My first question on Houzz! I'm so excited! Looks like I don't have notifications set up for questions, sorry so late...

Most of the time, we put microwaves below the countertop just because there isn't a good place to put them above... It often has to do with the "look" of having a microwave above the countertop. Like this example, a microwave in the really light, airy feeling on the walls would be a big distraction.

Sometimes people want to put the microwave down low, but can't because it would take up too much of their base cabinet storage space.

Microwaves can be tricky to place, so I just take it case by case and ask lots of questions about how the homeowner wants the kitchen to look and function, how often they use a microwave, how important it is in general. Sometimes I just make sure there's an outlet on a shelf in a nearby pantry if it's not terribly important and doesn't get used often, but is convenient to have.

Does that help?!

Thanks for the question!