My oven has a microwave built in - it’s just one 😃

Awww, Nick, don’t worry - I get you !!! And yes, you’re right: Not all vintage IS aesthetically pleasing. Indeed, not all items labeled “vintage” truly ARE vintage - it’s become the new go-to term to justify overcharging people for things that are just old, used, dated and worn. The rule when buying vintage is this: If it’s not going to turn into a valuable antique in another 60 years, don’t over-pay. You offered GREAT advice to beware the vintage marketing label. Folks should beware the “antique” label, too: I just posted a comment on Poshmark alerting potential buyers that a small, overpriced gold foil mirror wasn’t antique!

A lot of thrifted furnitures and items are pure, overpriced garbage! Because of the trend, prices skyrocketed, one has to be careful and picky....and good at bargaining! Times are crazy!!!

I agree with everything you said in this video. 👏🏼

😂😂😂😂😂

I was wondering about this, specifically. Sometimes the “unstylish” solution to something is that way for accessibility, so I was wondering if the under-counter in-island microwave would be more or less accessible for some folks than the countertop versions. (The over-the-range versions have always seemed like the least accessible option, tbh. I don’t want to imagine my frail grandmother-in-law trying to reach up and over a hot stovetop to get to it…)

I say put the micro wherever is the most convenient for you. For me is above my stove top.

I made that comment just now! Looking into this for my husband who uses a wheelchair. It sounds like you like it?

I came here to say the same thing! My kitchen doesn't have that option, but I wish it did!

I’m also a wheelchair user and would love an in counter microwave. I currently have an over the range one and, while I can use it most of the time, it’s a bit difficult.

Yeah, I found a chair on Wayfair that I liked but wanted to see if I could find it at other retailers. When I searched the image, I found out it was a dupe of a chair by...I think CB2? One of those high-end places. The comments on the chair from the high-end place though were worse than the reviews from Wayfair, which just seemed odd and wrong, lol. I decided not to get the chair at all, though. The pictures do a deceitful job on showing the height and it's actually lower than I'd like.

@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValleyyeah man what’s with all the secretly tiny stuff for ale online? It’s so frustrating how images can make things seem bigger bc it’s almost like they’re using deliberately deceptive slightly smaller surroundings or everything is just lazily photoshopped in without any regard to scale or accuracy. A lot of furniture is purchased by the brands as a prefab, ready to go item and they just add their branding to the packaging and sell it under their label. Could be that and then the ppl giving more bad reviews has got to be bc it’s more expensive so they’re madder when it sucks? Kinda like ppl who get a free product are more likely to review it 5⭐️ bc a free thing seems way better than one you pay for

I like the better quality DIY dupes people make on YT, but not the cheapo Dollar Tree ones.

@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley Yes! I learned long ago to check dimensions, especially on cheaper stuff. That's sometimes where they cut corners is by making it smaller.

@@dsa2591 Yep, and I try to see if anyone has any good pictures of the item. Don't just take pictures of the item by itself, especially from above where it will look bigger. Include a photo that shows the item in your room so the real size can be seen. Sometimes, just saying something in inches might not resonate with people with how big or small something is. The chair I was looking at also has a short back to it, with the pillow you get with the chair doing the heavy lifting of supporting you. I hadn't thought of that until other reviewers mentioned it and that too made me decide not to get it. Which sucks, as I love that chair, but being comfortable so that I'm not inclined to want to replace it is more important.

Same, I have PTSD from poor design in the 70's.

Too true. The late 60s and early 70s had 4 colors: avocado green, harvest gold, burnt orange and that icky brown. Black!

When my favorite colors were rose pink, ivory, fuchsia, cobalt blue, and carmine red, my stepmother made us have yellow-gold wallpaper, a harvest gold rug, and avocado green spreads on the beds in our bedroom. I STILL have nightmares.

