a brand new kitchen....sort of...

[kfeusse]

I was just told that I might get new cupboards and cabinets in my kitchen. If there was one or two things in your kitchen that you just love that I should consider as I am designing these, I would really appreicate knowing what that is. My kitchen is fairly small 3 doorways (which makes it even worse) and I need to utilize every square inch I can. Everything will be custom designed so I will have lots of options...and the man doing it is very good at what he does, I just don't want to have remorse after it is done because I didn't think of "this" or "that". Kwim?? THANKS for you input. Oh, I am looking for practical ideas...not ones from a designer show on TV that "normal" people wouldn't have in their home. You see, we are a Pastor's family and the house we live in belongs to the church so I dont want to go "above and beyond"...just nice and practical.

[Harriet Vane]

The best advice I can give you is DO NOT purchase anything produced by Bertsch. I had an absolute nightmare experience with them. Over the course of a year and seven shipments, each and every shipment contained glaring problems: clear finish that was flaking off (like sunburnt skin), drip marks and spray marks, doors that were not joined together properly making them loose and rattly within just a few weeks, multiple doors that had the middle panel slip and show a large line of unfinished wood at the top (my doors were like a picture frame with a center panel), etc. Bertsch is one manufacturer to steer clear of at all costs.

[Unicorn.]

I love my built in cutting board! It's under the counter, but above the drawers. When it's not in use, you don't know it's there. We use it as a cutting board, but it probably gets used more for an extra place to put stuff. I almost always use when I take stuff out of the oven. I just throw down a hotpad or trivit, and set whatever's hot on it. My dd always uses it when she decorates cakes. You can see it here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=428372&highlight=hunger+games+cake

[magnificent_baby]

In a previous house, we had shelves in the pantry that pulled out. It was wonderful!!!

 

So easy to find what you are looking for, as well as eliminating wasted space because you could actually see the back.

[RoughCollie]

My favorite kitchen had all drawers in the base cabinets. The drawers fully extended. All of the cabinet boxes were frameless.

 

The sink was 10" deep and big enough to hold a cookie sheet. The faucet had a pull-down sprayer. IMO, sinks can never be too big.

 

This kitchen had a doorway in each of its 4 walls. We got rid of one of them (carpenter removed the door frame and drywalled over the hole). We had a lot more counter and cabinet space as a result.

Edited September 27, 2012 by RoughCollie

[KatieJ]

Couple things I did that I just love.

 

My sink base is deeper than my counters. I mean they stick out further than the counters. That makes a bigger space behind the sink and my backsplash stays cleaner. I have plastic trays in the front of the sink. Holds my scrubbies and such.

Undermount sink means no ridge around the sink and it creates more counter space.

 

Deep drawers in the cupboards instead of doors and shelves. I have huge ones for my kettles, casseroles, baking pans, etc. If you go with roll out shelves, they are shallow and things fall off them. (I do have several of those and they work great for my bread mixer and such. But I have to keep a basket on them for my hand mixer, blender and it's gadgets.)

The other thing with rollout shelves is you have to open the door and then the shelf. With drawers you just open the drawer and you're in.

 

The cabinet my silverware drawer is in is quite small. I have a sliding tray on top of the silverware for smaller things like fancy butter knives, pickle forks, grandkids serviing spoons, etc.

 

 

there are many ways to accomplish it, but be sure you get rid of those hard to reach back corner cabinets, top and bottom. I have a custom wooden turn table on the top shelves. Each shelf is like a normal shelf and then has a turn table on it. I can put things on the outside of the turntable for more storage as that is my food cabinet.

I have just a plastic tower kind on on the bottom and I wish I had gone with the shelf on the bottom too.

 

I have a end cabinet that is an office kind of . It has pockets for mail, bills, receipts, stamps, etc..and there are hooks for keys. The picture I saw had a marker board on the inside for notes, but we coulnd't find what we were looking for at the time, and my cabinet maker got a tad frustrated and I just said for get it. Now I think some cork for a bulletin board might be a nice idea.

 

If you want pictures of any of these things, I can take some.

