Going Up: Vertical Storage Holds More Kitchen Stuff

Almost every kitchen can benefit from vertical storage. You can, of course, plan for vertical storage in a new kitchen, but very often you can also find space in an existing kitchen. It is amazing how much and how many different kinds of storage can be packed into a very tall and narrow or shallow space. So look around; maybe you have an empty wall where you can squeeze in more room for what you need. 

Traditional Kitchen by Ridgewood Kitchen & Bath Designers The Hammer & Nail, Inc. 

Here is a wall of tall cabinets just packed with storage in a New York loft. The pantry cabinet on the left has swing-out shelves that allow easier access to food than would deep, stationary shelving. The real stars of this vertical storage, however, are the very narrow pullout cabinets, used here for oils and herbs and located right next to the cooktop where they will be used. The mix of cabinet doors creates a pleasing arrangement when closed.

Transitional Kitchen by Falls Church Architects & Designers Ballard + Mensua Architecture

Spices and oils are natural items for storage in a tall area. Although very shallow, this closet stores a multitude of items. It has been carved from between the studs and finished with a matching cabinet door.

Eclectic Kitchen

A deeper space accommodates some large apothecary jars, tins and bottles and makes a wonderful display area as well.

Modern Kitchen by Portsmouth Interior Designers & Decorators Patty Kennedy Interiors, LLC

Pots and pans take up more precious cabinet space than just about anything else, so hanging them on an otherwise empty wall makes sense. There are rails made specifically for this purpose; galvanized pipe or even some towel bars could work too. Just make sure to anchor them well.

Contemporary Kitchen by Jackson Interior Designers & Decorators dwelling

These pots and pans, each hung on their own hook, create an organized display. In addition, this space allows for some shallow shelf storage below.

Traditional Spaces by Menomonee Falls General Contractors Carmel Builders

Everyone needs a broom closet; here the brooms, mops and cleaning supplies are very efficiently housed in a narrow pullout cabinet. Everything is handy and accessible, much easier to grab than from underneath the sink.

Contemporary Kitchen by San Francisco Media & Bloggers Lucy McLintic 

Just a few inches of space next to a refrigerator have been used to build wine cubbies here. The cubbies match the width of the spacer below that makes sure the refrigerator has enough clearance to open. 

Traditional Kitchen by Minneapolis Interior Designers & Decorators Martin Patrick 3 

A similar situation: to the right of a window, a slice of space has been appropriated for wine storage. On the left dishware is kept at the ready. These vertical storage units morph into horizontal storage across the tops of the windows here for even more found space. 

Eclectic Kitchen by Other Metro Media & Bloggers Jeanette Lunde 

Barely more than a wall, this extremely shallow area not only stores platters and plates; it acts as a display wall, too.

Contemporary Kitchen by Nanaimo General Contractors Alair Homes 

While there was probably ample cabinet space in this kitchen for a bar, a small sliver of space was found on the end wall to showcase the owner’s whiskey collection. The antique decorative grille provides visual interest and highlights the collection. A similar approach could be used to house bright glassware or smaller serving pieces. 

Transitional Kitchen by Chevy Chase Architects & Designers Wentworth, Inc. 

In this narrow galley-style kitchen, there was not enough room for more cabinets. Enter shallow, open, floor-to-ceiling shelves. These create not only extensive storage but a graphic display as well.

11 Ways to Update Your Kitchen Without a Sledgehammer

OK, so you have a perfectly good kitchen. The layout works; the cabinetry is solid; but it just needs a little uplift. There are plenty of relatively minor changes you can make that don’t involve restructuring your life and house. Here are a few.

Contemporary Kitchen 

1. Repaint your cabinets. A fresh coat of paint can transform a kitchen from dark and dingy to light and airy. If you are a few years away from that big kitchen reno, this is a great time to have some fun with color.

Traditional Kitchen by South San Francisco General Contractors Dijeau Poage Construction 

2. Upgrade your countertop. Upgrading a dated countertop will give new life to your entire kitchen and add value.  

Traditional Kitchen by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Judith Taylor Designs 

3. Install a new backsplash. If your cabinetry and countertop work nicely but your room lacks pizzazz, a new backsplash can add lots of personality and really dress up a kitchen. A bit of texture, sparkle or gloss will give simple cabinetry a lot of presence. 

Transitional Kitchen by Houston Home Builders Parker House Inc. 

4. Make a statement. New jewelry always picks up my mood. It can do wonders for your kitchen too. New hardware can dress up plain cabinets, while standout lighting fixtures can add a surprising wow factor.  

Industrial Kitchen by Toronto Architects & Designers Rad Design Inc 

5. Change your faucet. A detachable hose with a hand spray comes in handy for so much more than just giving a bath to the cat. I prefer a faucet with a flexible braided water-supply hose. It looks better than a plain black rubber hose and will last longer.