Absolutely. And those giant pseudo Victorian patterns in bright orange and brown in the UK. They were everywhere - carpet, wallpaper l, curtains, kitchen tiles (walls and floors). The seventies was also when the TV became the centrepiece of the sitting room rather than the fireplace.

Oh, and my parents got all their furniture from MFI. Every time we had guests over a back strut of a dining chair would break and there would be many apologies both ways. My grandfather put his dinner on the leaf of the table it gave way and his whole meal ended up on his lap.

Same. 😅

That stung 😂

😅

It's vintage recent-graduate bachelor pad.

@@user-jn8tg6nw8j It can be officially vintage if it is from before the 00's but still is just vintage junk.

Love that lol

98

I laughed when he said that. I'm at the bottom of that 98%, not anywhere near the top.

@@pedrolopes3542 Thanks for correcting them, Rain Man, because that 1% sure makes a huge difference. 🙄

If you have small children (I don't) having a microwave at their height is definitely not a good idea. There are numerous things they can put in there that do not belong. Metal objects would be the least of my worries.

Yeah like the kitten.

Mom of 3 here- never baby proofed anything bc I taught them not to touch things that are not their business or are dangerous. Problem solved. From there Darwin takes over and they learn the hard way LoL

Do people realize the OVEN is usually at a child's height with front buttons they can mess with? Why are we worried about the microwave when the oven is just as risky? Teach your kids not to touch things.

I agree! I also think that microwaves that are put in upper cabinets or above stoves are a hazard to anyone over 4 feet tall. You could easily spill hot food on yourself when you reach up to remove an item from the microwave.

I am all for microwaves on the countertop. Under the counter--I don't want to have to squat down to use it or clean it. My knees don't like that.

Are you for real what a bizarre comment

@@amandawoods4051 obviously from your responce, you are one of the able bodied elitist, who cannot ever fathom themselves as injured, or perminately disabled. Every single person who lives long enough, will eventually start to face some disabilities. But perhaps I'm mistaken about you. Perhaps you live your life filled with drugs and alcohol, as a perpetual party girl, looking firward to the day you join the 27Club.

​@LauraJdogmom yep, cleaning it would suck.

I had a drawer microwave, it was easy to clean and required no bending down!

I bought a Sharp Half Pint during the jelly years (remember the first I Mac that the daughter on Six Feet Under had). Mine was not blue or pink but black. Have had it for twenty five years and it still works. Worth every penny of the $49 I paid for it. Found one on the curb next to moving neighbors and have it as a spare. It’s vintage. Not as vintage as my mother’s Sunbeam Mixer….1956.

Same, my dining table is around 90 years old and found on fb marketplace, it’s such an interesting piece!

And now that new furniture has so much mdf in it, it's nice to find something made predominantly of real wood!

I can't afford quality pieces in the store but I sure can second hand. I have beautiful timeless pieces I have paid very little for. 👍

My whole house is thrifted apart from my bed and my kids room.

Yeah, there's definitely a lot of junk at my local antique malls, but there's also some excellent wooden furniture that was built to last. I got a beautiful cherry dresser for my bedroom for $800 (which included a matching mirror I put in my dining room), when a similar dresser would have easily been four figures if I bought it new. It had some superficial scratches and tarnish on the metal fixtures, but nothing you'd notice at first glance. I also got a decent wicker sofa for my sun room for $200. It's nothing fancy, but it's pretty comfy and does its job just fine. However, I've also seen pieces that I thought about buying, only to look them up and see the exact item being sold for cheaper at a big box store. It takes practice and research to really get good deals at these places. However, thrift stores are an excellent way to save money, so you can save up for those newer "investment pieces" that are harder to find used (like upholstered chairs/couches, or anything with a more modern design style).

Classic or garbage. Whichever.

Well, here in uk furniture from 50s and 60s is solid, holds weight, functions well and yet was probably meant for less wealthy judging by how much of it is in the charity shops now. Yet stuff from the 80s and 90s are much more damaged, warped and scratched because they were of a lesser quality.

