Gee that's a tough one Scott.
Certainly makes life diffcult with so little wall space, it's a real problem with kitchen cabinetry.
Looks like bending the rules slightly is all you can do in a situation like this.

Lets see...we have appliances neatly stored, with recepacles within easy reach, but technically not counted because they're inside the cabinets.....remove the cabinet, and we're legal.
This looks to be safe- and sensible. I think the code is wrong. I think the exclusion of the appliance 'garage' from consideration should be deleted from code.

It seems to me that there should be a "where reasonably possible" modifier in some of the receptacle requirements. The NEC receptacle requirements should not be dictating the design of the house--that's getting the cart before the horse. Clearly there's not a realistic safety issue here--it's quite unlikely that someone's going to permanently park something in front of the appliance garages and run ten feet of cord to the receptacle on the far right. And even if they did, it's not all that unsafe. (Admittedly, cords are less safe than Chapter 3 wiring in the walls. But the small chance that someone's going to put something there for the long term, times the risk of a cord, isn't very big.)

I'm saying that the unbending receptacle requirements can get rather Draconian in some circumstances, and there needs to be a prioritization of whether you're designing the house for the convenience of the NEC writers, or rather the NEC exists to guide a reasonable electrical installation for the house.

I really don't think that the instalation missed the intent of the code. There are recepticals available in what (without a tape measure) I can see as applying to code. (except the cab doors, making an "Appliance garage") What defines an "appliance garage" anyway?

Maybe some plug-mold (ooh I hate the word 'plug... mold') under the front edge of the counter-top? It would satify the code, and the customer need not see, or for that matter use them if they dont want to.

Doh, I looked at the pic again, no over-hang to hide it.... SOL

On a simular note: Ever notice there are few if any plugs ever seen in those "Design" magazines, as they were not required in the the "display" they show. Maybe the code should require outlets be shown in the display too?

[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 04-29-2005).]

The one receptacle that serves the countertop needs an "inuse cover". Mounted below the wine rack constistutes a wet location

This is a tough spot in regards to the NEC requirments. What about a receptacle on the wall to the left of the cabinets?

How about a doghouse mounted in the countertop