Kitchen
Consider whether or not you want the drawer pulls to match your cabinet hardware or be different. Considering they will be somewhat hidden, you can get away with less expensive versions. Also, plan where the seams will fall. You may not want seams on your baseboards that don’t line up with your cabinets. In this case the drawer fronts can be extended to help visually balance the seams.
Cost: As mentioned, expect to spend about $175 to $225 per drawer when ordering them with new cabinets. Adding a drawer to your existing cabinet bases will run about $150 per drawer for installation. Hardware and pulls: This drawer, by Seva Kitchens, has a particularly nice hidden, integrated pull, as well as a touch-latch mechanism that opens with a slight kick of the foot. Make sure you don’t exceed the weight limits of your drawer hardware.
If you have existing kitchen cabinets, you may be able to get a carpenter to retrofit some drawers. There are online tutorials that explain how to build essentially a freestanding drawer that will slip underneath your cabinet. It can then be finished with base molding to match. (The drawer itself, however, will be several inches narrower than the cabinet it fits under because of the required drawer support.)
Why: A toe kick drawer is nothing more than a regular cabinet drawer, mounted in the open, unfinished base of a cabinet with trim attached to the front. Measure the linear feet of your toe kicks and you can see how much storage space you could have. Use these drawers to store cookie sheets, baking pans, serving platters and utensils that you use only once in a while.
Simplify undersink space. Undersink drawers that fit around plumbing fixtures are often an awkward shape. They can quickly turn chaotic, chock-full of bits and pieces. Creepy-crawlies love the warmth and sometimes moisture of this area, so don’t cram stuff in. Which items do you actually use in the kitchen? Do you wear more than one pair of rubber gloves at a time? Could some items go in, say, the laundry area? Pare down items like gloves, brushes, cloths and detergent for day-to-day use and top up from a supply in another area as needed.
Give drawers air for food storage. Store some vegetables — for example, onions, garlic, uncut pumpkins and potatoes — in ventilated drawers to maintain their flavor and save fridge and bench space. Potatoes particularly hate the cold, as the starch converts to sugar, and the texture and taste suffer. Don’t refrigerate tomatoes, either — they taste better at room temperature. Lemons and oranges also give up more juice when not chilled. A low-level drawer with a mesh screen front is ideal for fruit and veg storage.
Toe kick drawers are handy for horizontal wine storage; infrequently used platters, trays and boards; table linens and tea towels; instruction books and paperwork; oversized cooking pans; a hidden supply of chocolate; pet bowls; and valuables. Tip: Avoid storing good wine in the kitchen if you can help it. It’s probably the hottest room in the house. Toe kick spaces are a better, cooler option than something in the open kitchen area.
Reunite saucepans with their lids. There are many ingenious cabinetry ideas for keeping pots and pans in close proximity to their lids, like a rear or side divider or a shallow internal drawer above the pots. Tip: Pots and pans are usually standard sizes, and often a saucepan comes with a lid that will fit several other pans. Save space by not storing every lid — just a few that multitask.
2. Topiary. A pair of topiaries flanking the sink is an elegant finishing touch. Use a vintage champagne bucket as a cachepot, or wrap a simple pot in burlap and tie on a velvet bow. If your kitchen gets a good amount of natural light, by all means get real plants — but if not, there’s no shame in picking up a couple of high-quality fakes.
5. Rollout drawer for cleaning supplies. How often have you knocked over three bottles of cleaning products stockpiled beneath your kitchen sink to reach the one you wanted in the back? Instead, consider storing them in an easy-to-access steel rollout drawer with optional flexible magnetic organizer compartments for keeping them upright. This stainless steel system by Dura Supreme has concealed undermount glides and is self-closing. Tramontin says it can be added to any of the company’s cabinets that are 12 to 48 inches wide. Rollouts between 39 and 48 inches wide have a center stile for support.
For sanitation and convenience, you can’t beat a touch-free soap pump. Just pass your hand underneath, and it dispenses a measured amount of hand cleaner. When it’s positioned at the edge of a sink, spills go right down the drain. Soap pump: Simple Human
Soap holders hang over the edge of this trough sink, freeing up counter space and eliminating the accumulation of soapy residue.
A Shade Above: Home Experience Center & Showroom SaveEmail If you want to keep appliances plugged in but outlets out of sight, a company called Trufig has just the thing: an outlet that’s recessed into the backsplash so it’s flush with the surface. The face plate is designed to be painted, so a trompe l’oeil artist can disguise everything but the holes. With nothing but the beauty of the material to distract you, these new backsplashes let you focus your attention on cooking, not upkeep.
Marble isn’t the only stone that works on backsplashes. In this Stinson Beach, California, kitchen, limestone counters extend up the wall, creating a warm, uniform backdrop that enhances the look of anything set in front of it.
Pantry organizing. Containers
cabinet handles
Granite
Light fixtures
Microwave
pot rack
large tile backsplash
8. Add a chalkboard. A chalkboard is a great way to infuse your kitchen with personality, whether you write inspirational quotes or grocery lists on it.
Backsplash
tile backsplash, granite, wall color
granite countertop - Green tea or Costa Esmerelda
Ogawa Green Tile Backsplash
soapstone countertop, bar stools
love this pantry!
South end of island??
Tired of tying up your kitchen outlets charging phones, tablets and laptops? Install a power strip in the back of a drawer and let your electronics recharge sight unseen. Just make sure the drawer is shorter than normal to allow room for the power strip’s cord in the back.
rounded counter top for kitchen island
Just plain awesome!!!!!
countertop extended to window
Another cost-effective approach is to run your countertop 4 to 6 inches up the wall as a short splash. It will give you a nice finished edge where the countertop meets the wall, and it will also provide protection to the part of the wall most likely to get wet or dirty.
Consider running your countertop material up onto the wall as the backsplash. This is an especially smart option if you are required to purchase entire slabs of your chosen countertop material and you happen to have enough material left over to use the rest the backsplash.
pot rack
pantry
countertop - Costa Esmeralda Granite
Make going green a habit by placing the recycling bin next to the trash can. This terrific recycling hub has a built-in compost drawer paired with a pullout trash can and a general recycling drawer. It makes for easy cleanup without taking up valuable floor space.
Out with the cleaning supplies and in with the recycling bins. Because of the convenient under-the-sink location of these these pullout containers, you can't possibly forget about them. It's the perfect combo: easy access without the eyesore.
Feet. Add some flair to the bottom of your cabinets with decorative feet. Feet are fitted and adhered under the toe kick. Add them to one cabinet for a slight touch of detail or to every cabinet for a cohesive look. If you're working on a budget, try adding feet to just the sink base or cooktop cabinet to make the piece look like freestanding furniture.
LED under cabinet lighting
Honed granite countertops reduce reflection and glare vs. polished stone.
Hardware location
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