When you plan to renovate or build a kitchen in your house there are certain factors you should always consider in your plans. Cupboard space is very important because it is where all those appliances will fit, your multiple sets of plates, bowls and cutlery, and of course where you may also have to install a dishwasher as well. Some of these ideas below, may help you with your plans the next time you intend to renovate.
Making changes to the walls or changing windows is expensive, so you should first be aware of what dimensions you are working within. Before any Kitchen facelift, plan what the dimensions of your major whitegoods appliances will take and where they should fit in the kitchen space. A dishwasher is handy, but the fridge is essential. Consider too how drawers will open, and design a plan so they won’t hit other drawers when being opened, and will minimise obstructions when you are accessing appliances while cooking.
In the past the corner cupboards of a kitchen where often hard to access. To get around this some houses would have a L-shaped door with a double hinged panel, but these often would break or sag from the extra weight. Modern Design ideas for cupboard spaces will give you more storage in corners of the kitchen, and this will allow you to free up more bench space for an air fryer, coffee machine or something else.
The first golden rule?
Understand the Kitchen Triangle – a key design decision that gives you maximum freedom of movement with little obstructions allowing you to move from the stove to the sink, or fridge to the chopping board. Remember that the smaller your available space is, the more important the triangle rule should be.
Also consider how much traffic your kitchen will have and how often the kids or your partner/friends will need access to the fridge or kettle, etc. The triangle is intended to not be obstructed when carrying a pot of boiling pasta water, or getting something out of the oven.
Corner cupboards are becoming more innovative in their design, with some featuring roll out trays/shelving on tracks pushing one side forward while the other side is attached the door. Whether you’re left or right handed, these drawers can be tailored to minimise the need to bend down and mine for rarely used items in the back of the cupboard. Other ideas you could consider are narrow pull-out shelves or cabinet organisers. They can attach anywhere, and may provide a solution in a space where ingredients or appliances are most often used.
Lazy Susan’s were always a great use of corner cupboard space, but now they are becoming easier to use, lighter and can integrate different features such as power. These full circle or D shaped moveable shelves that rotate around a centre point can easily sit on top of your existing shelves, but you could also attach them to the door itself. A Lemans style meanwhile offers less shelf space, but they are a lot easier to pull out in order to access what you need. Lemans tend to work best with L-shaped cupboard doors.
Moving the sink to the corner has a number of benefits, least of all that the pipes and water underneath the sink will not obstruct storage that you may plan to use. Bench space will be more flexible for frequently used items like a microwave, and you will have a partition of space divided by the sink, allowing one side to be used for fridge access and the other for cooking and preparing food.
Modern drawer designs are commonly built with excellent roller guides for ease of opening, and there are ways to maximise your use of space with features like kickboard drawers, corner drawers that open at a 45 degree angle, and even benchtop shelves that slide out. Plan how deep your drawers should be and whether power is needed as well.
Motorized shelving is a fancier option to consider if you want frequent access to an appliance, but do not have the bench space to fit it. These motors can bring a heavy mixer or blender up from a cavity at the press of a button. Then it can disappear again when you are done leaving your bench looking clean and uncluttered.
Considering all these options above, your potential for maximising use of space in your kitchen is unlimited. As long you have the right amount of cupboard space, you can let your cooking style and preference for appliances help you plan where things will fit before you renovate and in the end you will enjoy your kitchen more.
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