Houzzers Say: Dream Kitchen Must-Haves

Rikki Snyder says:

Love all of these ideas. That pot filler would be perfect for me!

Denise Vilim says:

So many clever ideas here. I really love the dumbwaiter idea, but I wonder how you could incorporate one where it would be useful.

Becky Harris says:

Denise, I wondered the same thing - maybe a wine cellar? Whenever I hear the word "dumbwaiter" I think of my 8th grade field trip to Monticello. When they told us about the dumbwaiter, which had good uses getting ice and other stuff from the basement/cooking area up to the dining room, Jenny Minning whispered to me "Duhhhhh, waddayawant for breakfast?" and we got the giggles so bad that we got in trouble.

sheilablake says:

The pot faucet is a wonderful idea, but you still have to schlep the pot with HOT water to the sink to drain it. I KNOW I saw a solution at a home tour once--there was some way of draining the pot on the stove. I was pulled away before I could figure out how, and no one--including contractors--believes me. Nor have I seen it anywhere since. If I had a temporary oh-oh moment, you have to agree that it's a stellar idea that needs to be addressed.

The other oh-so-simple-but-genius idea is the under-cabinet outlets.

I don't like the cluttered look of small appliances on the counter, but I hate taking them out for every use and wasting precious cabinet space for storing them. In my dream kitchen, there are appliance garages all along the whole counter, but the counter doesn't lose any workspace, because they are deeper to accommodate the garages.

jayewo says:

Outlets that come out of the counter are cute - but think of that groove that the little handle fits into. bet it would be gunked up all the time and you would need q-tips to clean it.

and nothing here is "must have", more like stuff people think they need that costs money and is not practical... who wants a bin full of dirty dishtowels in the kitchen?

lyvia says:

I so think that a speed oven will be de rigeur as soon as we can try it!

in a non-linear tangent, you have inspired me to put a skylight well behind the shelves in the pantry, and back the shelves with glass. It solves a tricky problem of getting sunlight to the bottom floor. Thanks!

mrscampbells says:

I agree with jayewo, the little tab would be a pain to clean and do you really need a laundry hamper in the kitchen?!

Drawers or cabinets with drawers are a great idea. Easy access to the 'things' in the back and a more efficient use of space.

Pot filler? If you've designed your kitchen well, the sink should be so close to the stove, it just doesn't matter. If not your first sink, then the second!

paulyb says:

Pot fillers seems like a great idea, until you realize that after your done using the pot, you still will need to bring it to the sink to empty it. So in essence, it is only saving you a trip with a heavy pot one way.

Deanna Wolfe says:

Love the outlets under the cabinets! The cutting board should be on the other side so you can easily scrape things into the disposal area without moving the cutting board.

hollystrykz says:

I've never understood the idea of a pot filler by the stove.. you still have to empty the pot in the sink.

mira22 says:

Pot fillers are kinda neat, but I just think about my kids accidentially leaving it on and coming home to needing a new stove (plus possibly a new tile job thrown in). I wonder how they satisfy building codes.

When I redid my kitchen recently, one of the biggest luxuries has turned out to be installing huge garbage bins in a convenient location. I was really focused on this in the planning stage. I found it was getting overlooked by everyone we spoke to, but I knew it was key for overall satisfaction and praciticality. We also love the filtered water just inside the door of our fridge, the built in speakers in the ceiling and a really logical layout for our dishes, cutlery, prep areas etc. I opened our kitchen right up, but kept a generous area for people to congregate on the other side of the prep zone. No one in my zone, but I am still completely engaged with whatever is going on. Also, no sink or cooktop on the island - to me they interupt the look of the island and reduce prep practicality and versitility for entertaining.

Detail Kitchens says:

The "Pull up outlets" in the counter sure look cool, but remember that you will lose space inside the cabinet. If you have a drawer on the top, you will need to cut it down si the outlets will work. Oh yea, and all receptacles near the counter need to be 20 Amp and GFCI protected.

bajablue says:

Amazing!!!

