Kitchen Cabinet Design for Oven, Microwave and Chimney

Good kitchen cabinet design for an oven and microwave puts both in one 600 mm wide tall unit: the oven in a niche about 590 mm high, the microwave in a 450 mm niche above it, a shelf under each, the back of the unit open to the wall and a vent in the plinth. The chimney gets a gap in the wall units just wider than the hood, with a straight, short duct to an outside wall, and every appliance gets its own earthed socket outside its niche.

About the numbers below: niche sizes, gaps, loads and plugs come from installation manuals and spec sheets published by Bosch India, LG India, Samsung, Kaff, Faber and Elica, and from the NKBA planning guidelines, all opened on 29 Oct 2026. They are for the example models named. Your own model's manual decides, so fix the appliances before the carpenter starts. Figures marked "our guidance" are reasoning, not a maker's rule.

Kitchen cabinet design for oven and microwave: the tall unit

A tall unit stacks the oven and microwave at a height you can reach without bending, and keeps two appliances of more than 3 kW each off the counter. IKEA's METOD buying guide says the same: an oven in a high cabinet sits at "a perfect working height", with storage for baking trays below (IKEA). The elevation below draws one, to scale, beside a fridge housing and a tall pantry.

Front elevation of a tall appliance wall drawn to scale in millimetres: a fridge housing 888 wide with 100 mm gaps beside the fridge and 25 mm above it, a 450 mm tall pantry, a 600 mm tall unit with a 451 mm microwave niche stacked over a 590 mm oven niche, a vent grille in the plinth, 16 A sockets in the pantry side, and a base run with a 381 mm landing counter, with lofts above to a 2,700 mm ceiling. — A tall appliance wall drawn to scale: niche sizes from Bosch India spec sheets, fridge gaps from LG India, landing space from NKBA. Ceiling and fridge size are illustrative. Diagram: MOA

Niche sizes from the spec sheets

Appliance (Bosch India example)	Appliance H x W x D	Niche H x W x D	Cord
Built-in oven HBF133BR0I	595 x 594 x 548 mm	575 to 597 x 560 to 568 x 550 mm	100 cm
Built-in microwave CMA585MS0I	454 x 594 x 570 mm	450 to 452 x 560 to 568 x 550 mm	180 cm

Sources: Bosch India spec sheets for the oven and the microwave. A 600 mm tall unit with 18 mm sides leaves a 564 mm opening, inside both ranges.

Ventilation gaps that stop the cabinet cooking too

Back open, gap to the wall. The microwave sheet draws the tall unit with its back wall open and 35 mm to the wall. Bosch UK's installation page asks for 45 mm behind an oven in a tall unit and says the cabinet panel must not cover the back of the oven (Bosch UK). Plan 45 mm and you satisfy both.
Vent in the plinth of at least 100 sq cm of open area, so cool air enters low and rises behind the appliances (Bosch microwave sheet).
A shelf under each appliance. Bosch UK says intermediate flooring is required when one appliance sits on another.
Do not close the top. Bosch's oven installation instructions say not to cover the gap above the oven with wooden strips, to keep at least 5 mm between the oven and the units beside it, and not to fit it behind a decorative door (Bosch installation instructions).

Tall bank of pale grey-green units at the end of a kitchen: a full-height two-door unit on the left and, on the right, a stainless steel built-in microwave stacked above a built-in oven, with a drawer below and cupboards above, and the living room visible through the doorway. — A built-in microwave stacked over the oven in one tall unit keeps hot appliances off the counter in an open-plan flat. Image: Max Vakhtbovych on Pexels, Pexels License

Oven at eye level or under the hob?

Eye level, in a tall unit. IKEA's planning guide puts it simply: an elevated oven means you won't have to bend down to reach it (IKEA planning guide).

