06/12/2026
Day 4/40
You're probably not going to like what I have to say, but I have my big girl panties on, so let's talk. 🤐
I refuse to spec over-the-range microwave hoods. Period. 🛑
I had a client call me recently saying her OTR microwave was the literal bane of her existence, and she is 100% right. If you actually love to cook, these things make zero sense.
Here is why they are a design failure:
No Clearance: They sit way too low. If you want to use a large stock pot, forget it. There is zero room to move.
Massive Safety Hazard: Reaching over a blazing hot stove to pull boiling food out of a microwave at eye-level is dangerous—especially if you have kids.
The Ventilation Lie: They don't actually vent. Almost every home I visit with an OTR microwave isn't ducted outside. It just recirculates gross, greasy food air right back into your face.
Stop letting builders slap these into your spaces just to save a buck.
Where do you stand on this? Are you team OTR or do you hate them as much as I do? Let’s argue in the comments! 👇🏽
InteriorDesignHonesty