Donna says:

I think that a walk in pantry is one of the most useful of all must haves especially to hide all the clutter. I do like the idea of the under counter outlets to give a clean look to your back splash, the outlets have always bothered me as far as looking messy. If I had room, I think the dumb waiter is a great idea since my current kitchen is small and we have to store most large grocery items and appliances etc. in our basement and my current dumb waiter (my husband) Ha! is getting older. Don't know what I would do without him however, he really is a dream kitchen must have.

Becky Harris says:

Aha! Maybe the dumbwaiter is just what those people on Extreme Couponing need to connect their stockpiles to the kitchen :)

litinn2 says:

redid kitchen, added a pot filler, i take a step to the left and fill tea kettle and other small fry pans [poached eggs] . so its a few weeks between large pots of water, now i ask myself is this water bad from sitting in the water line . i now just go to the sink.

nowelldds says:

My wife and I are building and will have a pot filler. Although I agree that one still has to carry a pot to the sink in order to dump its contents, I think that filling a pot with a pot filler is easier than placing the pot under a faucet in the sink in order to fill it. Emptying the pot is less difficult than filling it, as this does not require maneuvering under a faucet.

rebkot says:

I have a walk-in pantry already and I think a design improvement would be a "walk-through" pantry, avoiding the inevitable pile-up at the back recesses of the pantry you don't easily reach. And nobody is applauding the TWO dishwashers, but that is a fantastic idea. We run ours only at night so we can use electricity at its cheapest time (in our area), so the two dishwashers would hold everything until night.

Libby Wilkie at aneyefordetail says:

I'm wondering just how practical that dish towel rack, and hamper is. Who has that many dish towels that need to go in a huge hamper? And the towels on those slide racks would be forever coming off and/or staying damp when it is closed... no, sorry, not for me!

durana5 says:

So many ingenius useful ideas here, but the dumbwaiter is an excellent vintage solution for my antique 2-story where often meals, usually breakfast, is needed to be taken to upstairs bedrooms for guests or family members.

jaynalliece says:

And absolue must for me in any kitchen I might have is a pull out trash bin/s!! This is the first thing that gets planned in a kitchen remodel for sure.

sshadie says:

I used almost all drawers of different depths based on contents, no overheads and a full wall of 25"dx8'h cabinets when we built our home. Wall had Subzero w/cabinet doors, pantry pullouts, dish storage, and a prep center with multiple outlets. Prep center doors retracted like a entertainment center, had laminate counter for micro & espresso machine. 12"d overhead shelves held assorted small appliances. You just closed the doors to hide the mess for later cleanup when entertaining. Cabinets turned corner for a matching entertainment center for breakfast room. My favorite kitchen. The cabinet shop came back and took pictures they liked it so well. Rather than centering the cooktop in the island I kept it at one end just offset enough to have a 5" d spice cabinet at the end. Much more usable counter space!

Marty says:

I would love an organized space for trash, recycle, and garbage...live in the country and can't have a disposal because of the septic system...so I have to have garbage under the sink! That is my must-have in a kitchen!

CAROLE MEYER says:

As to the pot filler....I had one in our last home and was very sure to put a small prep sink next to the stove. The problem I see with most pot fillers is this....they do make it easy to fill a pot for boiling pasta...but the contractor or designer many times does not think about how you EMPTY that now steaming pot of water! For me, if you go the the expense of a pot filler...you need a small sink to one side of the stove to empty that boiling water....otherwise it almost makes no sense to me. I love the outlet idea...I had never seen that before...I want one!!

jkaye731 says:

These are really awesome ideas for kitchens.

dancingdeer says:

The only thing here I would incorporate in my kitchen is the chopping block in the sink. While trying to simplify my life, most of these things only complicate it. I can't really imagine a need for a hamper for soiled kitchen towels.

azsun says:

I just moved into a newly remodeled home with a glass top stove. Although it is sleek and looks great in my new kitchen, I find I am a slave to it! It must be cleaned if any food gets on the burner surface, otherwise it stains the surface, and what a bear to clean. Special cleaners and special cloths. I do not recommend this type of cooking surface; wish I had put in gas!

gillianne says:

Some interesting ideas here. We distill our water--pot fillers wouldn't work. And like so many people nowadays, we compost most kitchen scraps rather than dump them down the disposal. On reflection, many of these wish-list items seem like the needless (and not all that convenient) excess of an over-consuming era. LOVE the deep storage drawers, however.

kbgnc says:

I have never figured out the appeal of the pot filler- like the commenter above mentioned, it only saves the user half of the trip, and in a well designed kitchen the sink should be close by anyway. And the hidden knife storage and electrical outlets seem more like a pain than a "must-have". But then I have very simple needs in my kitchen - many people like a lot of bells and whistles in theirs.