Contemporary Kitchen by New York Interior Designers & Decorators valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc 

6. Expand your horizons. Need more surface area? Don’t think you need to start from scratch. If you have an island, you can introduce a different material on an added eating counter either below or above the counter.

The standard counter height is 36 inches. A nice option, like you see here, is to add an extension at table height (30 inches is typical). The great thing about adding a table-height extension is that regular kitchen and dining chairs will pull up to the counter comfortably. If you prefer a higher surface, you could go with bar height (40 to 42 inches). 

Eclectic Kitchen by Portland Photographers Whitney Lyons 

7. Consider refacing. New cabinet fronts and doors can dress up the cabinetry boxes if the layout already works and they are solid. 

Traditional Kitchen by Minneapolis Interior Designers & Decorators Walsh Design Group, Inc. 

8. Rethink the uppers. Open shelving offers an opportunity to display collections or just keep frequently used items accessible. Wine comes to mind, but that’s just me. 

Traditional Kitchen by Boston Kitchen & Bath Designers Venegas and Company 

9. Add some cozy touches. A runner is a great addition to a galley kitchen. I don’t know why we are disciplined to treat our kitchen like it has a different set of rules when it comes to decor. I’m all for adding a table lamp for an unexpected element in a kitchen. 

Modern Kitchen by New York Architects & Designers Incorporated 

10. Add a floating island. If a new bank of cabinetry is beyond the budget, try a ready-made freestanding piece to add extra storage and a surface for working and eating surface.

Add a new top to a freestanding piece of furniture and extend the edge for an eating counter. The minimum overhang would be 10 to 12 inches, but there are a few considerations when extending the top. Take care not to shift the balance of weight so much that the piece is unstable (people love to rest their elbows, adding weight to the surface). Also you may need to add brackets to support the overhang. 

Beach Style Kitchen by Beverly Architects & Designers Siemasko + Verbridge

11. Add a showstopper. A simple kitchen with simple cabinetry is downplayed by a showpiece range. Playing up one feature is a great way to detract from less interesting elements.

Get the Look of a Built-in Fridge for Less

Counter-depth refrigerators are popular appliances for new kitchens. Their appeal is that they save precious aisle space by sitting flush with the cabinets rather than sticking out. This makes the kitchen look smooth, custom and visually organized. These models can also be finished with matching cabinet doors for an even more cohesive look. 

The downside is that they are very expensive. They can cost two to three times more than a regular freestanding refrigerator, and must be wider to incorporate the same cubic-foot storage. If you want this look without the extra expense, design your kitchen and cabinets so that your regular-size refrigerator sits flush with your cabinets. 

Contemporary Kitchen by Falls Church Kitchen & Bath Designers Cameo Kitchens, Inc. 

Freestanding refrigerators come in many sizes and configurations. While typical base and tall cabinets are 24 inches deep, freestanding refrigerators can be 30 inches deep or deeper, with varying widths too. Therefore, you should select your refrigerator early in the planning process. 

To get that flush look, you can either recess a freestanding unit several inches into a wall or have your cabinets furred out several inches to meet the refrigerator.

In this kitchen, if you look carefully, you’ll see that the 24-inch-deep base cabinets that extend to the left are recessed behind the oven cabinets. The appliance portion of this wall, therefore, has been furred out. Note that the side cabinet panel on the right has been ordered in a larger size to accommodate the depth of the refrigerator, which is greater than 24 inches.

Contemporary Kitchen by Minneapolis Interior Designers & Decorators Design Details 

In this case the refrigerator door sticks out beyond the base cabinets. But because there are deep side panels and a deep cabinet overhead, the refrigerator looks incorporated into the cabinetry and built in. A deep cabinet above the refrigerator is a good place for tray storage or even a TV, as shown here.

Traditional Kitchen by San Francisco Architects & Designers Boor Bridges Architecture 

Here is another kitchen where deeper cabinets accommodate the greater depth of a freestanding unit. This refrigerator is a bottom-freezer model.

Craftsman Kitchen by Seattle Architects & Designers microhouse 

Here the homeowners built a wider set of deep cabinets, which include some open shelves for display.

Farmhouse Kitchen by Philadelphia General Contractors Buckminster Green LLC

Another way to “build in” your freestanding refrigerator is to actually build it into the wall, rather than cabinets. If your kitchen plan will allow it, this is probably the easiest and most cost-effective way to get the look, because you can make the opening the exact width and depth you require. You also won’t have any cabinet modification costs. 