Under the hob. This saves the tall unit and suits a small straight kitchen. Bosch UK asks for a ventilation gap of at least 30 mm, or what the manual says, between the worktop and the top of the oven. The H34 platform post in this series (in review) covers worktop thickness over an oven. The catch: the oven takes the deep drawer that holds kadhais and pressure cookers.

Either way, leave a landing counter beside it. NKBA guideline 23 asks for at least 381 mm (15 inches) next to or above the oven (NKBA). IKEA adds that ovens next to a wall or in a corner block workspace and drawers.

L-shaped kitchen in walnut-finish laminate with a black built-in oven set at counter height in a tall unit, a full-height two-door tall unit beside it, a ventilation grille in the plinth below, and a double socket on the tiled wall above a dark stone counter. — A built-in oven at counter height in a tall unit, with drawers below, a cupboard above and a vent grille in the plinth. Image: Max Vakhtbovych on Pexels, Pexels License

Kitchen cabinet design for microwave: shelf, built-in or over the range

On a shelf or counter. A countertop microwave needs air: Samsung India asks for at least 10 cm at the back and sides and 20 cm above (Samsung India). A shelf niche must therefore be roughly 20 cm wider and 30 cm taller than the microwave itself (our guidance, from those gaps).

Built-in. The niche sizes above apply, and the microwave goes in the 450 mm slot over the oven. NKBA guideline 21 puts the bottom of the microwave about 76 mm below the main cook's shoulder and no higher than 1,372 mm from the floor. In the elevation it sits at 1,326 mm.

Over the range. These combine a microwave with a hood and are made for US kitchens. Dacor, a Samsung brand, asks for the top at 66 inches or more from the floor and 30 inches or more from the cooking surface, on a 120 V, 15 A supply (Dacor planning guide). For tadka and deep frying, a ducted chimney is still the better choice (our view).

Crockery unit with microwave space

A crockery unit on the dining wall can take the microwave on its counter, close to the table. Give it the 10 cm and 20 cm gaps above, a socket at counter height and glass shutters above for plates and glasses (our guidance).

Crockery unit at the end of a hallway: four lit glass-fronted wall cabinets in light oak holding glasses, above a white and oak base cabinet with a wooden counter, a slatted bottle rack and a backsplash panel. — A crockery unit with lit glass shutters over a base cabinet. Its counter is the natural place for a countertop microwave, if a socket and air space are planned. Image: Doan Thanh Binh on Pexels, Pexels License

Kitchen cabinet design with chimney

The chimney decides three things in the cabinets: the gap in the wall units, the height of the hood and the duct route. Kaff's installation guide says to leave a gap between wall units equal to the chimney width, usually 60 or 90 cm, plus 2 to 3 mm (Kaff).

Section through a cooking wall: a hob on a 900 mm counter, a chimney hood 650 to 750 mm above it, a 150 mm duct rising inside the flue cover and turning once through the external wall to a cowl with a non-return flap, and an earthed 6 A socket about 2,130 mm up, behind the flue cover. — Chimney section: hood height, duct size and route, and the socket behind the flue cover, from Kaff, Faber, Bosch and Elica. Diagram: MOA

Height. Kaff gives 65 to 75 cm between a gas burner and the bottom of the hood, and 60 to 70 cm over induction. Faber India gives 26 to 32 inches, about 66 to 81 cm, warning that oil in the collector can catch fire below 26 inches (Faber India). The cabinets above the hood start from that line.
Duct size. Elica's piping guide sets 125 mm as the minimum diameter and recommends 150 mm (Elica). Kaff says never to reduce the diameter: widen the wall hole instead.
Length and bends. Elica says the total run should not exceed 6 m, ideally with two elbows. Faber India is stricter at 12 feet, about 3.7 m. Kaff explains why: one 90 degree elbow resists as much as 3 m of straight pipe. So put the hob on an outside wall and go straight out.
The hole and the flap. Elica advises making the hole as high up the wall as possible and fitting a non-return valve, so outside air and fumes cannot come back in.
Hiding the duct. Elica lists a cabinet, a plasterboard boxing or a false ceiling.

