Buyers’ Guide: Kitchen Cabinets and Storage
Organisation is key in any kitchen, whether it’s a compact kitchenette or a large farmhouse kitchen. Size matters, of course, but what matters even more is what you do with it. Put bluntly, when it comes to kitchens, you can never have enough storage.
Maximise your kitchen space with Price Kitchens’ clever storage solutions for cabinets and cupboards, using up all those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies that would otherwise sit empty and unused while freeing up precious worktop space. Give your kitchen an organised and streamlined look, with a place for everything and everything in its place. Not only will you love the way the heart of the home always looks neat and tidy, it will make your life so much easier!
Start with an assessment of how much space you currently have and what’s missing in terms of storage. Are you planning a complete kitchen redesign or are you happy to simply add storage upgrades where necessary? If the latter, make sure you take accurate internal measurements of the kitchen units you wish to fit out with better storage options.
We’ve put together a handy guide to the main types of kitchen storage solutions.
Cabinet Storage
Modern kitchen design relies on a combination of wall units, base units and full height units, but while these units are built in to make the most of the space available in the kitchen, their internal organisation may not be optimised. Think of adding:
- Pullout units specifically designed for a range of uses, such as storing bottles horizontally, keeping cooking utensils or chopping boards neatly stashed away, or storing cleaning products safely within reach. Ideal for smaller kitchens where there may not be much room to move around.
- Corner units including rotating or swivelling corner carousels for awkward L shaped corners. These are ideal for heavy or bulky items such as cookware and small appliances. Alternatives are kidney shaped swing units or ‘magic corner’ type arrangements that cleverly double your storage space
- Integrated waste bins and recycling bins to free up valuable floor space in the kitchen. These bins are attached to the inside of a base cabinet door, often with a pullout mechanism for easy access. Great for keeping odours at bay and unsightly rubbish and kitchen recycling out of view.
- Wicker basket storage is an opportunity to make a feature of storage. Pretty wicker baskets offer a rustic, natural charm that works particularly well with country style or classic kitchen designs. Whether you use wicker baskets on open shelving or on runners to replace standard drawers, they’re great for storing fruit and vegetables or any small items.
Drawer Storage
Kitchen drawers have become more popular in recent years, especially in contemporary kitchens. Once the mainstay for cutlery, utensils and assorted bits and bobs that seem to belong nowhere in particular, drawers are now also favoured for everything from pots and pans to crockery and glasses.
Drawers have a propensity to become cluttered and messy, which makes things – small items in particular – difficult to locate. To organise your drawers, you might like to consider:
- Drawer dividers – divide the interior space into several sections with the help of repositionable dividers, then allocate areas for different types of items.
- Cutlery trays – Available in plastic or wood finishes, these fit neatly into the drawer and enable you to keep your cutlery organised and tidy.
- Utensil trays – Moulded trays or slots inside the drawer are perfect for storing kitchen utensils such as kitchen knives, cooking spoons, garlic presses, corkscrews and more.
Larder Storage
In the old days, larders were used for chilling and protecting food and drink before the advent of refrigerators. These days, larder units have been reinvented and updated as useful storage solutions in the kitchen that are integrated into a built-in kitchen.
Fitted neatly into tall kitchen cupboards or units, they typically consist of a series of connected shelves or wire baskets that can be pulled out in one fluid motion. This gives full visibility and easy reach to all the stored food items while maximising space when the door is closed.
Pullout larder units offer one simple column of shelves, while tandem larders have twice the storage space – one inside the cabinet door and another one deeper inside the cupboard.
To get the best kitchen storage solution for your kitchen, you need to think about more than just the space available. Think about how you use the space – how many people are living in your home? Any children, elderly or disabled family members? What’s your lifestyle and personality? All these factors and more will influence the right kitchen design and storage options for your home.
For expert help and assistance with your next kitchen design, the Price Kitchens team is always happy to help. Why not take a look at our kitchen collections and storage solutions online – or better still visit our extensive showroom to see what’s on offer? For questions and enquiries, please contact us on 020 8686 9006.
