I don't have any photos to offer, but I've seen raised ends on islands for bookshelves, closed storage, etc., so your idea sounds fine. If you wanted it to look like furniture from the next room you could put a matching wood top on it, but since you want to use it for serving, and likely a landing spot for the micro, I'd go ahead with the same granite as the rest of the island.

My microwave isn't in a raised island end, but it IS behind closed cabinet doors, so I thought I'd share pictures.

Microwave cabinet open (notice how the doors slide into the cabinet so they don't stick out):

Doors closed:

Are you all as opposed to anything non-symmetrical, as my DH and decorator seem to be? This raising-one-side-of-island thing is not jiving with them. I might be outnumbered....

Symmetry is nice but overrated. Especially when you have to give up function or comfort to get it. Have you seen socal_ann's kitchen in the finished kitchens blog? She has the raised microwave in her island and it looks great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Socal_Ann's kitchen

rhone -- that was my original plan...to put bookshelves with my prized cookbooks on that end, just at same height. if it raise it, you're right about all granite though.

alku, those pics show me so much -- thank you. First, your cab doors, which i have seen on other posts, are precisely what i need to hide the micro. Second, it looks like the MW might be too low, even if we raised that part of the island 6" (other than me, my family is tall...or about to be tall). Think I'm going to return to idea of having MW up at eye level on my main wall, just behind closed doors if i can. Just have to figure that out, since MW is deeper than cabs. I guess that's what "custom" cabs are for, right?

Or, you could put in a microwave DRAWER, thus eliminating the need for the microwave to be raised up. With a drawer, you have access from the top and it's easy to see inside and the control panel is on an angle and easy to read.

I have to say that I was a little concerned about the MW being too low when we stuck it under the counter. I'm 5'11" and I figured the bending over would get old. Turns out it hasn't been a problem at all--in fact, I love it where it is. You might want to test it out by placing your MW at different heights for a few days at a time to see what you could live with.

Yes, good idea. I will try placing an old MW a little lower for a few days and having the family try it out.

And we have been considering the Sharp Drawer also -- that is what our decorator originally recommended and a friend loves hers. I have read all the prior threads about it and still am not totally convinced that I would not end up with sloshed-about food or coffee or whatever in the MW. I need to go to an appliance store and check out the open/close mechanism for myself.

Has anyone dealt with putting wall cab doors over a MW, despite the extra depth. I currently have a GE Profile spacemaker and will probably get same in new kitchen. It does stick out a coupe of inches. Ideas?

I am thinking about a two level island as a baking zone and want to be able to tuck away my large mixer. Here is a magazine pic of one with more than a small height change.

Here is a link that might be useful:

My parents have had the drawer for six months now and LOVE it. There have been no issues with soup or beverages sloshing - it really is a smooth and gentle open and close mechanism. I enjoyed using theirs so much that I bought the 24" version for myself. It's been in the garage since December waiting on me. I can't wait!