The One Spot You'll Never Find A Microwave In A Luxury Kitchen (And The Fashionable Alternatives)

There are a lot of things in luxury kitchens that can make the average home chef envious, from high-end appliances to expensive materials. But have you ever thought about how placement and functionality are vastly different in a luxury kitchen compared with the average home? Something we don't think twice about — having a microwave over the range — is a big no-no in a luxury home. When the high-end range is meant to be a focal point of the kitchen, a microwave can feel like a huge distraction and can stand out like a sore thumb. You're more likely to find this common appliance hidden away in a unique location like in a pantry or behind a cabinet door. Not only does this solve the issue of detracting from star appliances, but it also saves space and creates a more functional kitchen.

You've probably noticed that many of your favorite designers or YouTube cooking influencers are talking about drawer microwaves and about hiding your microwave in an out-of-the-way spot. And yes, these reimagined appliances have been popping up in luxury kitchens. Even TikTok is talking about the pros and cons of the Café Appliance Microwave Drawer and whether or not it is worth the hype. It is a great solution for hiding a microwave in plain sight. KitchenAid even came out with its own version of the drawer microwave. But there are other alternative microwave hiding spots that luxury kitchen owners have come up with as well, and you can copy some of their ideas without spending a fortune.

Besides hiding a less desirable appliance from view, there are a couple of other reasons you might want to store your microwave in another location. Before everyone started installing over-the-range microwaves, they were commonly placed on a counter or even had their own cart. Both of these options can take up much-needed space and disrupt the functionality of a kitchen. The solution is what many luxury kitchen designers opted for — hide it with a drawer microwave, in an in-island cupboard flush microwave shelf, in the pantry, or as a wall-mounted option with other ovens. These options not only save valuable space, but they also create better functional flow and create a more cohesive design look.

The reality is that luxury kitchens feel luxurious for a reason: They are styled specifically with the homeowner's needs in mind, generally with a much higher budget than the average homeowner. But just because most of us don't have the money that a luxury kitchen owner has, that doesn't mean we can't take cues from their design ideas. You can alter a drawer you may already have in your kitchen island to fit your microwave. Grab yourself an inexpensive IKEA shelf with doors to create a hidden microwave area. And if you really want a drawer microwave, Costco has a program where you can buy luxury kitchen and home appliances at member discounts. Just because you might not be wealthy, it doesn't mean you can't have luxury; it just means you have to get a little creative.