A clever kitchen design is mostly about storage, and leaving countertops free of clutter to create an effortlessly clean home. Home cooking is also easier and safer in an organized kitchen. A kitchen remodel provides the perfect opportunity to achieve a neat and tidy cooking area with a place for everything. Asking your kitchen remodeling contractor to include these smart kitchen storage ideas in your design will give you a fully functional, well-organized space that you’ll truly appreciate.
Keep your tech devices within arm’s reach with an outlet-equipped charging drawer, or ask your contractor to place outlets just where you know you’ll need them (instead of where they may have been before). Outlets on a kitchen island are wildly convenient. Double points if you put an outlet inside your appliance garage, so you never have to pull the blender or mixer out again.
Appliance Garage
Instead of keeping small appliances like a toaster or espresso machine in plain sight, a built-in appliance garage will blend seamlessly with your cabinetry and deliver a sleek aesthetic look when they are not in use. It can be hard to find anywhere else to store these smaller, but often oddly-shaped appliances, which is why the appliance garage is one of our favorite space-saving solutions.
SPECIALTY CABINET Inserts
Specialized inserts are a flexible and customizable way to keep kitchen drawers and cabinets neat organized. Whether it’s the “junk” drawer, or cookware essentials, inserts allow you to store kitchen items neatly and covertly where you always know where to find them. There are trays for specific uses, like organizing utensil bins and bread baskets. Ask your cabinet company what unique options they offer, and we’re certain you’ll find some great solutions that are worth the extra investment. Here are some of the most popular customizations:
- Hidden trash and recycling bins
- Flatware tray
- Knife rack
- Cutting board drawer or slots
- Baking tray organizer
- K-Cup organizer
- Spice drawer
- Bread basket
Built-In Kitchen Pantry
Notably when square footage is at a minimum, a discrete built-in kitchen pantry is a great way to both hide clutter and design a stylish kitchen. Having one designated space for jars, cans, and dry goods delivers a massive boost to food preparation efficiency. Elevate your organization by customizing your built-in pantry with pull-out shelves, door-mounted shelves, drawers, or a wine rack.
Built-in Spice Rack
Free up space on your stunning countertops with a pull-out spice rack strategically located in your cooking triangle. Hide your spices from view, but keep them in a convenient spot right where you’ll need them. Placing your pull-out spice rack inside a cabinet will also help ensure that herbs and spices continue to deliver optimal flavor, since they’ll be exposed to very little light. A win-win!
Open Shelving & END Cabinet SHELVING
As both cook and host, it’s convenient to keep fine china, glassware, serving platters, and other items within reach. As one of the more decorative storage solutions, open wall cabinets give you the option of choosing a few pieces to display. Likewise, open shelving is both functional and can make for a beautiful display, with a more modern look.
Concealed Pet Bowls
For all the fur-parents out there, you know how annoying it can be to find the right place to stash your pet’s feeding area. As long as your pets don’t free-feed, concealing pet bowls within a drawer or built into the side of a cabinet can keep them from accidentally getting knocked over by a passerby or the robot vacuum.
Dish Drawer Organization
Some homeowners prefer to store their dishes in a drawer, rather than an upper cabinet. Storing dishes in lower cabinets can be very handy if you have heavy plates or want your children to have easy access. This peg system is completely customizable and cute.
Built-In Compost Bin
A built-in kitchen countertop composting bin is an easy upgrade. Instead of keeping a bin out on your counters, a built-in option can blend seamlessly into the counter and make putting things in the compost even easier. Plus, many of the built-in models are dishwasher safe, so you can keep your compost bin clean with little effort.
Kitchen Island Cabinets & Drawers
Get the most out of your kitchen island by adding drawers on both sides, or hiding some extra cabinets on the backside. A clever solution for those lesser used items is cabinets at the island seating. You can easily move stools out of the way when you need access, but otherwise your guests will never know they’re there.
Super Lazy Susan
Ample corner storage is a must for every kitchen, and a Super Lazy Susan cabinet addresses that need. Lazy Susan cabinets have shelves that rotate independently, eliminating the need for you to access bakeware items by reaching into a dark corner. They are an often-overlooked base cabinet storage option, but one of the most useful! A Super Lazy Susan has no center post. Therefore it has more usable surface area on the two extra-large rotating trays.
Tiered Drawers
A popular trend in kitchen storage is tiered drawers, or drawers within drawers. This tiered approach can make the outward appearance of your kitchen cabinets feel minimal, while giving you the maximum amount of useful storage. It’s most common to see thin drawers hidden at the top of deep pots and pans drawers.
Design-Build Kitchen Remodeling
Finding the best contractor for your kitchen remodeling project is essential. Do your research, ask for references, get written estimates, and check online reviews posted on Yelp, Google, or Houzz.
At Model Remodel, we are design-build contractors who’ve built dozens of beautiful, and organized, kitchens. To get started bringing your custom kitchen remodel to life, tell us more about your kitchen goals today via our online form.
