go on next week. All the drawer and door fronts will be a simple shaker style in unstained cherry.
Here are some renderings I’ve done at different times to envision different scenarios:
A HOOD - I don’t know if I’d go with this wide shiplap style or not, just what I was thinking at the time I did it. It could be a much narrower chimney style which would open up the wall more. For reference if I were to decide to build in a microwave in the pantry it would replace the top of the lower pantry cabinet to the right of the fridge
MICROWAVE OVER COFFEE STATION
At one point I wondered about doing a shelf under all the upper cabinets, but decided it makes the cabinets too high to be super useful, but this does show where I could put a microwave. I’d probably have to hang an OTR one here, as I think a hanging cabinet would be too narrow for a built-in convection MW. I’d planned this cabinet to be about 30” wide x 12” deep though I’m considering 15”.
OTR MICROWAVE
Here’s a particularly bad attempt at using Powerpoint to see what it might feel like IRL with “to the ceiling” cabinets and an OTR microwave. The color scheme I chose to make it “feel 3D” doesn’t help. The cabinets would not be so dark or have this “70’s vibe”. Does this feel too “crowded” (imagine them pretty!)?
I need to decide soon or DH will take the matter out of my hands. I just can't get past not wanting the OTR MW or the extra work to NOT have it so I've reached an impasse and seem incapable of a decision.
Comments (22)
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Pictures please - built-in Microwave & oven stacked on same wall
Comments (39)@j_bird @oppsie @jgopp @kashmi @Annie Deighnaugh @desertsteph i know this is an old post but for those that went from a single microwave/oven combo to a separate microwave and oven, how did you manage with the wiring? i know the oven/microwave combo was probably hardwired with 220V with no other electrical outlets back there (at least that's how mine is). did you run a new line from a nearby existing electrical outlet to create a new electrical outlet to plug in your new countertop microwave?...See Morewhere do you put a microwave?
Comments (33)I have mine in my pantry, although unlike the other "MW-in-pantry" people on this thread, my pantry is not a walk-in. Still, I made room for the MW in my pantry, cause I didn't want it on the counter, and don't use it that much in any case. And let's face it, MW's are unattractive, aren't they? They don't look much different today than the one I had in my college dormroom umpteen years ago. So who wants to look at one after spending so much time, effort and money on a gorgeous kitchen re-do? I had an electrician install an outlet in my pantry, which was an easy thing to do, and really love that my MW is not intruding on my pretty kitchen. BTW, my MW in the pantry replaced an over-the-range MW I had before. I replaced that OTR MW with a proper hood. I will never have an OTR MW again. Ugh. The OTR's don't exhaust well at all, they're too high up to remove sloshing hot dishes from, they're really expensive (vs. my pantry MW which cost $110), and as I noted above, their looks don't fit in with my lovely new kitchen. A final note - I am hesitant on built-in MW's, cause MW's aren't made the way they used to. They break within 2-3 years, or at least get diminished power over time. If you build one in, it's a PITA to replace it, plus the cost of a built-in is so much higher than the countertop style. If you want a MW in your cabinetry, I recommend a shelf with an outlet behind it as some people on this thread have. That way, replacing it is easy....See MoreKitchen Island Microwave: built-in trim kit vs microwave drawer
Comments (8)Have had ours since 2008 and I've never regretted it nor have I had any problems with it! In fact, I'm starting on designing/planning our retirement home to build in the future and I plan to include a MW drawer. With the exception of my (very) old Montgomery Wards Convection MW oven, it's lasted the longest. When we remodeled, the MW drawer cost the same as a built-in MW with trim kit. I've had no problems cleaning it. If food is stuck on it, simply boil a cup of water + vinegar for several minutes in the drawer and then wipe clean - the food should be loosened up and wipe off with a swipe. Yes, you do have to lean over and peer into it to see if it's clean, but... I'd much rather have to do that once every week or two compared to having to lean over/squat to use the MW several times a day! A regular MW in an alcove under the counter is not easy to use - you have to bend over or squat to use the controls and to add/remove dishes/food - usually reaching blindly into the MW and trying balance the hot dish as you're struggling to remove it from the MW, balance it to keep it from spilling, and standing back up - all at the same time! Regular/counter