Whether you're a family that bakes bread, entertains, cooks gourmet meals, or just “heat and eat,” every home needs a functional and beautiful kitchen.
The kitchen is the heart of the home. It's where the family gathers and interacts. Food has the power to bring people together, and if the kitchen is designed in a creative and organized way, cooking delicious food becomes much more enjoyable.
Designer Margarita Panchenko of Harrell Design + Build says the creative possibilities for kitchens are endless and can be designed to suit the homeowner's living and working style.
When digging into the details with clients, one of the questions Panchenko likes to ask is, “What do you least like about being in the kitchen?”
When it comes to remodeling a space, she says homeowners shouldn't just design for resale value: “Design it for yourself,” she advises.
Panchenko offered some creative kitchen ideas to inspire your culinary talents.
Thinking beyond “standard” storage
Understanding how your family uses the kitchen is paramount in helping your designer steer a flow and functionality that suits your family’s lifestyle.
“I've looked at a lot of kitchens and found that most standard cabinets don't allow for truly functional organization,” says Panchenko. Some of the things that go wrong include storing cooking oils and sauces in high, hard-to-reach cabinets, storing frequently used utensils in cluttered drawers on the other side of the kitchen from the prep area, and storing spices in hard-to-reach corners.
By carefully considering the items you use while cooking on your stove (or countertop), you can create a “functional focal point” – a nearby, easily accessible storage space designed for a specific use.
She suggests arranging drawers of different depths on either side of your stove: a shallow top drawer for commonly used utensils like spatulas and tongs, a deeper drawer for oils, vinegars and shelf-stable sauces, and even a dedicated drawer for organizing spices.
“Having everything close at hand minimizes the need to reach high into one cupboard, search through a drawer in another part of the kitchen, or dig through a sea of spices in yet another cupboard,” Panchenko said.
Common cabinet storage solutions include pull-out utensil organizers, built-in knife blocks, built-in wrap and foil dispensers, hidden paper towel spools, roll-outs for recycling, compost and trash, spice drawers, docking drawers for refills, drawer pegs for dishes, and “magic” corners (pull-out storage that provides easy access to hidden corners under kitchen counters).
Free up counter space with appliance lifts and garages
There's a cookware for every cooking need, but you don't want it cluttering your countertop, which is where a cookware garage and lift can help.
Equipment lifts are ideal for heavy machinery such as stand mixers. The hinged lift mechanism is attached to the base cabinet. The mixer sits on a platform within the cabinet and can be pulled out and raised to counter height when needed, creating a small workspace.
Although the lift and mixer require dedicated cabinet space, it's a worthwhile investment for bakers and cooks who use their stand mixers frequently.
Meanwhile, the Appliance Garage is a countertop storage center that can be opened when in use, rolled up, or stowed away as a pocket door, providing quick and easy access to frequently used equipment like a toaster, coffee maker, air fryer, and more. Electrical outlets are built into the back of the garage, making it easy to keep your appliances running as they are. When not in use, the appliances are hidden from view, and the door blends seamlessly with the rest of the cabinetry.
Use pantry drawers as countertop workspace “when needed”
In a compact, cozy kitchen, pantry cabinets can be reimagined to function as countertops “when needed.”
Rather than the typical pull-out shelves with sides, install a flat, sturdy, open-sided surface that can be pulled out about 3 to 4 feet at typical countertop height. Pocket-style pantry doors that open outward and then retract into the cabinet are also key, Panchenko says, to create an unobstructed workspace.
Additionally, Panchenko adds that cabinets need to be deep enough to conceal retractable doors, but bi-fold doors are also an option for shallow pantries.
This makeshift countertop isn't meant for everyday use, but it can be useful when there's more than one cook in the kitchen.
“It's also a great space for mixing and serving cocktails,” Panchenko said.
By making the inside of the cabinets and pull-out “counters” aesthetically pleasing and installing electrical outlets, you can add functionality and design to the room.
Hide the microwave
Microwaves are appliances that are used often and need to be on hand, but they don't want to take up valuable countertop space. Also, putting a microwave on top of a stove isn't the best place, as steam and heat will shorten the lifespan of your appliance. Plus, it can be difficult to get items in and out of it, making it a less than attractive option.
There are countless ways to keep your microwave hidden but easily accessible. To free up counter space, consider installing a built-in microwave drawer under the counter or placing the microwave on a free-standing open shelf, hidden within a cabinet or tucked into a built-in pantry.
Add extra space to store your bakeware from top to bottom
There's nothing more frustrating than digging through stacks of cookware in cabinets and drawers to find mixing bowls, baking trays, frying pans and stockpots.
Installing a tall, narrow pull-out cabinet next to or near your oven or range can provide multiple “easy-to-see” shelves for pots, pans, cans, colander, etc.
If you want a deep drawer under your stove, don't forget to add a shallow drawer to organize your cookware lids.
Consider a pull-out or secret pantry
A pull-out pantry next to the stove and oven provides quick and easy access to pasta, grains and canned goods, and the pull-out design makes it easy to see the ingredients you need.
A pull-out pantry can be divided into specific storage areas: Panchenko suggests installing a tall pantry cabinet with multiple cabinet doors, each with a combination of different-sized drawers and shelves.
“This allows you to store cans, bottles, boxes and containers in an intentional, organized way,” she said.
Plus, adding a secret walk-in pantry (or butler pantry) that's “hidden” behind a door or panel to blend in with the surrounding kitchen is another fun option for concealing stored items.
Using open shelves for “artistic” storage
Open shelving is a convenient, artistic storage option that's great for dishes and glassware. This type of shelf looks great around a sink, between upper and lower cabinets, or in a walk-in pantry, and it also lets your countertop-to-ceiling backsplash show.
Make sure your shelves are thick, sturdy and easy to clean, and use recessed or built-in lighting to display attractive plates, mugs and stemware.
Expand your island
An island is a blank slab for creative functionality. The countertop can be extended to create a casual eating area, curved to create a unique, organic feel, or extended over the sides to create a “waterfall” edge for support. Lower the island to create a dining table.
For wine lovers with tight spaces and limited storage space, the vertical area under your island or peninsula can be transformed into an artful wine rack by installing wine rack pegs that hold bottles horizontally.
Looking for more design ideas? Visit our portfolio page for inspiration or contact us for a free consultation with one of our designers.
Harrell Design + Build is a woman-founded, employee-owned, full-service home remodeling company based in Mountain View. The company is a regular contributor to Embarcadero Media's monthly design column.