Contemporary Kitchen by Birmingham Interior Designers & Decorators Margeaux Interiors Inc. - Margaret Presti 

This is particularly nicely done. The very linear refrigerator fits neatly into the opening and is trimmed out with house molding. The display shelf above draws the eye up. With a wine refrigerator next to the main refrigerator in a small peninsula cabinet, this is a good area for dispensing drinks.

Contemporary Kitchen by Barrington Architects & Designers Kate Marker Interiors 

This kitchen utilizes a very effective way to incorporate a deep refrigerator: The cabinets are stepped, for a very custom look. From the corner to the left of the refrigerator, the cabinets are typical sizes: 12 inches deep on top; 24 inches deep on the bottom. Next comes the upper cabinets and the appliance garage unit, probably 15 to 18 inches deep. The deepest cabinet is around the refrigerator, with display cabinets above. 

On the end is a tall open cabinet that creates an interesting visual display as one enters the kitchen. Note that this cabinet is actually pulled back a few inches from the refrigerator depth, so it continues the stepped look and also makes that corner a little less intrusive. 

Contemporary Kitchen by Essex Junction Photographers Susan Teare, Professional Photographer 

Cabinets and a refrigerator sandwiched within stud walls create a clean and contemporary look here. The cabinets were probably furred out within the walls. 

Kitchen by Chicago Kitchen & Bath Designers Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab 

This refrigerator is the centerpiece of an open display area. This would be a very cost-effective way to house a refrigerator and small appliances while using a short wall. (This treatment even accommodates a radiator.)

10 Creative Ways to Give Your Kitchen a Boost

Article by: Laura Gaskill

After the flurry of holiday decorating and baking is over, the kitchen can seem a bit forlorn — but if one of your New Year’s resolutions was to eat healthier or cook more meals from scratch, it’s important that your kitchen supports and inspires you. These 10 doable project ideas are meant to revive your kitchen and make it an inspiring space that you can’t wait to spend time in. 

Eclectic Kitchen by Amsterdam Media & Bloggers Louise de Miranda 

1. Use a found branch for hanging storage. If you have open shelving in your kitchen that rests on brackets, as shown here, extend their usefulness by sliding a thoroughly cleaned branch through the base of the brackets. Use simple S-hooks to hang small pots, spoons and other implements from the branch. You can even hang a small vase or a mason jar filled with flowers — just wrap the mouth with twine or wire to form a loop, and hang it from an S-hook. 

Eclectic Kitchen by Alpharetta Interior Designers & Decorators Liv By Design Interiors 

2. Try a pegboard in the kitchen, à la Julia Child.Julia was onto something when she designed the now-famous pegboard pot rack on the wall of her Cambridge, Massachusetts, kitchen. You can do the same by hanging basic pegboard on your kitchen wall and using S-hooks to hang cooking tools. Paint the pegboard to match your walls for a seamless look.

Eclectic Kitchen by Vancouver Interior Designers & Decorators The Cross Design 

3. Paper the interior of a glass cupboard. This is the perfect place to use up any wallpaper scraps you may have lying around. If you don’t have wallpaper, pretty shelf paper or even quality gift wrap can be used instead.

Eclectic Spaces by Athens Photographers Corynne Pless 

4. Glam up your shelving. Another easy way to spice up basic wall shelves is by coating the brackets with gold paint. Or, for a similar effect with less fuss, pick up a roll of copper tape at the hardware store and carefully apply it just to the edge of your shelves — this works best if your shelves are the same thickness as the tape, so measure first. 

Eclectic Spaces by Amsterdam Media & Bloggers Louise de Miranda 

5. Bring in fresh blooms. You probably buy fresh flowers for other rooms in your home from time to time; why not snip a few for the kitchen? A vase with slots for individual blooms, like the one shown here, is ideal because it is so easy to fill.

Contemporary Kitchen by Amsterdam Media & Bloggers Holly Marder 

6. Add a splash of unexpected color. Transform a plain step stool with a lick of vibrant color, paint the interior of your pantry, or line your drawers with polka dot paper. A bit of color or pattern where it’s least expected is especially welcome when it’s gray outdoors.

Eclectic Entry by Amsterdam Media & Bloggers Louise de Miranda 

7. Give a plain basket a neon makeover. French market baskets are some of the most useful little accessories to keep around the house. Spruce one up with a simple painted-on star or heart in a neon hue and use it as a mini hamper for dirty dish towels and cloth napkins. For an even easier (and temporary) take, simply cut and stick on neon-colored tape.

Eclectic Hall by Los Angeles Home Stagers Platform 

8. Borrow baskets from the living room for produce storage and display. Have some lovely woven baskets just hanging around with nothing in them? Put them to work storing long-lasting produce like potatoes and onions, or colorful piles of lemons and limes.