​@@crochetomaniaall the stuff from the 50s and 60s that was crap is probably just broken now and the solid stuff is what has lasted

Sweet 😊👍🏻

Ага, файний канал)

@irynarovna wishing you the best and sending Internet hugs 🤗

@irynarovna Praying for your recovery and emotional health as you navigate life post-surgery and through the war you are living through.

Sending good health and vibes your way! I say look into homesteading/bushcraft stuff, you can make a lot more than you think you can, and tbh as a disabled person myself having something to do in nature with your hands can provide a sense of purpose and stimulation.

Or tea 😅

hahaha, yes!

oh gosh please get a thermos or similar. Really. It tastes so much better than reheating.

Lost cup? End End End.

My husband is amazed how many times he finds my cups of coffee or tea in the microwave the next day. It should text you or something 😝

I can visualize that. Looks gorgeous!!

This reminds me of when my son was helping me declutter and wanted to throw out my rusted tools. I said "NO! All I have to do is soak those in vinegar and they'll be fine."

Putting the microwave in the island lets you have a better performing vent hood. In my situation, I had a combination microwave and conventional oven. the microwave went on the fritz and I had to replace the whole thing. Putting the microwave in the island got it out of the way. And freed up space for a double oven to replace the previous unit.

​@@bd92759 So long as it's more of a shelf than a built-in, I could maybe see going that route, but like your situation with the vent hood, I'd be worried about what it requires to get the microwave out of the island if it needs to be repaired, lol. And all of this is hilariously hypothetical for me anyways. I'm a millenial who likely will never own a house anyways 😅. One can dream, though.

I've had my microwave for 26 years. I bought it reconditioned, so it may be older. It has a clock work timer and I attribute its longevity to that.

@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley Vintage house? Full of the worst decorating and architectural mistakes of the last 50 years? Might be affordable when the termites have finished off the support beams. Never give up hope. :)

​@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley we have a free standing microwave oven that sits on a shelf , below the counter and is hidden from view by the cupboard door. We have a very similar set up in our previous kitchen and really like it. It's out of sight and if it does die you can easily replace it with any new one.

I'd prefer a hood over the stove -- I hide my microwave in the credenza that I use for my coffee bar. It's ugly and don't want it visible. I also don't use it that much.

The way you worded your last sentence makes it sound like ovens were sized specifically for children to fit into, which the bog witch in me finds entertaining.

As a nanny, my concern would be young children sticking other things in the microwave, not themselves. Toys, silverware, even small pets. Little kids love mimicking, but don't understand context. They see their parents put food in and press buttons, so they're going to put literally anything they find into the microwave and press buttons, food or no. If you had a microwave at that height and small children, I'd recommend getting a microwave with some sort of child lock.

And microwaves just don’t cook Anything properly, especially children.

@@amandahamilton9213 Slowly and at low temperature? Asking for a friend.

@@653j521 probably depends on the age of the child - the fat content varies so much

100% my children named it decades ago because being a single mom, I picked up as much as possible for “Free99”. I love it. Never worry about it breaking, or borrowed (and not returned), or anything. It was free99. If you don’t like something about it, repair it, paint it, or give it to the next person. I am amazed at how much people spend on stuff AND what they throw away. 🤷‍♀️

The world map wallpaper is a brilliant idea! Good on you for appreciating the vintage elements and staying true to them.

On the other hand, all the matching patterns in The Queen's Gambit (Beth's adopted family's house) were mesmerizing. And a little scary. But that wasn't 1980s.

I watched a Murder She Wrote episode where Jessica stayed in a bedroom like that. In fairness, it was considered luxurious at the time.

This is why I almost miss wallpaper borders....almost....

When are you NOT glad about those things tho?

@@JacyndaMinor when I see a beautiful piece of furniture that i would like to own...when i want to rearrange the living room but know there is no better way...when i want to paint the bare cement walls...when it is 115 outside...when i wish i had a real kitchen instead of a plastic table and free-standing stove and frig...when i am in a bad mood...