An integrated hood fits inside the bottom of a 60 cm wall unit and keeps the cabinet line unbroken. It suits a light-cooking or open kitchen; for daily tadka, a full chimney with a stronger motor is the safer choice (our view).

Close view of a kitchen run with glossy beige wall cabinets whose underside holds a slim built-in extractor hood above a black induction hob, an oak worktop and splashback panel with a glass shelf, a white glass splashback behind the hob and dark grey handle-less base drawers. — An integrated hood set into the underside of the wall units keeps the cabinet line unbroken above the hob. Image: Max Vakhtbovych on Pexels, Pexels License

Fridge housing with ventilation gaps

A fridge sheds heat from its sides and back, so a tight cabinet makes it work harder. LG India's guide asks for 10 cm at the back and on both sides, 2.5 cm above, and at least 2.5 cm between the top of the door and the cabinet over it (LG India). For a 652 mm wide double-door such as Bosch's KDN43VS30I (Bosch India), that means an opening of about 852 mm and a housing about 888 mm wide with 18 mm sides.

Leave the plinth open under the fridge and a slot at the back of the cupboard above, so warm air can rise away, and hinge the door to open against the tall unit rather than across the counter (our guidance). IKEA's fridge and oven high cabinets are sold as ventilated frames for the same reason.

Dishwasher integration and plumbing

Bosch's fully integrated SMV6HVX00I needs a niche 815 to 875 mm high, 600 mm wide and at least 550 mm deep, comes with a 165 cm inlet hose and a 190 cm outlet hose, and is rated at 2.4 kW (Bosch India). The semi-integrated SMI4IVS00I has the same hoses and load (Bosch India).

Put it next to the sink: IKEA says close to the water supply and drain pipes, and NKBA guideline 13 says within 914 mm of the sink's edge.
Fix the tap point, the drain connection and the socket in the next unit before tiling, so the hoses reach without extensions.

Sockets for each appliance

An oven and a microwave each draw over 3 kW. The CEA Safety Regulations 2023 require plug sockets in new or renovated installations to be three-pin with the third pin earthed (regulation 43), and a residual current device of 30 mA or less in a home (regulation 44) (CEA, Gazette of India, 8 June 2023).

Table of kitchen appliance sockets: built-in oven 3.3 kW on a 16 A plug, built-in microwave 3.35 kW on a 16 A plug, integrated dishwasher 2.4 kW on a 16 A plug with a 10 A fuse, double-door fridge 160 W on a 6 A plug, and a chimney on an earthed 6 A socket about 7 ft up, with where each socket goes and the CEA rule on earthed three-pin sockets and 30 mA RCDs. — One socket per appliance: loads and plugs from Bosch India spec sheets, the chimney socket from Kaff, and the earthing and RCD rule from the CEA Safety Regulations 2023. Diagram: MOA

Kaff adds that the chimney socket should be about 7 ft from the floor, above the hood so the flue cover hides the wire, and away from the burners.

Heat and steam near wood

Heat-resistant carcass. Bosch's oven instructions ask for laminates and edge glue that resist 90 °C inside the oven housing and 70 °C in the units beside it, or the boards may deform.
Steam. Keep the pressure cooker and kettle away from the underside of wall units, and do not park them under a microwave shelf. Edge-band every cut face of the niches, as steam and heat swell a raw edge first (our guidance).
Above the hob. Bosch's manual for its 60 cm gas hob asks for any combustible construction to be at least 650 mm above the burners, and the same 650 mm for a range hood (Bosch hob manual). The NKBA notes that US code asks for 30 inches to combustible material, or 24 inches with an approved hood.

