Kitchen ideas
Create a charging station
pop-up power points
Hide strips of power points below wall-hung cupboards
power point on kitchen island
Another way to organise the under-sink area is to install sliding racks on either side of the space. No more reaching into the dark depths of the cupboard to find those little-used cleaning products. This also frees up the base of the cupboard for larger items such as a bin and dustpan.
white kitchen Get the look Cabinet colour: Dulux ‘Lexicon Quarter White’ Material: Paint One of the whitest white paints out there. It’s bright, fresh and is guaranteed to never date. Benchtop colour: Caesarstone ‘Calacatta Nuvo’ Material: Quartz (engineered stone) This is Caesarstone’s interpretation of natural Calacatta marble. It has a crisp, white base with an elegant grey vein.
Full-height cabinetry creates a feeling of generosity and makes the ceiling appear higher – plus it creates storage space for those infrequently used items. Near-invisible handles minimise distraction and keep things timeless – handles are the carbon-dating of kitchens.
Bin location The kitchen bin is not only used for food scraps and packaging. More often than not, it is used for everyday household rubbish that is collected around the house. For this reason, it is useful to place the bin at a point in the kitchen that is easily accessible from the rest of the house. I suggest placing it on the end of the bench or island, closest to the kitchen entrance. That way, you can simply throw something in the bin as you walk past, rather than walk into the kitchen and get in the way of the chef! As for a compost bin, that you can keep as close to your food prep area as possible.
Appliance drawer If you can’t fit a corner cupboard, install a deep drawer tall enough that you can store your blender, for example. If you can store these appliances already assembled, it will save you a lot of effort and time.
Corner drawers
Under-sink drawer Under-sink cupboards are great for storing cleaning utilities, but are not always practical. Instead of foraging for bin liners, plastic bags, washing up liquid and hoards of cleaning products all jammed into a deep, dark space – with the one item you need always hiding away in the back corner – try an under-sink drawer option instead. A U-shaped drawer that fits around the plumbing pipes under their sink, giving them an easy-to-organise and easy-to-assess space to store all their cleaning products. Use the top drawer to store washing up liquid, hand wash and dish cloths so they’re off your bench but within easy reach. And fill the subsequent bottom drawers with less-used items like cleaning products, bin liners and scourers.
Kickboard drawer Shallow kickboard drawers are inconspicuous and offer secret storage you’ll continue to thank yourself for. Since they’re shallow in height, they’re the perfect place to store baking trays, oven racks and chopping boards. They can also be used to store other flat items such as placemats and table linen.
Extra benchtop If bench space is limited in your kitchen, you will love this clever little drawer. From the outside it looks like any regular shallow drawer in your kitchen, but in fact, it pulls out to reveal some extra bench space.
1. Bin drawer Having a bin full of rubbish sit on the floor in the kitchen can be unsightly; it also takes up floor space, making the area look cluttered and untidy.
Microwave cabinet
Pop-up power point Incorporating power points into your island bench is a great way to optimise the functionality of your island. This will allow you to plug in items such as mixers and blenders at your island, making for a more practical workspace.
Bi-folding doors
Under cabinet gadgets The space under your overhead cabinets can be a great place to gain some extra valuable storage. Use some specially designed under cabinet storage racks to store items such as spices close to your cooktop, so you don’t have to rummage in the pantry every time you need a spice.
Appliance cabinet with roller door that rolls up
Internal Drawers One of the best solutions for creating a more user-friendly pantry is using internal pull-out drawers instead of shelves. By using pull-out drawers, you can easily access items stored at the very back, and it saves you from bending down and trying to reach into an awkward space. Look for drawer runners that have a high weight carrying capacity so you can really load them up without having to worry about them breaking.
Strip lighting
LED downlights in a warm white because they are efficient, provide excellent illumination, have low heat output and are cost effective over the life of the bulb
Under-cabinet lighting lighting should be positioned not to throw shadows in the work centres. “This is achieved best by concealed LED strip lighting under overhead cabinets above the bench area,” Patterson says. “This achieves not only good light, but lovely even light that floods the bench area and evenly displays splashbacks and benchtops.”
A pull-out bench that provides extra work space in a small kitchen when it’s needed.
pull-out preparation surface-cum-dining spot that provides extra bench space then vanishes from view when not in use.
narrow pull out pantry
sliding door pantry
coffee area
Introduce task lighting The primary purpose of under-cabinet lighting is to illuminate the countertop. Task lighting – as opposed to ambient lighting – makes food preparation easier because it spotlights your primary work surface instead of shadowing it. Always install the task light toward the front of the cabinet, not toward the back. If the light is stationed closer to the back wall, it primarily highlights the backsplash and not the countertop, defeating the purpose of the lighting.
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