Jeff Chmielewski says:

Don't forget open shelving - if you entertain a lot, open shelving is key. Guests don't have to ask for dishes, glassware, etc - and it makes it very easy for them to help you out and set the table.

Becky Harris says:

I have to say, I LOVE my pot filler!

I also have to say, I'm surprised no one brought up a composter until the comments section, that is a great suggestion. I also would love to see that integrated in one of these crazy convenient new ways, instead it sitting out on my counter - maybe I could put it in the designated dishtowel hamper spot :)

makabe says:

Compost bins are easy to attach to a frameless cabinet door right under the sink. A plastic 5 liter bucket gets covered when the door closes. Make sure to wash it out at least once a week. $66+shipping online http://ahturf.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&manufacturer_id=524&product_id=1294

jackweb says:

"This handy faucet means no more having to schlep a heavy pasta pot full of water from the sink to the stovetop."

No schlepping pots of water?

Okay, explain this one to me. i turn on the "pot filler" (a faucet with one and only one very limited function, I presume). I fill the large and heavy le creuset pot with water. i bring the water to a boil. I cook the pasta. And then I drain the pasta —how? The water in the pot is disposed of —how? The heavy pot of water is schlepped where by whom? The heavy pot full of water is emptied miraculously, without having to be schlepped by human hands —how?

Seriously. I'm dying to know. How is this tap anything more than just a cool high end feature? No more schlepping pots of water between the stovetop and the sink...? Please don't insult my intelligence. Puhleez.

Becky Harris says:

Jackweb, a pot filler is a cool high end feature, who said it wasn't? A lot of these things are, which is the point of writing an ideabook that's fun to look at. As you can see from reading your comment, you only schlep the water once instead of twice, which to me, makes it better than not having one 50% the time. I love mine. Also, it was not a priority of mine to insult your intelligence via a flip and fun comment about a faucet.

jwatriss says:

A lot of this looks like aesthetic compromises from people who don't cook. An electrical socket that drops down into the counter? Clearly these people have never spilled anything. That looks like a fire hazard waiting to happen, GFI or no.

Dedicated places to stash those unsightly dishtowels and away? Not only will wet dishtowels get moldy and mildewy in there, rather than drying out in the open air, there are things that I need to be at hand when I need them, not stashed away in a cabinet. Reach, grab, use, get it? There's a point where 'hiding clutter' becomes 'Putting away functionality.'

I do like the sockets that are tucked up under the counter, not because I'm worried about electrical functionality breaking up a backsplash, but because any spills will run down the cords, and away from the sockets.

Dumb-waiters were a solution to an era where the kitchen staff were not to make their presence known. It's a nifty mechanical gadget, which I like. But it's a really cool solution in need of a problem.

I want my kitchen to be a welcoming place, where people feel at home. And so a lot of the neurotic need to hide away the hallmarks of a functional kitchen, seems a little more self-conscious than I'm comfortable with. This feels more like a dressed up impression of a kitchen, than a functional kitchen. I want a kitchen that is clearly designed around the notion that it's a WORK AREA.

I want ease of maintenance. Nothing helps keep a kitchen clean like making it easy. And cleaning out all of those pop-out trays and hidden compartments is NOT as easy as simply wiping down a surface. Within a few months, mildew will settle into the corners of that sponge holder, unless you turn it into a regular chore. That's added work for the homeowner, not added value in the space. How would one clean spilled pancake batter out of that drop-down electrical socket? This is not kitchen equipment.

What do I want to see in a kitchen? What's the next big revolution?