[Luckymama]

 

there are many ways to accomplish it, but be sure you get rid of those hard to reach back corner cabinets, top and bottom. I have a custom wooden turn table on the top shelves. Each shelf is like a normal shelf and then has a turn table on it. I can put things on the outside of the turntable for more storage as that is my food cabinet.

I have just a plastic tower kind on on the bottom and I wish I had gone with the shelf on the bottom too.

 

 

If you want pictures of any of these things, I can take some.

 

Katie, I would appreciate it if you would post pictures of these cabinets. Dh is going to be customizing cabinets for us this winter. Thanks :001_smile:

[Ellie]

Drawers in base cabinets instead of cabinets that I will ever have to get down on my knees to look into. :glare:

No blind corners. Lazy susan or other gizmo instead. See comment above.

 

A pantry if possible, preferrably one with pull-out shelves/drawers.

 

We all like the same thing. :D

[MariannNOVA]

I love the ideas everyone has posted.

 

Here's mine:

 

I love the wall and base cabinets being different finishes/stains/colors. I love the island being a different finish/stain/color if the base and wall cabinets are the same -- i.e., I had light colored/butterscotch wash walland base cabinets with a dark cherry island. LOVED IT!

[ThisIsTheDay]

My favorite kitchen had all drawers in the base cabinets. The drawers fully extended.

 

Along with those great, deep drawers, I love my hardware that closes the last inch of the drawer very slowly--no more slamming drawers shut!

 

I also appreciate my cabinets that go to the ceiling; no soffits. It gives so much more storage space and you never have to consider what to put up there and then cleaning it. :P

[kfeusse]

wow, I am so glad i asked all of you guys...you have awesome ideas....keep it coming. I still can't believe i actually get to do this...this is so exciting to me.

[Truscifi]

Drawers in base cabinets instead of cabinets that I will ever have to get down on my knees to look into. :glare:

No blind corners. Lazy susan or other gizmo instead. See comment above.

 

A pantry if possible, preferrably one with pull-out shelves/drawers.

 

We all like the same thing. :D

 

:iagree: We added jumbo 5 shelf pantry cabinets along one wall, with pull out shelves for the bottom 3 shelves. Also I love having lazy susans in the corner cabinets - I have very little wasted space now.

 

One thing I didn't think of when we were redoing the kitchen that I often wish I had is a pull-out under cabinet trash can.

[Denisemomof4]

Do you really have to keep all three doors?

 

I LOVE my pull out drawers In my island. Everything fits fine, even big pots. NO MORE DEAD SPACE. I also LOVE my pull out spice racks on each side of the stove. I also have a small, tall cabinet for cookie sheets and platters. Again, no dead space.

[plansrme]

You MUST include a narrow base end cabinet with a door (not drawers) on the end of your island or primary workspace, and then have a 5x7" hole in your countertop, right above this cabinet so that you can put a huge, gray industrial-sized trash can underneath and routinely sweep your trash off of your counter and into the trash. This lets you have a big ol' trash can out of sight and out of traffic, and makes clean-up of your primary work space a breeze. Everyone who spends any time in my kitchen resolves to do this in their next kitchen. It was not my idea (it came with my house), but I had the good sense to repeat it when I remodeled the kitchen.

 

Terri

[kfeusse]

Do you really have to keep all three doors?

 

I LOVE my pull out drawers In my island. Everything fits fine, even big pots. NO MORE DEAD SPACE. I also LOVE my pull out spice racks on each side of the stove. I also have a small, tall cabinet for cookie sheets and platters. Again, no dead space.

 

yes, I have to keep all 3 doors....one goes outside and to the basement (the only way to the basement and to the back of the house and detatched garage), one goes into my laundryroom (only place for it) and the last door goes into the rest of our house (the ONLY door for that too)...so, yes, I have to keep all 3 doors..believe me, I thought about that already.

 

I would also love an island, but my kitchen is so small, I don't know if that is best use of space or not...but maybe once everthing is out of there, there might be more room than I think...but I don't know.

