As much as a bigger kitchen would be amazing, many homeowners’ homes needed to be structurally designed to have a large cooking space. On the flip side of this coin, those with large amounts of room to cook and store away kitchen-related items often find their larger layouts inefficient. Despite the benefit of having ample cabinetry and countertop space, functionality is only sometimes present.
From rerouting the path between your stove, refrigerator, and countertop to installing pull out shelves in your cupboards, there are a number of ways to create an optimal kitchen layout.
Get Better Use of Base Cabinets with Pull-Outs
We all have those useless base cabinets under the microwave and counter. Sure, we can stick easy-to-grab items like oversized pots or cleaning sprays in there, but crouching to the floor to dig for stuff in the back isn’t popular.
If you’re tired of getting up close and personal with your linoleum every time you need something in these cabinets, consider modifying them! Finding pull out shelves in Orangevale, CA, is fairly easy to do. and there are countless options to fit your needs. If you’re currently looking at renovating all of your kitchen cabinetry, you can also get this feature pre-installed at the manufacturer or install the hardware yourself later.
Even if you just have a single, narrow cabinet you want to make better use of, installing a skinny pull-out feature can make it easier to store everything from spices to cookie sheets.
Open Your Floor Plan
If your primary kitchen layout issue needs more room to move about, taking out a wall (or cutting out half of it to make a bar area) can make all the difference in some kitchen designs. This option adds more depth and functionality to the room. For example, if you simply want to add a window from the kitchen sink into the dining room, you can more easily speak to your kids and family while doing dishes or preparing meals.
While not every kitchen design can remove a wall, it’s a great option to add a walking room if connected to a dining room area.
Save Space with a Single Kitchen Sink
Is your double-bowl sink taking up to much countertop space? Consider reclaiming nearly six inches by downsizing to a single bowl option instead. This tip has the potential to free up base cabinet space if you upgrade to a narrow dishwasher. Typically, you can find models that are only 18 inches wide, which is nearly half the size of a standard unit (31 inches wide). This means you can install a foot of extra space under your sink.
Make Blind Corners More Efficient
Another annoying kitchen cabinet style is those with blind corners. These are awkwardly placed and are difficult to retrieve items from since you can only see inside part of the unit. It’s often used as a space-filler in layouts that have the option for a lazy Susan installation. Instead of blindly reaching into the depths of your cabinetry, add another door! This will ensure food and other perishable goods don’t get forgotten and create odors or attract pests.
Dishes Don’t Have to Be In the Kitchen
Food belongs in the pantry. Likewise, pots and pans belong in your kitchen. Dishes, however, can be stored wherever you eat. So instead of taking up two to three cabinets worth of space for your dish and glassware, consider storing them where you dine.
Hutch, pie, and custom cabinets can add to the aesthetic of your dining room while still offering additional functionality. This also increases the functionality of your kitchen and optimizes its layout further.
Your Cabinets and Fridge Should Be Equal
One of the frustrating aspects of owning a refrigerator is that it often sticks out past your kitchen cabinetry by a good six inches or more. This impedes movements, makes cleaning a pin, and creates a potential trip hazard. Avoid this entire situation by choosing appliances that are the same depth as your cabinets. You may be surprised at what a difference this small change makes to the movement of your kitchen.
If shelling out for a new refrigerator is outside the cards, consider recessing it into the wall instead. You can gain back about four inches by tucking it into the stud wall, which might be just enough to make the path between it and the opposite wall less claustrophobic.
Use a Built-In Microwave
An optimal kitchen layout gets the most functionality out of the space it has, regardless of its size. Storage often plays the biggest role in making a design more efficient, but remember, counter space! It’s easy to lose space for food prep when you have a bajillion small appliances and gadgets lining your counter. Microwaves are notorious space hogs in this sense. Installing them under cabinets or on separate utility carts can free up nearly two-square feet!
Create Your Kitchen Island with a Cart
Nearly every popular kitchen design has a common feature: an island. This is a truly functional feature that helps to balance storage and workspace demands but requires a minimum of three feet of space around its parameters for movement. If you can spare this amount of room, consider a kitchen cart instead. It can provide you with the same convenience as an island but allows you to store it in a more convenient spot when not in use.
Make Your Pantry Multi-Purpose
If you still need to do so, reassess how your pantry gets used and determine if there is additional space for bigger kitchen items in this space. For example, if you don’t really use the bottom or top shelves, could you put a crockpot or rice cooker in here instead? This means more room in your kitchen cabinets for other items.
You may find that freed-up space in this part of your home is simply a matter of adjusting the height of a few shelves. And, much like your storage areas in your cooking area, you can install modifications, like pull-out shelving, to make retrieving these items easier.
Shine a Light on Things
Lighting is essential in any room where you work. If your current kitchen lighting is minimal, o you find that you’re always casting a shadow when meal prepping, consider installing under cabinet lighting. There are countless options available, ranging from battery-operated to plug-in or hardwired. It’s really up to you, but you’ll get better use out of this space by strategically adding at least a few LED strip lights under cabinet zones where you regularly prepare food. Added lighting creates more spots for you to use in your kitchen.
Final Thoughts
Whether you have oodles of space to cook and eat or are limited by your kitchen’s architecture, there are countless ways to get the most use out of this space. Even if you can’t create more room for movement, you can still maximize the amount of free countertop space and cabinet functionality with a few easy modifications. Simple steps like rearranging appliances or installing pull out shelving to better organize and access storage can make all the difference in any kitchen.