I want to see a designer who's smart enough to consult people who actually cook, host gatherings, and make people feel welcome. I want to hear from professional chefs, food bloggers, bakers, caterers, and Jewish grandmothers. I want industrial sensibility, and work flow that makes sense, instead of expansive spaces that ensure that preparing a meal will require a one-mile walk, in 15 foot increments.

If you really must camouflage everything behind frame and panel drawer fronts, fine. But I would love to see an end to the misguided notion that form is more important than function in a work space.

SmittenKitchen.com is one of the web's best cooking blogs, and the food she pumps out is amazing. And she describes her kitchen this way:

The Smitten Kitchen, in its latest physical incarnation is a 42 square foot circa-1935 sort of half-galley kitchen with a 24 foot footprint, a single counter, tiny stove, checkered floor and a skylight on top a noisy window at the end to the avenue below.

If your kitchen is so expansive, and your workflow so disjointed that you need to incorporate 2 kitchens worth of sinks and dishwashers, extra faucets over the stove, and half a house worth of storage to make it all functional for one or two people, maybe it's not a designer that you need. Spending the money on cooking classes would probably be a lot more fun, and help you make better use of the kitchen that you have.

Or, save the money, rip out the kitchen, and spend the money you save on ordering take-out.

mbetty78 says:

for sheilablake - as a chef, I once had to test out the gallery in a client's new yacht to make sure it was up to snuff for entertainment. The galley included an induction cooktop and a built in stock pot, complete with a faucet, a built-in strainer, and drain. You could could in a storm and not worry about burns (mostly). It was a great idea! Check out scandinavian and marine appliance manufacturers to find one.

Renee says:

Couldn't you just make sure your cool dish rinser, extendable sink shower nozzle thing could reach the stove? Instead of a pot filler? I think one of those doobies is much more useful, I'm surprised it's not on here.. it's on my must-have list along with walkin pantry and nice, deep sinks. Oh and gas, I love gas cooking.

lovlulu says:

azsun: if you want to email me I have a wonderful solution to cleaning your cooktop--been there and solved it. lulu@xmission.com

embracegrace says:

We just moved into our dream house (with dream kitchen!) this weekend. We've incorporated a lot of these ideas: walk-in pantry (9'x9'10"), tip out drawers under the sink, dual sinks with instahot (LOVE that!) and Delta touch faucets, hidden outlets (it took some searching to figure out where to get them: http://www.tasklighting.com/products/angle-power-strip/) and all drawers other than the corner cabinet and sinks.

We did not put in a pot filler for all the reasons other people mentioned. If we did do a pot filler, we would have put the prep sink to the right of the cooktop for ease of dumping. Instead, we put the prep sink on the prep island, so I just have to turn around.

We did not put in a dirty dish rag drawer because we put two laundry rooms in the house, one on each level, and the main floor one is just outside the kitchen in the mudroom, for kitchen linens, my toddler's future stinky sports gear and the use of our guests in the first floor guest suite.

A few other things we added and LOVE:

* followed universal design principals so we can age in place. (MUCH cheaper than a nursing home!) This includes wider aisles for wheelchair access, 36" doors, multiple heights for the counters, microwave drawer, levers instead of door knobs, pulls instead knobs on the hardware, touch activated faucets and recycling center.

* installed a vacupan under the prep island, which is connected to our central vac making clean up much easier.

* lowered baking center so I don't have to stand on my tippy toes when I knead dough.

* a command center in a nook of the kitchen for the business of family: meal planning, bill-paying, etc. It's also where my son will do homework when he starts school.

* pull out spice drawer under my cooktop is super convenient

* touch activated recycling center. All of our recycling/trash containers are in one place. The drawer opens with a touch of your hip so you can easily get into it even if your hands are full.

* energy efficient appliances and green building choices: all of our appliances are energy star rated, our faucets are water sense labeled, our quartz counter tops have 24% recycled mirror and glass, and our cork floors are soft, quiet, beautiful and very earth-friendly.