@@janetleeadams7287 also I didn’t think about how living in the desert you probably don’t have to worry about mold, either. I live in Appalachia and it is an ISSUE here. You can stain cement! There’s all sorts of neat stuff you can do to cement, etching, stains, there’s even floor paint for cement. And you can hang tapestries too! What’s unfinished about it?

@@JacyndaMinor I live in southern Tunisia, in the Sahara. There is an interesting aspect of the culture here. Families begin planning and saving to build a house for their sons, at least the oldest son. when the boy is young. The type of construction--hollow brick walls built up on a thick stone and concrete foundation, and it is built in stages according to available money. So first the family buys the lot; eventually lays a foundation; eventually buys bricks; then bricks for interior and exterior walls then cement plaster over the bricks; roofs; and usually a wall around the lot. Then it is painted and tiled. Now, the important part is this son finding a wife. When a suitable wife is found, the man's family begins furnishing the house. The wife will bring bedding and kitchen stuff and her own personal wardrobe etc. Well, at any point during the original house building, construction can stop. Maybe the money runs out because the family father dies. Or someone loses a job or dies. Who knows. The house across from me is still not finished and has been being built for 6 years. Little by little. Apparently the family who started building the house I live in had to stop. I don't know why. So it is bare cement but local carpets are colorful and that is what I have used. I rent it from a woman whose husband bought the unfinished house for his oldest son, but the son didn't marry so the house was empty. More than you wanted to know :) but so interesting.

@@janetleeadams7287 wooow wowowow no, thank you for sharing that is really cool and super interesting, honestly now I have so many questions! Where do the sons live if they can’t find a wife? Do the houses vary by much or are they all pretty similar? What do the 3rd born sons do? Is marriage the only way for women to get a house? Do you have a lot of squatters, people or pest, moving into unfinished uninhabited homes? It’s so interesting that being forced to build and make everything yourself nowadays is almost a blessing in that, you can’t get quality like that anywhere pre-made, and the skill of building or making anything is so valuable. I really love that lifelong culture of building for family, I just wish it could be for everyone in their family, but I also understand how sometimes that’s not possible. Thanks for sharing, I genuinely was assuming you just lived in Arizona or something!

Just try to hide it in a cabinet or something if possible.

Tip from a connoisseur of the microwave! Dry paper towel underneath, slightly damp paper towel on top, and the pizza will taste almost as fresh as the day you bought it. Damp paper towel over rice when reheating makes it taste identical to fresh as well!

I use a shot glass of water in the microwave with the plate with good results, but I'm gonna try the paper towel trick

Nick's love of children strikes again

😂

Nah, it is a classic material that goes with many styles, and if you like it , that is what matters most.

I liked black metal when it wasnt cool. I agree, 100%. If you like it who cares? It will come back in fashion anyway😅

Agreed with everything in the video. If I was putting in a kitchen island, I'd probably go with a shelf for a microwave rather than a built-in, but I agree heartily that that is a good place for it. Old is not always good - yep. Brass can be a good choice - for sure. Dupes are not bad - true.

I LOVE oil rubbed bronze! Have it in a few rooms, like my family room lamps. Because everything is light beige and gray and stormy blue in here, so I needed a grounding color and it works great! In the others I have brushed nickel hardware

Also, a nice Mona Lisa print in the living room? 😅 Still decorative 😁 I mean there IS only one original. not enough to go around…🖼️

@@LittleKikuyu very good point! 😂

This is why he always says each to his own. I really like early American furniture, because it's so sturdy and durable. I still have my childhood dresser I got when I was 9, and I'm 73. It's still standing and in pretty good shape, even after being passed through several family members and my own two sons.

4'11" here. I also hate microwaves above the stove because... well, they're f'in ugly. Hide those things.