 

I would love more information on your spice storage...do you have big spice containers or just the typical little containers?

[kfeusse]

You MUST include a narrow base end cabinet with a door (not drawers) on the end of your island or primary workspace, and then have a 5x7" hole in your countertop, right above this cabinet so that you can put a huge, gray industrial-sized trash can underneath and routinely sweep your trash off of your counter and into the trash. This lets you have a big ol' trash can out of sight and out of traffic, and makes clean-up of your primary work space a breeze. Everyone who spends any time in my kitchen resolves to do this in their next kitchen. It was not my idea (it came with my house), but I had the good sense to repeat it when I remodeled the kitchen.

 

Terri

 

I LOVE that idea....if I get an island...but I don't know if I will have room for that....but I LOVE that idea!!!!!

[sbgrace]

We just got a new kitchen (Ikea) and went with all drawers in the base cabinets. I love it! We also have a free standing tall pantry with pull out drawers. That's fantastic too. I've got a tiny kitchen compared to what I left but so much more room because of those drawers and that pantry. Oh, I have three doors too in this tiny kitchen (outside door, basement door, entry to living room).

[Meriwether]

In one of my houses, I had a spice rack drawer. It was a tall, narrow drawer (three shelves high and about 5 inches wide on the inside - maybe 8? inches wide and 20-24 inches high on the outside. It was great for storing and finding spices.

[Meriwether]

Do you really have to keep all three doors?

 

I LOVE my pull out drawers In my island. Everything fits fine, even big pots. NO MORE DEAD SPACE. I also LOVE my pull out spice racks on each side of the stove. I also have a small, tall cabinet for cookie sheets and platters. Again, no dead space.

 

 

I should have read the replies first.:tongue_smilie: My spice rack was beside the stove, too.

[hsingscrapper]

I, too, like the under-counter trash bin.

 

I would look at the Ikea catalog and check their kitchen ideas.

 

I currently have a black hole under my sink because someone was lazy when they remuddled before dh and I moved in.

[Lara in Colo]

I have always wanted upper cabinets that are very tall (in my house they would reach the ceiling) I personally think that having extra space for dust to collect could be used to store stuff I rarely use.

 

If I could custom make my cabinets, I would have extra deep counters and keep all my appliances plugged in and at the back with a roll top to cover them. That way they are out and useable, but not collecting dust or getting food splashed on them and yet I have all my counter space available.

[laughing lioness]

We had 3 doorways in our kitchen before the fire and we replaced 2 with pocket doors. LOVE them. Cracks me up how often we been asked if there's a door on the bathroom off the kitchen!;) (cause people don't see the pocket door)

We have slide out shelves in two bottom cupboards -like everyone else LOVE them.

We have built in compost, plastics, and haul away trash-country living with a garden.

We have peninsula lighting, under cupboard lighting and overhead lighting, which is great for different times of day!!

I love our drawer and cupboard pulls.

I wanted an island but it wasnt' possible due to the long, narrow space. We went with a large peninsula. My only complaint is the contractor changed our design and shorted the space next to the stove. It was supposed to have a 6" gap for upright pans, then the counter would just set farther east (into the dining room).

Pictures here- I'm still in love with our remodeled kitchen!!

have a blast:001_smile:

Edited September 27, 2012 by laughing lioness

[Lisa in Jax]

I have a cabinet like this above my ovens. http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/160300067956746892_rxufAKg3_b.jpg

 

Because the dividers allow me to store the pans vertically, I never have to search an entire cabinet to find the right cookie sheet or cake pan.

 

Other things I haven't seen mentioned:

 

-Tip out sponge storage at the sink, like this: http://ultimatewoodworkinginc.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Sink_Tip-Out_Tray.24155815.jpg

 

-If you have lower cabinets with shelves, be sure they're pull out shelves.

 

-Get under-cabinet lighting.

 

And if you can, do the single, deep sink. When we remodeled, we got rid of the typical "double" sink and installed a large single sink. I ADORE it. :)

 

Lisa

[plansrme]

I LOVE that idea....if I get an island...but I don't know if I will have room for that....but I LOVE that idea!!!!!

