Former Kitchen Views Custom showroom working kitchen in Newton, MA
   © Kitchen Views | Working kitchen in former Newton custom showroom | click on image above to see largest image

The Beauty of Smart Storage


Article by Ed Nunes

The Kitchen Views Design Team knows that true beauty goes deep below the surface. This featured kitchen is a beautiful place to entertain as well as prepare meals. The hidden beauty of a well-designed kitchen is found in functioning smoothly. Work smarter, not harder is the ideal. Daily tasks are made easier by strategic storage placement of the necessary items, and clever storage accessories increase ease of finding what is needed quickly and efficiently. Scroll down to find specific examples.

An experienced designer will know the range of organizational accessories that can be placed inside cabinetry for every room in your home. You can rely on the Kitchen Views Design Team to exceed your expectations of how your new cabinetry will improve your everyday tasks.

These storage ideas are from Ed Nunes. Based in our New Bedford location, he travels across the region designing beautiful homes. Click here to check out his portfolio for more inspiration.

Under counter microwave oven drawer in former Kitchen Views custom showroom in Newton
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Functional Island

A large, well-appointed island serves multiple purposes. This kitchen has an under counter microwave oven drawer (click image above to see the drawer open) that keeps this handy appliance out of sight while being easy to use. Preparations are made on the island countertop, lowered into the microwave oven drawer for cooking, then lifted out and placed on the countertop.

Convenient drawers in the island hold oven mitts and utensils. Heavy mixing bowls and other cooking accessories are stored next to the microwave oven on roll-out shelves (shown above). A dishwasher can be placed within the island or directly behind it near the sink so it’s close at hand to place used dishes, mixing bowls, etc. inside for fast clean up. Imagine how that kind of workspace planning can make your kitchen tasks simpler.

Kitchenaid stand mixer smart storage shown in former Kitchen Views custom showroom working kitchen
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Island Storage for Specific Tasks

Baking has special needs, such as a large work area and a good quality mixer. An island provides all the countertop space needed and plenty of storage for bowls, baking pans, and a plethora of ingredients. A top quality mixer is a heavy appliance, but it doesn’t need to be a chore to bring out when needed.

Kitchen Views designer, Ed Nunes, shares his thoughtful approach: “No need to carry your 30lb KitchenAid® Stand Mixer around ever again, simply release the spring-loaded shelf and lift the appliance to counter height (show above). Baking accessories are easily stored in a pull-out shelf at the bottom of the same cabinet. An electrical outlet should be fitted inside the cabinet, so the mixer always remains plugged in.”

Slim storage pullout
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Cabinetry Storage Accessories

At first glance, it looks like decorative fluted millwork is installed on each side of the Viking oven shown (above left). Take a closer look and you’ll find a decorative knob at the top of the panel, where shown above (right) it is used to pull out a clever storage accessory to keep cutting boards and cookie sheets tucked away until needed. Close at hand, but hidden from sight. Not only does this design look nice, it stores these items for ease of use, so one doesn’t have to lean deep into a cabinet to retrieve anything.

Pull-outs are designed in many shapes and sizes to organize all kinds of items so they can be readily retrieved and stored when needed, ideal for storing all kinds of ingredients, with special accessories to hold spices, oils, and larger utensils.

Large pull-outs provide easy access to small appliances and more.

Pet friendly storage in former Kitchen Views custom showroom in Newton
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Pet Friendly Kitchen Storage

Pet lovers will enjoy this clever setup designed to store treats and food stylishly. Seen above, the drawer has a window to give a glimpse of the treats and the storage area below cleverly hides pet food and bowls until mealtimes.

Schrock drawer organizer
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Drawer Accessories

Drawer accessories now go far beyond silverware holders and add more convenience to your kitchen while hiding below the surface — from inserts for popular coffee pods to electric charging stations — these clever ideas streamline both storage and easy access. This defines the luxury of a well-organized living space. Click here to see a video from Schrock about their tiered cutlery divider.

Schrock storage curved corner pullout
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Remodeling Storage Options

For anyone who simply wants to improve the function of their existing kitchen, you’ll be happy to know that many new storage accessories can be installed in existing cabinets and are available in a variety of sizes. Have you ever before seen this solution for a blind corner cabinet? Click here to see many storage solutions from Schrock. You can make previously difficult to reach areas useful with modern accessories like these examples.