NO DUPES! When you dupes you are encouraging people to seal someone else design. It no difference then having a fake purse or watch.

I don't want to get canceled... 😂

They won't put themselves in, but they might put in a big ball of aluminum foil, just to see what happens.

​​@@LauraJdogmomBig balls of foil, silverware, toys with metal parts, small pets, or literally anything else that could come to mind. Are there microwaves that come with child locks? Someone who puts their microwave at that height would need one.

I don’t know what kind of monsters you guys have for children 🙈 Honestly, if your child puts animals in the microwave you might as well go ahead and reserve them that spot in prison right now, cause that screams psychopath 🙈🙈🙈😅

@@LittleKikuyu I'm not speaking about older children. I'm talking about young children (around 2-4) who wouldn't understand that a microwave would kill a pet, or even what death means. Children older than that might not put a pet in, but they are more likely to put something in that could start a fire because they don't fully understand the consequences. Chlidren are children. If you are so ready to label a child with such a serious diagnosis (that can't be given until adulthood for a reason), then I question how much you really know about children.

That is genius

This is a common lesson for interiors. It can be combined with other lessons about using each to various degrees - so pick your favorite and use in 60 to 70% of the space (say maybe as wallpaper or tile), then the others used 20/10/10, or 30/10, or 20/10 as accents around the space. Rugs, beds, upholstered sectional could easily be the 20 or 30%, then maybe pillows, curtains, lampshades, etc as the various 10% ... Another lesson is to be sure all three have at least one commonly shared color. Like a three color plaid that includes significant blue, combined with a floral design using maybe two or three shades of blues, and the third pattern perhaps a stripe with a but if blue as well, and maybe something, or several things in the room is in shades of blue (a solid blue wall paint, or trim, or blue velvet sofa, or blue stained glass details in the window, etc. ). This method allows a one color repetition, or various shades of the chosen color. So the blue can be all sky blue, giving an airy, classic feel, maybe beachy style. Or, use light, medium, dark blues on the solid colored items (usually paint, tile, upholstery) scattered throughout the space to continue the theme of coordinating various patterns to through the use of the color blue. Next, as Nick points out in another video, you need to think about the visual rythm. Try to avoid having all the dark blue in the left corner, and all of anything in just one spot UNLESS it's a focal point. So, a focal point usually highlights the purpose of the room. A sofa for a sitting room, a bed for a bed room, a soaking tub in a Master bath, etc. Typically, you'd pick ONE thing in a room to be center stage, easily in view as you enter. But other than that one focal point, all other colors should be scattered rythmically around the space. Then when you feel you've designed the room the way you like, you pick one color from it to share in the next room to create a sense of harmonious flow. You can increase the sense of harmony by using the same flooring throughout and the same hardware for outlets and doorways, maybe even the same trim throughout, and small homes often use a consistent style of ceiling, etc. Personally, I like spaces big enough to have fun with my ceilings 😅 but if the space is tiny it's not always an option.

@@tlvance3973 awesome advice e

I would just add that they need to have SOMETHING in common, however subtle, or they will clash horribly.

I was basically going to write this! Microwave in the island? No. I use mine all the time. Y'all that cook, and reheat on the stove, good for you. I need my microwave where it is easily accessible. BUT, 100% on everything else.

I hide my microwave inside a credenza that I use as a coffee bar. Hate looking at it, microwaves are ugly. I DO actually like my vintage-looking Frigidaire toaster because it's aesthetically pleasing. 🙂

I'll put it on the counter, but I agree about the oven. My friend had that when I was little, and it's a far bigger hazard for kids than the island. With it in the island, they're just going to hit a lot of buttons when tiny. Annoying but whatever. Above the stove, there's probably a chair to reach it and the potentially HOT stove is right beneath it.

@@Xandycane exactly

No island, tall woman, love my over the stove microwave…whatever works for you.

Yes! I got rid of my microwave ten years ago and I don’t miss it at all

8 years here - only 2 things: popcorn and heating bag - no alternative so I live without.

