Storage features are not exactly the most exciting aspect of planning kitchen renovations, but they do represent one of the most important. All of your pots, pans, dishes, cutlery and other cooking equipment needs a place to live. And if these storage areas are planned poorly, then that’s all they will be; empty spaces in the design where you’ve been left room to “put things.” But if done well, the storage spaces in your kitchen can squeeze every last square inch out of the room, ensure you have what you need when you need it at all times and interconnect the overall design so that it appears seamless and complete. You’re probably wondering what kinds of features are going to help you achieve that effect, which is why we’re going to point out a few of the best.
Effective Storage is Vital to Successful Kitchen Renovations
When talking about storage in a kitchen too many people just focus on the amount of space they should allocate to fulfil this requirement, when really there is another very important factor to consider. Storage spaces need to be big enough for your items but they must also be accessible. Otherwise you’ll be doing battle (and getting irritated) every time you cook. Implement these features to ensure cooking in your new kitchen is a pleasure rather than a nightmare.
- Pull Out Drawers – Why are pull-out drawers now often preferred to cabinets with standard hinged doors? Well, not only are they effortless to open and close, but they are also better in terms of ergonomics and offer easier access to your cooking utensils and supplies. Unlike with traditional custom cabinets, you can easily reach everything in the drawer rather than having to stretch (possibly on tiptoes) to reach the items at the back of a cabinet.
- Floating Shelving – Kitchen cabinets aren’t always the most effective storage solution. Sure, you’re going to need some, but in other areas of your kitchen open shelves are a better fit. They offer quick access to things like cookbooks and spices, and they also break up the design a bit to ensure it doesn’t become too repetitive.
- Drawers With Extended Runners – Standard runners only allow you to pull out the drawer three quarters of the way. Rather than using the standard runners, ensure they are all fitted with runners that fully extend. This is now a fairly basic feature that virtually any kitchen designer worth their salt will recommend you consider.
- Internal Divider Systems – This is key to staying organized. Standard kitchen cabinets, drawers and shelves are just empty spaces. Before you know it, you’re piling one item on top of another until the space is absolutely cramped. It then requires a great deal of effort to take anything out again (especially if the item you want is at the bottom of the stack). This problem can easily be avoided with custom cabinets and drawer systems containing internal dividers that allocate each item its own separate space.
- Kitchen renovations aren’t for the fainthearted. Whether large or small, the end result is almost always better if you work with a qualified kitchen designer. Call Parada Kitchens of Toronto today and talk to our team about your requirements.
Contact us today for Kitchen Renovations in Toronto