Is storage important?
There is nothing worse than a kitchen that doesn't offer enough storage space. Having your kitchen bench over run with items that should be tidied away is unsightly and interrupts the flow of your kitchen experience. That is why it is important that you design your kitchen to maximise storage and there are now new and innovative ways to do so. Kitchen storage solutions have improved over the years and now you can incorporate a multitude of unique and clever ways to hide away your kitchen clutter and yet still be totally practical for everyday use.
HOW MUCH DO I NEED?
In order to decide how much kitchen storage you need you must first identify:
- What small appliances you own or wish to own including; pie makers, waffle makers, popcorn makers, stick blenders, kitchen mixers, etc.
- What you cook and how you cook it, to determine the best locations for storage solutions. For example; do you shallow fry a lot, bake roast dinners, use a Thermomix, eat a lot of salads etc.
- What food and baking items you stock on a regular basis including; flour, baking powder, dried fruit, nuts, herbs and spices.
- What food storage containers you have such as; kids lunch boxes and drink bottles, large salad containers, small sauce containers, glass bowls, ceramic platters, etc.
- What cooking utensils you use and where you are most likely to use them like; tongs for stove top cooking or spatula for bench baking.
- What pots and pans you have and where you use them in the kitchen for example frying pan that is used on the stove top.
- What cleaning products you like to keep on hand in the kitchen e.g. oven cleaners, fly sprays, cook top cleaners, stainless steel wipes, dishwasher powers/tablets, etc.
- Other items you prefer to have located in your kitchen such as; cook books, platters, wine, spirits, ornaments, hand towels, tea sets, etc.
What are my options?
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When you do your research or consult your kitchen designer you will find there are many exciting storage options available to you. Here are a few ideas you may like to consider for your own unique kitchen design.
Corners and Small Gaps
Corners of the kitchen have always been considered lost or wasted space, no longer is this true. You can now choose from pull out corner cupboards and drawers, swivel spice racks and expanding shelving to fill your corners. If you have a small gap to maximise, like down beside your fridge or end of a bench you can opt for a slim-line pull out cupboard to host your herbs and spices.
Drawers
Standard drawers are a thing of the past. You now have the option to fit out every drawer in your kitchen with specific use trays, dividers and multi-level compartments. You can have full length drawers or slim-line, you can choose narrow or wide. You can have whatever suits your available space and whatever design features you prefer.
Pantries
If you still prefer the traditional pantry that offers a set of wide and deep shelves then you sure can stick with that. If however, you want to take your pantry to the next level, consider pull out sliders/drawers, built in spice racks and slopping can holders, vertical dividers as well as the standard horizontal shelving. You can also include additional storage on the doors of your pantry.
Shelving
Open display shelves are trending in the kitchen industry and they can offer additional storage for minimal expense. You can select a feature material for your shelving or you can stick to the kitchen material you are using throughout your design. Either way shelving is a great way to give you kitchen a more open feel while providing you with a place for items you wish to put on display.
Cupboards
Cupboards can be installed under the bench line or above it. The more cupboards you have the more storage space you will achieve. You do need to strike a balance between the amount of storage you need and making your kitchen look dark and closed in. Cupboards offer some unique features including; sliding inserts, rubbish and recycling fixtures, shelving, racks, vertical cooking tray dividers even lazy Suzans.
Islands
Island benches can be a great spot to hide additional storage. You can have cupboards under the bench line, you can even add open display shelves to the end of your island bench.
Racks
You will find racks for almost everything when doing your research. They have been designed to hold herbs and spices, canned food, pots and pans, glass jars (by their lids), glassware, knives, utensils and oils. They can be out on display, under range hoods, over island benches or hidden in cupboards and pantries.
Corners and Small Gaps
Corners of the kitchen have always been considered lost or wasted space, no longer is this true. You can now choose from pull out corner cupboards and drawers, swivel spice racks and expanding shelving to fill your corners. If you have a small gap to maximise, like down beside your fridge or end of a bench you can opt for a slim-line pull out cupboard to host your herbs and spices.
Drawers
Standard drawers are a thing of the past. You now have the option to fit out every drawer in your kitchen with specific use trays, dividers and multi-level compartments. You can have full length drawers or slim-line, you can choose narrow or wide. You can have whatever suits your available space and whatever design features you prefer.
Pantries
If you still prefer the traditional pantry that offers a set of wide and deep shelves then you sure can stick with that. If however, you want to take your pantry to the next level, consider pull out sliders/drawers, built in spice racks and slopping can holders, vertical dividers as well as the standard horizontal shelving. You can also include additional storage on the doors of your pantry.
Shelving
Open display shelves are trending in the kitchen industry and they can offer additional storage for minimal expense. You can select a feature material for your shelving or you can stick to the kitchen material you are using throughout your design. Either way shelving is a great way to give you kitchen a more open feel while providing you with a place for items you wish to put on display.
Cupboards
Cupboards can be installed under the bench line or above it. The more cupboards you have the more storage space you will achieve. You do need to strike a balance between the amount of storage you need and making your kitchen look dark and closed in. Cupboards offer some unique features including; sliding inserts, rubbish and recycling fixtures, shelving, racks, vertical cooking tray dividers even lazy Suzans.
Islands
Island benches can be a great spot to hide additional storage. You can have cupboards under the bench line, you can even add open display shelves to the end of your island bench.
Racks
You will find racks for almost everything when doing your research. They have been designed to hold herbs and spices, canned food, pots and pans, glass jars (by their lids), glassware, knives, utensils and oils. They can be out on display, under range hoods, over island benches or hidden in cupboards and pantries.
What is the best layout for storage?
Deciding on the best layout for your selected storage solutions can be complicated. You need to consider how you use your kitchen and how you perform each task in your kitchen. KICH can help you maximise your storage space and choose the right storage elements for your kitchen design. They even offer a FREE kitchen design service where one of their experts can help you through the process and answer any questions you may have about the best storage solutions for you.
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