How ironic. I'm 60+ and until very recently have never owned a microwave. One was given to me as well. It sat on my counter taking up the whole space for months before I started using it. I don't use it often and to be honest if it stopped working I wouldn't miss it.

A lot of people, especially older people who rent and don't own, either can't justify a huge appliance or simply have no place to put one. I don't have a working oven or stove. I use a microwave, an InstantPot, and an air fryer. I use the microwave at least three or four times per day. I wouldn't want it below counter level, but I would love to have a "roll top" appliance garage door that I could close on it.

@@loca8048 same here... Popcorn

Yes! It's not like clothing with a label on it. No one knows the brand or price of your furniture, just the style and vibe of it. So I say good on you for being financially responsible 😊

Agree

this is key - it's so hard to find new furniture that's made of real, quality wood. Most of my "good wood" is thrifted, and especially if you're willing to put in a bit of elbow grease to refinish it, you can end up with some really gorgeous pieces for relatively low cost. Speaking of art deco: my desk has a vintage, cast iron, art deco base, with an oak slab on top. I think I paid about 50 euros for it on ebay. It's priceless to me :)

The hazard is a toddler putting something that shouldn't be microwaved into the microwave and starting it

For selling purposes, vintage can be from before the 00's as well. I have seen very nice 90's high end decor items, you are talking about the run of the mill stuff.

Jean nailed it. Upholstery, used, barf, shudder, ickmax.

Same. Built a farmhouse, because we actually live on a 70 acre farm, and tried to stay true to the environment. No signs though.

@@jeanettepugh6017 I bet it looks wonderful with the farm property.

Come to CT the vintage is awesome!

I agree. I use my micro often and rarely have that issue.

I thought the same thing 😂

Many are dumping them, must be dozens of each newly arrived in the local non profit thrift every time I pop in. But the older ones are half gone 😶 so unfortunately others are BUYING THEM to use...

How do you re-heat things like hot drinks?

​@@celticlass8573you don't. At all, never, ever, ever reheat drinks. Make yourself a new one.

@@Marisha0111 I don't believe in wasting food, so microwave it is I guess. 🙂

@@celticlass8573 drinks are drinks, food is food. They are not the same. But warming up anything that was not kept in the fridge is a bad idea.

@@Marisha0111 It's consumed, and made by someone originally. Of course it's food. Also, what do you mean warming anything not kept in the fridge is bad? Like beyond 2 hours or you mean?

"Come and knock on our door, we'll be waiting for you..." Now that''s in my head for the day! 🙂

Agree. Some of the most iconic modern designs (e.g., Barcelona chair) are nearly 100 years old. The originals will soon be actual antiques. Many mid-century modern designs are in the neighborhood of 60-70 years old.

Maybe because two things (1) If a dupe survives to this day, it must have a reason, most likely because it's beautiful and quality enough. The stuff you buy from Amazon and Temu today will be in a landfill in 5 years. (2) Even they were dupe in their day, they would likely be hand made and still much higher quality, compare to mass-produced crap of today.

I can answer that. Pleather, vegan leather, PU, whatever it’s called by the marketing wizards, will be peeling, cracking, and dry-rotting. PU stands for polyurethane.

Smell it.

@@allisonangier1631 I would think that would be the big clue. Thank you.

He's Canadian.. he can't help himself! 🍁🇨🇦 (Sorry, I'm one too!)

@@canuckviolet3322 hahaha! You are sweet!

Get used to (and enjoy!) Nick apologizing. He eventually works himself up into a "don't like it? tough?" burst of attitude and it's all super endearing and funny. It's just Nick being Nick, really.

That comes with being a content creator. People constantly have to over-explain themselves to preempt having to soothe ruffled feathers otherwise. The stuff some folks are offended by is just mind-boggling nowadays

🇨🇦Sorry, not sorry for saying sorry!🇨🇦