Every designer has a trademark. One of mine definitely is the microwave drawer. Why? It's safe, easy to use and very unobtrusive. Yes, a microwave drawer will cost you a bit more than the over-the-range type but it's oh so worth it!
A little known fact is that all microwave drawers happen to be made by Sharp. Don't tell anyone I told you but whether you're springing for Wolf or Dacor they all come from the same place. The only difference is the exteriors which are made to match the collections by various brands.
Microwave drawers come in 24" or 30" wide and are built into a base or tall cabinet. An island can also be the perfect location. Typically you end up with a nice big drawer below which is perfect for storing microwavable cookware.
The ergonomics of lifting on to the counter top, out of a drawer, as opposed to reaching 4 1/2 feet up over a hot burner to access the contents is so much more safe and efficient.
I would rather look at this instead of a microwave any day.
There are so many details involved in designing a new kitchen and bringing it to reality, so when it comes to budget you have to pick your battles. If space allows, the microwave drawer is a great investment and the safest option for any age.
Bake to the Future with A Smart Oven
Appliances of yesteryear barely resemble those that we take for granted today. We have ovens that can remember how to cook our favorite recipes and even refrigerators that send messages to an of state location to report a malfunction!
Here's how it works. Say you're away and your fridge goes kaput. Said fridge sends a report to headquarters who in turn follow up with a phone call to let you know and to schedule a service call. I was amazed when I heard that a year or so ago at a Miele appliance demo. Miele calls it "Remote Vision". Sounds a bit creepy but smart creepy, no? The "smart" function is beginning to infiltrate most appliances but today I want to talk about ovens.
Yesterday Tech Crunch announced the unveiling of a new counter top “smart oven” by June, a teeny tiny company based in San Fransisco. The new June oven features precision, intuitive function and modern convenience all in something that resembles a toaster oven. It has a built-in ability to identify and even weigh food to suggest cooking methods and utilizes convection technology and carbon fiber heating elements . It also allows you to monitor your steaks with your smart phone. There's more, you can check it out here, but it still looks like a toaster oven. It fits a dish as big as 11" by 16", so maybe a little bigger than toaster oven capacity.
To be fair, there are already built-in "smart ovens" on the market. Justin Landman of House of Appliances in Delray Beach, Florida says, "Jenn-Air announced their wifi connected oven earlier this year. Dacor also offers a smart oven feature called Discovery IQ". The price tag on these starts at $3,600 for Jenn-Air and $4,400 for Dacor.
The new June oven will be available starting next spring for $1,495 but you can reserve one for $95 now. You'll just have to get over the loss of counter space.
A Kitchen With A Happy Ending!
Today we wrapped up some final details in this new kitchen. The client was going for a Mediterranean vibe, elegant but at the same time warm and inviting. She loves to entertain so the kitchen had to be a focal point for her guests and it had to tell the story of her vision. All these bells and whistles can really run up the price of your cabinets but we were able strike a good deal with Kith Cabinets. 
We knew we could improve the function, incorporating her appliance wish list in the style she was dreaming of. An added challenge was that we had to incorporate the existing floor because it had to stay. She selected white painted cabinets with a warm brown glaze which really worked well.
We were able to include a range by Viking, a Dacor microwave drawer, a beautiful Silgranit sink by Blanco, and some really nifty accessories including a mixer lift which she uses to store her juicer. We devoted one roll out in the pantry to be used as a charging station and a place to throw the mail so the lovely counter can remain clutter free. Notice that we also incorporated some gentle curvy shapes with the counter top and the wood hood.
That FAB box on the counter is a nifty gift for our client, gourmet salts that magnetically attach to pull out next to range. They are something like this.
This client had a clear direction from day one which really helped keep the project on track. This very traditional design comes with a maximum of detail and I'm happy to say we have left a very happy couple to enjoy years of romantic dinners in their new kitchen.Design was a collaboration between the client and myself. Cabinets by Kith Kitchens, counter tops by Stone Palace, appliances by House of Appliances and installation by Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co. See local resources for more info and contact details.