Smart Design: Hidden Kitchen Storage

We love talking about design in our blogs and all the aesthetic components that go into it—but addressing how your design functions in everyday life is equally as important.
A kitchen remodel is a big undertaking. And while you can design yours to look beautiful, if you don’t take into account how you plan to use it on an everyday basis, you may find yourself with a brand new kitchen that doesn’t really suit your needs.
Fortunately you don’t have to sacrifice design for the sake of functionality—today’s kitchens combine beauty with the practicality you need to stay organized and efficient. Things like hidden compartments not only keep everything tucked out of sight, they seamlessly blend into your existing cabinetry.
A smart design will do all the organizing for you and lend itself to cooking and cleaning more efficiently. Here are a few of our favorite tricks to building a kitchen that serves your needs and puts itself to work:

1. PROBLEM: We don’t always know what to do with tabletop appliances like toaster ovens or bread makers—they’re often too big to keep in cabinets, but take up too much space on countertops.
DESIGN SOLUTION: An appliance garage makes it easy to access what you need when you need it, all while keeping unsightly appliances hidden when you don’t. You can even build them into corner spaces that would otherwise go unused. Even better, it gives you the opportunity to break up blocks of cabinetry with contrasting materials like glass panels or headboard.
Woodharbor smart storage. See more organizational ideas from Woodharbor here.

2. PROBLEM: Stacking pots and pans in your cabinets makes it hard to get to what you need, setting you up to spill and scratch your cookware.
DESIGN SOLUTION: Add rollout trays or racks to the inside of your cabinets. They allow you to utilize all of your cabinet space and make it easier to stay organized.
Merillat Standard Base Tray. See more storage options here.
The ultimate pan storage solution from Kraftmaid. View more here.

3. PROBLEM: Some kitchens offer more cabinet space than others. If your kitchen is low on shelf space, that usually means having to store dinnerware in drawers. Unfortunately, opening and closing them can cause stackable items to move around or worse—tumble over.
DESIGN SOLUTION: Pegged drawer organizers keep items like plates and bowls in place and allow you to reorganize your setup in a flash. They also help save valuable shelf space for things like tall vases and glasses, which are generally unsuited for drawers.
Woodharbor Dish Drawer Organizer. See more organizational ideas from Woodharbor here.
Pegged drawers also work great for storing pots and pans. Elmwood Cabinetry. View more interior storage solutions from Elmwood here.

4. PROBLEM: Pantries with deep shelves seem great at first, until you realize that filling them means making their contents much less accessible.
DESIGN SOLUTION: Multi-storage pantries with moving internal swing racks allow you to fill your entire pantry without compromising accessibility. Plus, they make finding the right snack as easy as flipping through a magazine.

Multi-base Super Storage by Kraftmaid. Sizes range from units that fit under your counter to full, closet-sized pantries.

5. PROBLEM: Corner cabinets create an abundance of storage, but openings are usually small and awkward, making all of that space impossible to access.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS: Lazy Susans are a classic choice, but not your only option. Swing-outs—their modern counterparts—allow you to use the space without having to reach in, avoiding the risk of spilling.
See Kraftmaid swing-outs in action.

Corner drawers are another great option. While they don’t provide quite as much space as a cabinet, you won’t have to worry about reaching into a crowded space—a relief for the clumsy!
Elmwood has your corners covered. View more interior storage solutions from Elmwood here.

6. PROBLEM: Have extra space between cabinets, but not enough room for one more?

DESIGN SOLUTION: Ultra slim cabinet pullouts provide space for items like spices, condiments, or cleaning supplies. Plus, they let you take advantage of otherwise unusable spaces.

Woodharbor Mantle Leg Spice Rack. See more organizational ideas from Woodharbor here.

7. PROBLEM: You don’t want to keep unsightly cleaning supplies in plain view, but still want to keep them within close reach.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS: Keep your trash concealed in it’s own cabinet with a sliding rack that makes changing it out easy as ever.
See more organizational ideas from Woodharbor. here.

Install sliding towel bars under your sink to keep wet towels off your cabinets and out of view.
Convenient solution from Merillat. See more storage options here.

Tip-out sink trays give you a convenient spot to keep sponges.
See more organizational ideas from Woodharbor here.

For more organizational hacks, visit us on Facebook or check out our Pinterest page. Get in touch with one of our many talented and experienced designers to get started on your next kitchen remodel.