Andy Wargo with McClurg Associates says some clients ask for a hole in the countertop so they can sweep trash into a bin located in the cabinet below, “like at a restaurant. It is usually near a built-in cutting board in the countertop.” If the hole is cut in wood, he says the installers should seal the end and edge grain to prevent discoloring. Wargo included a countertop trash hole in a project for a doctor, and lined the hole with a commercial grommet that's used in hospitals. He says that in kitchens that have these holes, the base cabinet usually has a rear trash container to line up with the hole in the rear of the countertop. Designer Leslie Roosevelt of Gilday Renovations says that although many clients have considered a countertop trash hole, none have actually had one installed. “It seems clever, but it might be a nuisance later with odors coming through,” she says.