A tall pantry beside the appliances

A 450 mm tall pantry between the fridge and the oven unit, as in the elevation, puts dry stores one step from both: heavy grains in the lower pull-outs, masala refills at eye level, crockery on top. The H32 small-kitchen guide in this series (in review) covers pantry fittings, and our modular kitchen layouts guide shows where tall units sit in an L, U or parallel kitchen without breaking the counter.

Kitchen cabinet design for small kitchen

Use one 600 mm tall unit at the end of a run for both oven and microwave, rather than two.
If there is no room for a tall unit, put the oven under the hob and the microwave on an open shelf with Samsung's gaps.
Choose a 60 cm chimney over a 60 cm hob, so the wall-unit gap stays 600 mm plus 2 to 3 mm.

If you follow vastu for the hob and sink, our vastu for kitchen post covers placement.

Kitchen cabinet design price in India

We have no published rate card for tall appliance units alone, so we do not quote one. Modular kitchens are priced on cabinet area, and HomeLane's Kolkata cost guide (23 Feb 2026) notes that tall pantries raise the cost and that chimneys, hobs, ovens and dishwashers are priced separately (HomeLane).

The H31 price-per-sq-ft guide in this series (in review) works through how cabinet area is measured. For the whole home, see our interior design cost guide or try MOA's free home cost calculator. For finishes on these units, see kitchen trends 2027.

Frequently asked questions

What is the size of a built-in microwave niche?

For Bosch's CMA585MS0I, 450 to 452 mm high, 560 to 568 mm wide and 550 mm deep, with the back of the unit open and at least 100 sq cm of vent in the plinth.

Is it better to put the oven under the hob or in a tall unit?

A tall unit at eye level is easier to use and keeps the deep drawers under the hob for vessels. Under the hob saves space; leave at least 30 mm of air below the worktop.

How much gap should be left around a fridge in a cabinet?

LG India asks for 10 cm at the back and sides and 2.5 cm on top.

How much space is needed between wall cabinets for a chimney?

The chimney's width plus 2 to 3 mm, according to Kaff: about 603 mm for a 60 cm chimney and 903 mm for a 90 cm one.

Which socket does a built-in oven need in India?

Bosch's HBF133BR0I has an Indian 16 A plug, 16 A fuse protection and a 3.3 kW load. Give it its own earthed three-pin 16 A socket on a circuit with a 30 mA RCD, outside the niche or in the zone the sheet marks.

Want this drawn for your kitchen? Find an interior designer on MOA and filter by your city.

Sources

Bosch India: Series 2 built-in oven HBF133BR0I, spec sheet (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch India: Series 6 built-in microwave oven CMA585MS0I, spec sheet (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch India: Series 6 fully integrated dishwasher SMV6HVX00I, spec sheet (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch India: Series 4 semi-integrated dishwasher SMI4IVS00I, spec sheet (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch India: KDN43VS30I double-door refrigerator, spec sheet (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch: Installation instructions for a built-in oven, document 9000042309 (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch UK: How to install an oven (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Bosch: User manual and installation instructions, built-in gas hob PNH6B.B9.A (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
LG India: How far from the wall should I install the refrigerator? (22 May 2025, accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Samsung India: Microwave FAQ (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Dacor (Samsung): 30 inch over-the-range microwave PCOR30S, planning guide (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Kaff: Chimney installation guide, what to expect and how to prepare your kitchen (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Faber India: Installing Kitchen Chimney at Home: Step by Step Guide (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Elica: Duct-out hoods piping guide (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
National Kitchen and Bath Association: Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
IKEA: IKEA kitchen planning guide, from start to finish (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
IKEA: METOD kitchen cabinets buying guide (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Central Electricity Authority: Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply Regulations, 2023, Gazette of India, 8 June 2023, copy hosted by KSEB (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
HomeLane: Modular Kitchen Cost in Kolkata, 23 Feb 2026 (accessed 29 Oct 2026)
Pexels: photos by Max Vakhtbovych and Doan Thanh Binh, and the Pexels License (accessed 29 Oct 2026)