 

Doesn't have to be an island! Just on the end of a run of cabinets under your primary workspace (on the end because you don't want the hole right dead center in the middle of your work space). Mine does not have a cover, and nothing goes in there that isn't supposed to. Well, occasionally I will lose my grip on the potato I am peeling over it and will send a potato flying into the garbage, but nothing valuable (or that can't be rinsed and thrown into the pot anyway). And odors are not a problem, either--we still take out garbage out most days. I like this much better than the Ikea pull-out trash, which (1) only holds a tiny little trash can, and (2) requires you to put a grimy hand on the handle every stinkin' time you throw something away.

 

I also love the single sink that someone else mentioned. I can hide a lot more stuff in there.

 

Terri

[walkermamaof4]

We once had a small sink on our island separate from our big sink. I really liked that. And I really liked a single level island, not the kind with the raised bar. We love our cabinet that holds pans and cutting boards!

[KatieJ]

I have attached some pictures of my kitchen shortly after the remodel. I am baking today and it's a mess.

 

I had cubbies put in above the counter on the left. It's above my phone and holds phone books, CD's, and my bible and notebooks.

 

Flat top stove gives me huge counter space for setting up buffet when we entertain.

 

You can see the sink base is deeper than the rest of the cabinets. I did it for a statement to accent the green, but I love the extra space it gives me behind the sink.

 

I love the two toned look of the green and wood cabinets.

[DarlaS]

yes, I have to keep all 3 doors....one goes outside and to the basement (the only way to the basement and to the back of the house and detatched garage), one goes into my laundryroom (only place for it) and the last door goes into the rest of our house (the ONLY door for that too)...so, yes, I have to keep all 3 doors..believe me, I thought about that already.

 

I would also love an island, but my kitchen is so small, I don't know if that is best use of space or not...but maybe once everthing is out of there, there might be more room than I think...but I don't know.

 

I would love more information on your spice storage...do you have big spice containers or just the typical little containers?

 

We redid our kitchen last year. We have a narrow island in a 12' 5" space. It works, but we had to do shallow (12") base cabs on the far wall.

 

Some pics (taken the day cabinets went in):

 

 

 

ETA: We considered frame less cabinets, and decided against it when our contractor pointed out that you need pretty level floors for those. We don't have that. :tongue_smilie:

Edited September 27, 2012 by darlasowders

[merry gardens]

yes, I have to keep all 3 doors....one goes outside and to the basement (the only way to the basement and to the back of the house and detatched garage), one goes into my laundryroom (only place for it) and the last door goes into the rest of our house (the ONLY door for that too)...so, yes, I have to keep all 3 doors..believe me, I thought about that already.

 

I would also love an island, but my kitchen is so small, I don't know if that is best use of space or not...but maybe once everthing is out of there, there might be more room than I think...but I don't know.

 

I would love more information on your spice storage...do you have big spice containers or just the typical little containers?

Okay, this idea would be a much bigger remodel, but can the laundry room be joined to the kitchen, creating one larger room instead of two smaller rooms. My parents did that at their house. They torn down the wall, and put laundry machines behind some built-in cabinets, so it didn't look like a laundry room.

 

The problem with any home project is once you even start thinking about them, they can grow into bigger projects if you're not very careful. :D

[KatieJ]

This is the cabinet with the wood turntables in it.

 

Couple other thoughts. I had my carpenter build drawer organizers for several of my drawers. ONe is my junk/office drawer and the other is my utensil/cooking drawer. They are wood, same as my cabinets, but lift out for cleaning. I love them and wish I had done a couple more.

 

Plan for electronics. laptops, TV, phones etc. We didn't plan that corner of the ktichen very well, and there are cords hanging out that I hate. DH will fix it someday.

 

I originally was planning on one deep sink, but kept thinking, so what happens when I have the sink full of water because I am cooking or baking, and I need to dump out a cup of coffee, or empty the pasta water. I went with a Kohler smart sink. It is divided, but the divider is very low. You can then fill up both sides and wash that big pan if you need to. I really like it, even tho I think I would have loved a big old farm house type of sink.

