<p>I agree that microwave over the stove is not ideal - that’s what I had in my previous kitchen. OTOH bending below at undercounter height does not appeal to me at all either. I use my microwave every day to heat up milk, often to melt butter or heat up leftovers and sometimes for cooking. I thinking having it at counter height is ideal. I’d build in a pantry type arrangement/wall oven arrange somewhere with a microwave shelf. Agree that it doesn’t have to be built in. Figure out what the biggest thing you want the microwave for is, and work backwards. Mine is pretty big, because there are a few things I do in a 10" round pan. And yes, make the kitchen the way YOU cook not the way your architect does. :)</p>
<p>I think wood floors in kitchens are silly. There’s too much traffic in the work triangle and the floors get worn. I don’t want to have to refinish all the time. My sister in law has cork and loves it, but it’s only been there for a couple of years. My mother had vinyl tiles that look like wood. She liked it a lot, but it always looked not quite right to me. That Armstrong fake stone looks pretty convincing on line - definitely a way to save some money.</p>
<p>I just don’t get the concern over wood in the kitchen. Had tile once and hated it. The grout got yucky and the tiles sometimes cracked. Every kitchen since has had wood and the kitchen never showed wear (we cook just about daily). I think the notion that wood will show wear dates to when wood floor finishes were done differently. I don’t know the technicalities but it has never been an issue for us in 15 years of living with wood floors in our kitchens.</p>
<p>I do like travertine tile and think that could be a great choice for the kitchen, especially if you put in radiant heat. Otherwise, I’d do wood in a heartbeat. It’s warm, easy on the legs, forgiving of dirt and quite durable. Just be sure it’s site-finished and given a good quality finish.</p>
<p>I love wood floors but my concern about them in a kitchen is water. With the sink, dishwasher, water in the door of the fridge, etc. it’s just too easy to have them buckle, keeping in mind that my family isn’t good about making sure they clean up after themselves. Also, I’ve been in friend’s houses that have wood in their kitchen and almost always, by the dishwasher where the steam comes out, it’s worn, finish is ruined, etc. I just think there are more durable options in the kitchen personally, but I love wood otherwise.</p>
<p>I have my MW in a cubby and opted for a range hood over my stove. </p>
<p>I also have hardwood in my kitchen as it opens into our family room. I have three big drawers in my island (two are very deep,) one small drawer over a cabinet which holds my garbage baskets (one is only for recyclables.) We eat on our island. </p>
<p>I use Bona on my floors, too. </p>
<p>Scout, my kitchen is itsy bitsy 8 X10 and we kept the footprint - just opened up the back wall of the house. Our island is actually beyond that wall in the new addition part. </p>
<p>If anyone wants to see pictures of my kitchen for ideas pm me and i’ll send you a link.</p>
<p>We have just finished our summer home (and are taking possession and moving in next week). We opted to put the microwave built in to the corner, with a drawer underneath it. It is at a perfect height IMHO and the look is amazing. We have a glass door mullion cabinet above the microwave. </p>
<p>We have hardwood floors in the kitchen. We have had manning ton hardwood floors in our kitchen in our permanent residence for the past 10 years and it is both comfortable to stand on and durable. The summer house has stained on site floors with a good finish layer. It should hold up well but we will see.</p>
<p>We completed a modest kitchen remodel last year, mostly DIY. We did wood floors, granite countertops, new cabinets with generally the same layout but improved flow, and a few new appliances. Best part has ended up being the single bowl deep sink as opposed to the old standard double sink. I wouldn’t trade that for anything!!</p>
<p>I HIGHLY recommend you check out the kitchen forums on Garden Web. There is so much helpful advice there! Get to it through home forums on the GW home page. It will make you kitchen obsessed (for example, I’m still there a year after the project is completed!) but the advice is invaluable.</p>
<p>seiclan–I like that look a lot. We have the slide out shelves in all of our cupboards and LOVE THEM. I was trying to figure out why you put the blue granite in—then I saw it was just a plastic coating :D.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider for you kitchen remodelers is elevating your dishwasher. My parents did that and is that ever nice. It would be similar to seiclan microwave, but a dishwasher instead. Their’s is at the end of their run of cabinets.</p>
<p>My Bosch doesn’t vent out the front. I may be wrong, but I don’t think it vents at all with the non heated dry cycle. It also has a no leak feature which detects and automatically drains water if there were ever a leak. </p>
<p>Some dishwashers vent underneath the countertop, which could be an issue if your countertop is wood or particle board or something that can warp. I think they make liners for that kind of application.</p>
<p>I agree that ventilation and appearance is enhanced if microwave is not over the range. Given the current state of affairs in the appliance world, I definitely would not buy a built-in one, but create a shelf that would hold a variety of brands, sizes, etc. The longevity of appliances is diminished and unpredictable; it is a nuisance to have structural issues when one fails (just replaced 2 high-end appliances that were 5 years old). The shelf can create an almost built-in look. That said, I too, as a somewhat tall person, would prefer the shelf be higher as opposed to under an island. Good luck and enjoy your renovation.</p>
<p>I have tile floors in the kitchen–HATE them. Cold, hard, grout lines are a hassle.</p>
<p>We put wood kitchen/entry floors in my dad’s house a few years ago, it’s wonderful. And impervious to everything, including at least two dishwasher disastors (dishwasher soap is not dish soap). The dishwasher is in the island (huge kitchen, only place it made sense), and the floors, cabinets, counters are all fine. That island is over 60 years old, nothing bothers it. I have no idea what it’s finished with, doubt it’s anything special.</p>
<p>I have wood counter tops in several bathrooms. Marine varnish finish on them, they can withstand anything. Including teenage girls, wet towels from the spa, etc. I think wood can withstand a lot.</p>
<p>I have tile in my kitchen. It’s easy to wash and my feet don’t get tired. I don’t drop things often, but of course they break if I do. The only reason I hate them is because the idiot who bought them got a really slippery when wet tile and they are white - so they show all the dirt and I’ve almost killed myself many times slipping.</p>
<p>When we bought the house, the 22" built in Microwave was peeling inside, we had to replace it. I searched everywhere and not only the model is discontinued but also no one is making that size any more. Thank god that the builder had give us the room to expand the cavity for a large microwave so we can put in a standard 24" one. We had to custom order the trims, nevertheless.</p>
<p>I think a microwave should be at the eye level and not over the stove. Built in or not is a personal preference. You need a bigger kitchen or sacrafice some cabinet space. I’d buy the highest power model for the size, its much faster to warm up stuff and time is money.</p>
