Here is the floorplan...

How do you mostly use a microwave? Do you heat up meals from fridge? Thaw from the freezer? Reheat your coffee? Soften your ice cream? Popcorn? Cooking?

Bpath asks some good questions, as location would be different based on your answers. If you use the microwave mostly for popcorn and heating snacks, I'd put it just to the right of the fridge, either built in to the wall or a drawer under counter, so it's close to the family room and wet bar area and out of the main kitchen work areas.

Alternatively, you could put a microwave drawer under the counter at the very end of your counter run nearest the dining table. It's more convenient for the cook to use, but still out of the way enough for others to access and not get in the cook's way.

We generally use it to heat up leftovers or melting things like butter while baking.

Are you open to layout comments?

You could put it in an upper to the right of the fridge, or across the aisle, on the other side of the entry.

@Buehl yes. We are definitely open to layout comments. We cannot move the door or window but layout is still undecided.

I'd almost want to move the fridge to the right with a pullout pantry/broom closet to the right of it (allowing the door to open enough to slide produce drawers out) and put the microwave to the left of it. Otherwise the space to the right of the fridge is very cramped, especially if it is not a counter-depth fridge.

That’s an interesting idea, thanks! The refrigerator is going to be a 36” sub-zero top/bottom

I would build it into the island, facing the fridge.

Please note that not only are there over the range microwave ovens, and a myriad of shelf and counter sitting microwave ovens, but Sharp makes an over the counter microwave oven. It partly hangs from the wall and partly from the cabinet above. This trades cabinet space (the volume the oven takes up under a cabinet that could be cabinet) for counter space. Because it has direct access to cooling air, it can be larger than the size that would have fit into the cabinet space that it takes up.

If you can’t find a space you like in the kitchen, you can always put it in the pantry. I have a 2nd microwave in our pantry and the location works well. It is a hand-me-down one for my kids to use. I don’t know if I’d want a wolf microwave hidden. ;)

I really like the idea of putting it in the end of the island facing the refrigerator. Either there or next to the dishwasher eliminating two stools or making island bigger. I also love the idea of a full pantry cabinet to the right of the refrigerator.

Do you think there is enough space to put in a 42” refrigerator and a pantry cabinet next to it?

I would not go forward with that kitchen the way it is. You have no space on one side of the sink and no prep space at the sink.

Our suggsetion would be like picture bellow:

By making tall cabinets upto 750mm deep(same depth as your fridge.)

It is good practice in house design to have:

• Counter space on each side of a sink;
• Counter space beside the refrigerator to place items coming in or out;
• Kitchen space uninterrupted by major traffic paths;
• Space outside the elevator door equal or greater than the space inside the elevator;
• Doors that will not hit a vehicle when opened;
• Depth of the stair landing equal or greater than the width of the stair;
• Living spaces that do not have a view into a powder room;
• Powder room that does not have a portion of the ceiling "open to above".

What is the elevator for?

Mark, given that It lands in the pantry and mud room, I’d guess the elevator is for the Upstairs maid or for the troll in the dungeon.

Mark, thank you for mentioning things to consider. Would it be reasonable to switch the sink and dishwasher? That would put counter space on both sides of the sink.

I agree the elevator is tight in that space but unfortunately we cannot change it. This house is built on waterfront property so houses are all elevated and three stories including elevators (that we will likely barely use). We are thinking of eliminating the stop in the garage which eliminates the door. The garage cannot be made bigger so we will not park a car on the side where the side door is. That will be the storage space side. Overall the mudroom/pantry space is not what we would have designed so we are going to eliminate the built-in when you first enter since that would be really tight. Most homes in this area make similar compromises since lots are 50’ wide with a 6’ offset on both sides. It really limits what one can do.

The powder room is not actually open to above. That’s just the staircase. I’m not sure why the plan looks that way.

We have the ability to completely redesign the kitchen layout within the footprint that exists. We could bring in a kitchen designer if necessary but that wasn’t really in the budget but I don’t even know what it would cost. I didn’t realize how poorly the architect planned the kitchen until now.

@cpartist I agree but the question is how to fix it. Is it a few tweaks or does the plan need to be scrapped all together? Am I completely out of my ability to get help and should hire a professional? The kitchen will be custom made cabinets so we have a lot of flexibility.

Your kitchen layout is remarkably similar to mine, which is currently under construction. My microwave will be on the counter to the right of the refrigerator with food storage/containers in drawers below and floating shelves above. The idea is to store and reheat leftovers in one location, plus pack lunches and snacks. That location for the fridge, nearer the living space, also keeps foragers out of the cook's work triangle.

Switching the sink and dishwasher as suggested would help. I would eliminate the two end stools on the island and gain more cabinet space underneath. If you turn the dining table 90° it will feel more open. It all depends on the size of the table and chairs. Again, my layout is very similar but I have my sink in front of the window and cooktop in the island.

That’s what we are leaning towards, switching them to give counter space on both sides. I think eliminating the end stools to add the microwave makes a lot of sense. I guess my question at this point is if the microwave goes to the left or right of sink. I think it’s the right.

I am definitely turning the table. After walking the space, we have no idea why they would draw it that way. We have a table with a bench and 6 chairs so it makes even more sense to situate it that way.

My layout; please ignore my "high tech" lighting design buttons. Breakfast nook with pantry to the right, long counter with sink, island with cooktop and room for a couple of stools, refrigerator with counter to the right. Doorway between leads to a 3 season room. Plan is not quite as open as yours. There are furniture style cabinets for china on the floating wall with a Danish woodstove with bake oven on the other side.

So as someone with a disabled sibling and aging parents...if you are building new and have the expense of an elevator...don’t eliminate the stop in the garage....at this stage, the expensive thing is the elevator, the stops are a relatively small incremental cost....but trying to add a stop later...off the charts expensive.

If you have an elevator make it totally functional. You never know.

id prefer the door between the mudroom and kitchen to be moved to the right. In line with the stairs from the garage. Yes that makes it not a mud room but you would not walk right into the kitchen but rather behind the island.

I had an idea when I posted before, but didn't post it since you said the door couldn't be changed. However, if you could re-frame the wall between the kitchen and garage entry, you could have direct access to the pantry, and a more direct route from the stairs to the other living areas, as roccouple mentioned. Incoming groceries could be deposited on the counter under the window.

Turning the table would allow space to extend the cabinets on the perimeter. If you put the clean-up sink under the window, with DW to the left, and a dish hutch to the left of that, you can have separate clean-up and prep zones. Using a prep sink on the island leaves a larger prep space, without enlarging the island, although by turning the table, there is space to make the island a few inches longer.

Thank you! I really like your suggestions and plan to take those along with some other ideas to the builder. I think if I cannot move the door then we can still turn the table and make the other changes you suggest. I’ve been moving things around and I have decided to turn the table and eliminate the two stools at the end which allows for a bigger island.

I’ve added two sketches here to see if anyone thinks this is better or worse.