Edited September 27, 2012 by KatieinMich

[kfeusse]

what great ideas are coming from you guys...this is amazing. I just wish my kitchen was bigger...I measured it...it is 12 ft x 13.5 feet. So not super big.

[Denisemomof4]

yes, I have to keep all 3 doors....one goes outside and to the basement (the only way to the basement and to the back of the house and detatched garage), one goes into my laundryroom (only place for it) and the last door goes into the rest of our house (the ONLY door for that too)...so, yes, I have to keep all 3 doors..believe me, I thought about that already.

 

I would also love an island, but my kitchen is so small, I don't know if that is best use of space or not...but maybe once everthing is out of there, there might be more room than I think...but I don't know.

 

I would love more information on your spice storage...do you have big spice containers or just the typical little containers?

 

If your kitchen is not an eat in, an island can work even in a small kitchen. I think the code (does that vary by state?) is to have 3.5 ft clearance on all sides. This would make it handicap accessible. This is what we have in front of our refrigerator. The kitchen designer really wanted to keep that more open. I listened at first but then had the plans redrawn for an over sized island. I am SO glad I went with my gut. What I did was make a template on the floor the exact size of our island now. I left it there for days. Maybe you can do the same? also, there are MANY islands you can buy after. They are sold in furniture stores, or you can get one at an unfinished wood store. A friend of mine took two gorgeous dressers, bought used, and put a top on. You would NEVER know! It is beautiful.

 

The one thing I don't like about the pull out spice drawers is that the large containers can't fit in them. I have regular spice jars to dump the stuff from large containers in. I really love this feature!

[Denisemomof4]

I have a cabinet like this above my ovens. http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/160300067956746892_rxufAKg3_b.jpg

 

Because the dividers allow me to store the pans vertically, I never have to search an entire cabinet to find the right cookie sheet or cake pan.

 

Other things I haven't seen mentioned:

 

-Tip out sponge storage at the sink, like this: http://ultimatewoodworkinginc.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Sink_Tip-Out_Tray.24155815.jpg

 

-If you have lower cabinets with shelves, be sure they're pull out shelves.

 

-Get under-cabinet lighting.

 

And if you can, do the single, deep sink. When we remodeled, we got rid of the typical "double" sink and installed a large single sink. I ADORE it. :)

 

Lisa

I LOVE the cabinet above your stove!

 

And ABSOLUTELY get the tip out. I put sponges and dishwasher soap packets in there. LOVE THIS.

 

I also had the counter drilled for a soap dispenser. I had hand soap in there but was constantly leaving dish soap bottles out. Now I keep Oil of Olay dish soap in there and use it for hands AND dishes.:001_smile:

[OnTheBrink]

I have attached some pictures of my kitchen shortly after the remodel. I am baking today and it's a mess.

 

I had cubbies put in above the counter on the left. It's above my phone and holds phone books, CD's, and my bible and notebooks.

 

Flat top stove gives me huge counter space for setting up buffet when we entertain.

 

You can see the sink base is deeper than the rest of the cabinets. I did it for a statement to accent the green, but I love the extra space it gives me behind the sink.

 

I love the two toned look of the green and wood cabinets.

 

I *heart* your kitchen!

 

 

Something I saw on Pinterest was the pull out cutting board with a hole in it. Under it was a pull out trash can. I thought that was a great idea.

 

You can find all sorts of ideas on Pinterest and I think you can view without being a member.

[kfeusse]

thanks again for all of the great ideas. I love the storage above the stove for the cookie sheets and such....that is awesome!!!!

[KatieJ]

I *heart* your kitchen!

 

 

.

 

Thank you! I "heart" it too! I was so nervous to do the green and my family was secretly talking behind my back that they were concerned. Everyone loves it now. :001_smile:

[KatieJ]

One more thing I thought of. If you look in my pictures of the sink, I had my carpenter make a paper towel holder and then we put a drawer pull on it for hand towels. It's hanging just to the left of the sink.