Eclectic Home Office by Amsterdam Media & Bloggers Louise de Miranda 

9. Hang food magazines on a painted ladder. If you refer to your favorite food mags for recipes and menu ideas, keep them handy. A short ladder leaning against the wall is a perfect spot for stashing a rotating selection of your favorite foodie magazines — and in a pinch, even smaller cookbooks could get slung here, too.

Mediterranean Dining Room by Other Metro Architects & Designers Echo Design 

10. Paint your breakfast-table chairs in a rainbow of pastels. Love pastels? I say, go for it. After all, why shouldn’t your breakfast nook be the cheeriest spot in the house? And if you don’t feel up to painting the entire chairs, even giving just the legs or seats a dip in pastel hues would make a big impact.

Conquer Clutter With Drawers: 14 Inventive Solutions

Article by: Lisa Higgins

For many years drawers knew their place in the home. They were filled with a jumble of junk in the kitchen, stocked with sweaters and shirts in the bedroom, and crammed with pens and rubber bands in the office. But designers have begun to recognize the flexibility of this design staple. There’s nothing like an easy-to-access drawer to organize — or hide — the essentials of daily life. 

Consider these options to conquer the clutter in your home. 

Contemporary Staircase by Sydney Home Builders Henarise Pty Ltd 

This narrow stairway features a truly ingenious storage solution: two of the risers are fitted with drawers to make a pile of shoes disappear in a flash.

Traditional Kitchen by Columbia Interior Designers & Decorators LGB Interiors 

Tired of tying up your kitchen outlets charging phones, tablets and laptops? Install a power strip in the back of a drawer and let your electronics recharge sight unseen. Just make sure the drawer is shorter than normal to allow room for the power strip’s cord in the back. 

Traditional Kitchen by Other Metro Interior Designers & Decorators gogo gulgun selcuk 

Make edibles a design detail: Display your pasta or legumes in glass-fronted drawers. Brightly colored varieties (think red beans and spinach pasta) look best.

Contemporary Laundry Room by Stoney Creek Kitchen & Bath Designers Design To Perfection Kitchen Concepts INC 

Instead of wrestling the ironing board out of the closet whenever you need to touch up a shirt, get one of these nifty folding versions that fit into — guess what? — a drawer.

Contemporary Kitchen by Wellesley Kitchen & Bath Designers Divine Kitchens LLC 

Wine lasts longer and tastes better if it’s stored away from the light. This drawer, with its handy wooden cradles, keeps vino safe and close at hand. Don’t put the drawer near the oven, though, as heat is also a no-no. 

Transitional Kitchen by Decatur Architects & Designers TerraCotta Properties 

Even doggies appreciate their own dining area. Keep their bowls off the floor and out of the way with a pet-friendly drawer that slides out at mealtime.

Traditional Laundry Room by Seattle Interior Designers & Decorators Total Spaces Design 

Forget drying delicates over a shower rod or the back of a chair. These skinny drawers are fitted with water-resistant racks that allow air to circulate, so your clothes will be ready to wear before you know it. 

Asian Bedroom by Kailua Interior Designers & Decorators Archipelago Hawaii Luxury Home Designs 

Store clothes, sheets and blankets in drawers tucked under a platform bed. These beds work especially well in small rooms where there’s no space for a dresser. 

Traditional Kitchen by Baltimore General Contractors Greenleaf Construction 

To eke out storage in every last corner of your kitchen, utilize the space under the cabinets with kick drawers. (They’re tucked in behind the cabinet’s toe kick.) This one hides a folding step stool to reach those high shelves, but you could also use this space to hold trays or cookie sheets. 

Traditional Entry by Boston Architects & Designers Jan Gleysteen Architects, Inc 

Clean up your entryway and keep track of outerwear by hiding it in discreet drawers. The ones here are faced with beadboard that matches the wainscoting.

Contemporary Kids by Essex Interior Designers & Decorators Kristina Crestin Design 

Instead of there being a traditional ladder to access the top bunks in this kids’ room, a cleverly designed stack of drawers acts as a staircase. 

Modern Basement by Kilbourne Design-Build Firms Finish Line Building 

Need extra space for guests? Add a bed in a drawer that disappears under a window seat when it’s not needed. 

Modern Kitchen by North York Kitchen & Bath Designers SVEA KITCHENS 

The pipes under a kitchen sink have always made it difficult to organize cleaning supplies. This drawer, with its U-shaped wire basket, is designed to fit around the piping, so you can easily access spray bottles, sponges and scrub brushes. 

Farmhouse Kitchen by Austin Architects & Designers Tim Cuppett Architects 

This airy kitchen nook not only provides comfy benches for seating, but the drawers underneath can hide kitchen equipment.