top MWs are not designed to be used under the counter - they're designed to be used at counter height or higher. Note that MW drawers have a "child lock", so if you're worried about your children getting into it, lock it when not in use! Oh and having a child lean on the door of a "regular" MW means potentially bring the MW down on top of the child - so be careful. No amount of child locking can prevent that! [I had a friend over a couple of weekends ago who kept trying to push the drawer all the way in and pull it all the way out - without letting the drawer do it's thing (automatically opening w/a gentle pull / automatically closing with a gentle nudge). Not sure why he didn't understand when I explained it to him, but his forcing the drawer open/closed did not damage the drawer in any way.] Sharp makes all MW drawers, so I would stick with a Sharp-branded drawer rather than pay $$$$ for a re-branded MW drawer with a higher-end name - it's the same MW! Here's a thread from 2008 about them. BTW...the concern that someone had 8 years ago about them being short-lived has not panned out. They're becoming more and more popular! http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2688345/microwave-drawer-pros-and-cons?n=42 ....See MoreWhere is the best place to put the microwave
Comments (14)I can only speak from experience about the Miele speed oven. Yes, it is a full-fledged microwave. It has no turntable, which I view as a positive. GE makes the Advantium, which I believe comes in two versions. The one that you can install undercounter is less highly-powered (120 vs 240 volts), but I think the difference mainly affects its ability to function as a fully-powered oven. This information comes only from what I have read on this forum and not from personal experience. I think that Bosch and maybe Wolf make speed ovens too. i have the Miele in my NYC apartment, where it functions both as my microwave and as the conventional oven that I use 90% of the time, since my other oven is located in my 36” gas range and takes a long time to heat up. The fact that the speed oven heats so quickly and fits a 9 x 13 pan means that it is hugely convenient and versatile. I am currently in the process of redoing the kitchen in my country house. Our microwave here is in the pantry but I would like to make it more conveniently located. I will have two ovens (conventional and combi-steam). Nevertheless, I am getting another Miele speed oven, to be installed in the island, for the reasons I originally referred to. No need to find a place for it and it serves multiple purposes. I suspect that I will use the speed oven and the combi-steam for most applications....See MoreForever Now
3 years agoForever Now
3 years ago
rebasheba
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoThe wall cabinets are probably not at all deep enough to hold a convection micro -- those puppies are big and usually call for a lot of clearance around them as well, i.e. you can't just stick it in a box.
I like the micro on a shelf or there are some models of over the counter, not over the range micros out there. That would be a tidier look. I'd put it where you have drawn (over the coffee maker).
Do not worry about symmetry in any way.
Please don't do the shiplap hood cover, it doesn't go with your house! My suggestion is to do a straight sided box for the hood cover, framed like your cabs, painted close to wall color.
(that's sortof too involved, but just to show the dark wood cabs with light painted element!)Forever Now thanked rebashebaForever Now
3 years agoForever Now
3 years agorebasheba, I would be hesitant to do the straight-sided box for a hood for the same reason I don't want to do the OTR MW, it would go right up against the window frame. Would it be strange if we did that to make it white like in your second picture? I just don't want natural wood-work butting up against the wood-work of the window and making it disappear, its already going to be happening some on the fridge side. Here is a picture I snapped of one of the drawer fronts while thinking about pulls. DH was just glueing them here, they weren't yet sanded or poly-ed so the color will be slightly darker, but it gives a sense of the color the adjacent cabinets will be.
rebasheba
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoForever Now
3 years agorebasheba - tell me more? I'm not quite sure I understand, but anything that would keep a little contrast and breathing room around the window would be great! I might even be willing to do a OTR MW. Yes, I plan to do white tile around the window. This was an original inspiration picture. Of course my window is nowhere near so pretty but I love how the shiny white tile makes the warm wood frame pop out!
rebasheba
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoWith apologies for the roughness of these sketches...
