Overhead Cabinet Doors
Cabinet doors that lift up rather than out add a sense of refinement to any kitchen and make what’s inside the cabinet more accessible.

Open Shelving
When clutter is eliminated, the kitchen is ready for some intentionally visible items and open shelving makes that possible. These may be family photographs, treasured art pieces, travel tchotchkes, or other items. Shelves that are lighted provide the most impact.

Trash/Recycling
The cabinet containing the waste basket is likely the most used cabinet in the kitchen. How many times does a client use the waste bin in a day? But it’s often located in an inconvenient place.

We’ve all had the experience of cooking in the kitchen, cutting vegetables on the countertop, and needing to reach the waste bin quickly and easily. But it is underneath the sink, where perhaps someone else is busy washing the dishes. Designing the waste system under the sink is common, but impractical. It makes more sense to position the waste system directly under the kitchen counter. Potato peels, onion peels, and other household waste can be easily and tidily be pushed directly into the pull-out bin. This is also a good placement for the recycling storage.

Fire Extinguisher/Safety Kit
Domestic fires usually start in the kitchen. Considering the high temperatures when cooking and baking, it is not surprising that things can go wrong. A fire extinguisher is good to have on hand. But where should it be kept? A safety kit and fire extinguisher integrated into a kitchen cabinet helps ensure a safe cooking and baking experience.

FINDING HIDDEN OR UNDERUSED STORAGE SPACE

Nearly everyone wants more storage space in the kitchen. This is doubly true when the kitchen is small. The solution is to find and use hidden and unused space. Here are some ideas.

Hidden storage behind kickplate.

A place for a heavy mixer.

Kickplate Drawers

Of course, we need recessed kickplates so we can stand properly at a counter. But what of the space beyond the cabinet? Kickplate drawers offer storage space that was formerly untapped.

Pull-Out Mixer Shelf

A familiar dilemma for home cooks is the desire to use large appliances such as a pastry mixer, without the mixer sitting on the countertop all the time. Complicating matters is the weight of the appliance, which makes hauling it in and out of a cabinet difficult or impossible. A pullout shelf allows this large and heavy mixer to be easily extracted from the cabinet, used, and then stowed away for an uncluttered look.

Corner Cabinet Solutions

Nearly every kitchen is burdened by a deep corner cabinet that is hard to access. Either the cabinet doesn’t get used because retrieving items is too much of a hassle. Or the occupant uses the cabinet, but with great difficulty. Here are some solutions

Le Mans Corner Shelf
One solution is a corner shelf unit with a swiveling extension (sometimes called a Le Mans shelf because its shape is suggestive of the famous racetrack) that optimizes corner cabinet space. Adjustable trays/shelves accommodate a variety of pot sizes.

Electronically Raised Corner Shelf
Inner cabinet corners create spaces that are notoriously hard to use to their best advantage. One solution is an electronically controlled platform that lowers kitchen appliances or pots and pans into an unused corner of the cabinet, and then raises them for use.

Pull-Out Shelf and Roller-Shutter Door
Another corner solution is a cabinet with a pull-out shelf and a roller-shutter door. The pull-out shelf is modern and practical at the same time. The roller-shutter cupboard in the kitchen is classy and neat when closed, creating an easily accessible shelf when opened.

Conclusion

As life gets more complicated, people increasingly want their homes to be refuges of peace and order. That cannot happen when the space is cluttered. The designer can provide solutions to this problem by suggesting and specifying the variety of innovative organizational products coming on the market. With intelligent design decisions, based on client preferences to fit the way they live, the kitchen will not only look and feel beautiful, but will become the highly functional and serene space the owners need for their health, safety, and well-being.

Wine Storage

High-level wine storage.

Classy and refined, wine is an important part of food culture during celebrations and festivities. Getting friends or family members gathered around the island to sit, sip and entertain can be seen as a privilege in a private space. A wine cellar adds to a multifunctional luxury kitchen space. Regardless of whether a client drinks red, white or sparkling wine, wine cabinets can be fully integrated into the kitchen. Here are some features to look for:

Pull-to-open design: In high-end wine cabinets, the slightest touch of the hand reveals the interiors and pull-to-open extendable trays. Crafted racks and grooves hold the bottlenecks in place to prevent them from rolling around.

Glare-free lighting: Open-assist UV-protected glass doors display bottle collections on their side and make labels easier to read. Glare-free LED lights with pre-programmed dimmable options exhibit the collection casting them under a glow and adding warmth to kitchen interiors.

Touch display temperature control: Storage has a direct influence on the taste, aroma and quality of wines. Running quietly, a low vibration compressor and an activated charcoal, antimicrobial filter ensure the wine is maturing in ideal condition. Touch displays enable precise temperature zones to replicate ideal cellar temperatures where humidity, light and vibration are kept constant to help wine age elegantly.

Le Mans shelf system.

Pull-out corner shelf.

Kitchen storage in utility room.

Electronic corner shelf.

Architecturally compatible kitchen and sideboard.