by Tracy Cosgrove
Posted on Oct 27, 2015 2:09:07 PM
Often when people come to remodel their kitchen they concentrate on the aesthetic of the cabinets and sometimes neglect the function. I have seen the scenario play out where you remove every pot, pan, dish and groceries from your cabinets to prepare for all new storage and when the cabinets are installed, and it’s time to put back your stuff there isn’t room for everything. Look beyond the surface when choosing cabinets. Think about how tall cereal boxes are and where you keep them. Consider how you reach for a dish towel when you’re working at the sink or a convenient way to organize that pesky Tupperware.
In kitchen cabinet installations of old leaving space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling, creating a space that does little than provide a prime opportunity for the unfortunate accumulation of clutter. Make the most of that space by choosing to extend your new cabinets all the way to the ceiling. The cost isn't that much greater and you'll gain much more cabinet space.
The keyword with storage is: access. Here are some ways to make more room for your stuff in your existing kitchen space:
Pull-outs. Access, along with ergonomics, is the reason for the move from doors to drawers in base cabinets. For the sake of storage and access, movement from a door to a pull-out gives you the ability to bring the content of the cabinet out into the room.
Specialty hardware. The pull-out spice drawers and nifty utensil drawers that were once offered only by custom cabinet makers are now available in mid-priced cabinet lines.
Base cabinets. Designers today aren’t married to the idea of wall cabinets. Base cabinet drawers can organize dishes, pots, pans, utensils, basically anything. Pull-outs allow you to access everything stored in the drawer without straining your back.
Floating shelves. Visually pleasing open shelves break up the monotony of standard cabinets and serve as a place to display beautiful vases, store cookbooks and keep ingredients in pretty jars.
Extended wall cabinets. Say no to soffits if you want to expand storage. Extend wall cabinets to the ceiling and improve accessibility of those higher shelves with lift-up doors. Or, dedicating an entire wall to storage and building cabinets floor to ceiling creates a focal point and makes room on other walls for aesthetic features, such as a mosaic backsplash, windows, artwork or functional appliances.
Fully-extended drawers. Full extension runners on drawers allow pull-outs to extend completely rather than just three-quarters of the way, Poteat says. This once high-end feature is now common to most drawers, but it’s a good idea to ask the supplier or designer about it.
CONCLUSION:
Looking for a new kitchen? Come to our design center to see the latest options in kitchen cabinetry for your home.
Topics:
Kitchens,
Remodeling Tips
