There’s nothing better than a kitchen project. Whether you’re refacing cabinets, updating appliances or doing a total gut renovation, any updates to this high-traffic zone of the household make such a big difference. And it’s not just about the Before and After photos (though those are great), but the way that the quality of your life is improved when you make everyone’s favorite room of the house even more beautiful, more inviting and more efficient. Chef’s kiss!
If you’re like me and the millions of Americans who started a house project in Covid, you know what I’m talking about. In 2020, my husband and I embarked on a total gut renovation and second floor addition of our home. The entire project is pretty phenomenal, we went from a 1,000 sq. ft. raised ranch to a three-story home with every inch designed and executed to our wishes (shoutout to our fabulous designer Ani Mandara).
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Every square foot of the house was a labor of love: from the built-in vanity in my walk-in closet, to the upstairs laundry room with farmhouse sink, to the lower-level music room for my husband. It's all a dream (did I mention the Kelly Wearstler light fixtures?!), but of ALL the spaces, the kitchen was our favorite transformation. And of the kitchen project, which itself was made up of a million decisions big and small, our favorite part ended up being the Sharp Smart Microwave Drawer™ Oven we installed.
No seriously, this innovative countertop space saver is one of my favorite parts of my entire new, shiny home. And my husband agrees, too: it's a very clever appliance that will elevate any kitchen space and definitely took ours up a notch. Here's why you should consider one if you're undergoing a similar project soon:
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When we embarked on the remodel, we spent a lot of time thinking about the kitchen. Before, the kitchen was so small it was like our New York City apartment, there was almost no counter space. Even though I like cooking, I had almost completely stopped doing it. You also couldn't talk to anyone while you were preparing food, because there were walls blocking off both the adjacent living room and dining room spaces. Our goal was to open up the space, bring in light, create as much usable counter space as possible, and of course, make it pretty and modern, too.
After breaking down the walls, flipping the kitchen and dining room, and throwing everything in a big dumpster (woohoo!), we were left with a blank slate. Drawing up our dream space included a giant center island with enough stools for every member of our family, a light and bright aesthetic that included white inset cabinetry, panel-ready appliances to blend in, white subway tile backsplash and Cararra countertop.
The only problem was that between the removal of the walls, the addition of more windows (four to be exact, directly over the sink) and the new appliances (including a beverage fridge), we didn't have much space left for a microwave. One of our neighbors suggested the perfect solution: Sharp Smart Microwave Drawer™ Oven.
That husband proudly sent my husband a video of how the microwave drawer oven works, the microwave sits flush in your center island, with a gentle nudge or waving your hand, a control panel extends from the appliance. Simply press "Open" (or voice command, or wave) and the drawer opens. Place your items inside and... well, you know how to use a microwave from here.
Putting the drawer microwave in the island allowed us to keep our counter space, and candidly, never see it. Nobody will ever walk into a beautiful kitchen renovation and say, "Can I see your microwave??" But every household needs one and the drawer microwave is the modern solution. I will often stand at the island, reach down and microwave something, then slide it across the island to my hungry child. It's so easy and convenient.
Plus, every member of my family loves to use the voice control. The microwave drawer oven is compatible with Alexa, so you can set yours up to take commands like "Alexa, defrost 1 pound of chicken." As a mom, I love this feature, but honestly my kids love it, too, and it's even made them more self-sufficient in the kitchen.