A single straight-sided sloping volume -- this is what i meant by "canted"
If you are interested in making a "waist" for the hood form, as in your sketch, consider breaking up the shape into thirds or fifths:
I like the way the 1/3 is looking myself. It gets it out of the way of the window while still looking kinda similar to the cabinet proportions.These are all "framed" with rails and stiles matching the cabinets (I put in quotes because really it is trim just going to be stuck on top of the plywood or whatever)
Top trim to match the wall cabinets, bottom trim might need to play with the proportions -- about the width of the window frame?
...hope that made some sense!
Kitchen Organization · More InfoThis one is not paneled but has trim that matches the cabs
Forever Now thanked rebashebaForever Now
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoForever Now
3 years agoSooo, DH and I were talking about this last night and he's basically willing to put the microwave anywhere but he WON'T add or move any of the electric, which sort of actually rules out moving it anywhere, unless I go with just a little countertop model. I think I'm just giving up and trying to figure out how to make an OTR MW work. I came up with two ideas. Both of these do require DH to resize the window trim, which he says he's willing to do. He said he doesn't like that is thicker the window trim in the rest of the house anyway.
Idea 1: Is to do an open cabinet above the MW that is white on the inside, and just put some white pottery up there, basically just keep the area next to the window as light as possible. Could potentially even tile the inside of the cabinet. I couldn't make it open to the backsplash tile because the outlet to plug the microwave would be there so it would have to be hidden behind a forward cabinet back. Here's an attempted illustration, excuse the sloppiness.
Question: Would it look odd do you think if that open cabinet was just all white and everything else around it cherry? Not sure what I'll do for a MW color-wise yet. The appliances are slate but if I have to do this I might be a lot more motivated to save for a slide-in stainless range/MW. Too bad I think most white MWs are just ugly (the exceptions our out of my price range) of course MW in general are not the most attractive appliance.
Idea 2: My first idea was to make the cabinet above the MW with glass doors to lighten the area, but it looked out of place by itself. I was looking at it this morning and realized you could put glass doors on the cabinets over the fridge and you'd be creating a nice symmetry. The drawing had been photo copied before I erased the glass cabinet and tried drawing the shelf so the cabinet over the fridge couldn't be erased and redrawn but I think you can get the idea here.
Question: The cabinet over the fridge will be deep, so even though this looks nice and symmetrical on a 2D drawing do you think it would translate to 3D? The deepest we'd make the cabinet over the MW is 15".
Curious about your opinions! I'm not even sure DH could build a cabinet door for putting in glass. He'll be home tonight so I'll ask then. He'll give me the look for making his life more complicated but every time he's insisted that we do one thing a certain way the rest of my kitchen gets a lot more customized! lol, Pound of flesh and all that. I was ready to just buy cabinets a year and a half ago and he insisted that he was going to build this kitchen himself. I'm pretty sure I'll end up with something much nicer than I could have gotten out of the box, but it's being paid for in time and hassle and if I don't get the convenience of just buying a kitchen I want it to be as nice as possible!Forever Now
3 years agorebasheba
3 years agorolling1876
3 years agoForever Now
3 years agorebasheba
3 years agoForever Now
3 years agoThanks rebasheba! The drawer faces are in! Took us all morning. They are much lighter than I thought which is good. I was worried about them darkening everything so maybe the uppers around the windows won't matter as much.. DH is putting the pulls on right now. I just a heard an "Oh no!" so I'm afraid to go look. Here's a picture of one bank, and then one of the longer cabinets in the back. I taped on the pulls trying to decide between one or two for them as they're longer, but I think I prefer the simpler look of one. Don't mind the mess we were pulling things out of the drawers all higgled-piggley as we were placing them.
jalarse