You can take a tour of our kitchen here: http://dejongdreamhouse.blogspot.com/2012/02/pre-move-in-kitchen-tour-and.html

Setsail says:

Dishtowel storage? I am a huge fan of having a dedicated space for everything used on a daily basis. But a hamper for dishtowels only? No way. Especially lined with plastic where they will stay damp and get moldy, assuming you want to store many wet towels. Otherwise why would you have this at all? Waste of valuable space, IMO

helenmc53 says:

My husband passed away with cancer before we finished our kitchen makeover. Some friends of his helped and now I have a hot mess. Wall behind stovetop has stuff you put tile on half way and that's it. The cabinet tops are cut in pieces and not glued down. The dishwasher runs water on floor, garbage desposer won't work I think its hooked to same line, refrigerator stop keeping food cold and some friend of his who tried to help just made mess of everything. but that's what you get when you can't afford any better.If I ever get some real help I can show you some photos too. All of these photos are a dream come true. Great jobs, God bless the designers. Keep up the good work.

Widdow in Bossier City, Louisiana

m dex design 'everything furniture' says:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/users/milezee

try one of these for your kitchen accessories

echogram says:

A dumbwaiter is great, but may not pass fire regulations.

anneadam says:

Our new kitchen has pull-out garbage and recycling bins - also one for dog food (big dog!), an induction cooktop which leaves room underneath for a pull out knife drawer, and the hidden under the cabinet outlets. Also, there are no under-counter cabinets to lean down and reach into - just drawers and pull out bins. We decided against a pot filler for the reasons listed above and just put the cooktop near enough to the sink that a pot could be filled on the counter between them with the pull out sprayer on the faucet. Emptying is easy - just 2 steps away. Most of our best ideas came from kitchens posted on HOUZZ.

Another idea for the pull out tray for sponges under the sink - We put one under of each of our bathroom sinks for our toothbrushes, etc.(1 for me, 1 for my husband). Very convenient and they get plenty of air from the cabinet below so no worries about toothbrushes staying damp.

Golden Interiors Inc says:

Great photos of all the latest ideas and gadgets for Kitchen Planning & Design - get inspired.

Olga Adler says:

A recycling station with pull-outs for glass, cans and plastic as well as 3 different kinds of paper! Here is a kitchen I designed with a custom recycling station as one of the kitchen "zones".

rtyh says:

i love all of them . lovely

Housecalls Home Services says:

Nice. I don't have all of these. Does that mean I am 'schlepping' my way around the kitchen? Of all the features the one must have is the pantry. Not too useful-vanishing outlets, pot fillers, hampers, cutting board in the sink, icemaker for the occassional party? Let them eat cake and hot tea.

gralizabay says:

My Father (a cabinetmaker by avocation) fused two cabinet doors onto a deep bottom pull-out drawer with sections to store cookie sheets and tall items (and a less deep drawer above that)so that instead of opening the two doors and banging them to open the drawer it's a one step process..
My family have now had all their new door cabinets done...I can't believe I haven't seen this on site like these

Michelle Hartwell says:

Doing a complete remodel of house, down to the studs and designing. First thing I new was a must have, Pasta Faucet & under the counter lighting, and pullouts space savers!

honeybee says:

I think those hampers are actually in a walk-in-closet's island. Those are clothes, not dishtowels draped on the island and over the edge of the hamper.

That's my potfiller in the first photo. I love it. And we usually don't even take the full pot of hot water to the sink to dump. I have a very large strainer/scoop that takes the pasta out when it's done.

fishboy says:

I would love to know where to find the tile that is behind the pot filler in the first picture!!!! It is so hard to locate

bridgetfawn says:

what wonderful ideas, you would have to put a hole new kitchen in

griffin283 says:

Instead of outlets hidden under cabinets, try camouflage! Next house I want to install outlets by Trufig www.trufig.com They produce flush-mount outlets (switches, power outlets, data jacks etc) and will also custom finish them to blend in with whatever - wallpaper, marble, stone, etc. The drawback is that you need to have your outlets placement ready and send them the actual piece of material from the hole cut for the outlet so they can detail the piece, but in the end the look is totally seamless.

jayewo says:

Time & Love, not gadgets, make a house a home.

jirvine says:

Pot fillers are a great concept, but you still have to schlepp the hot water after cooking! Any ideas?

cosmo123 says:

Wear can I buy these handles?