Layout

Let’s try that again. This is more clear

Jan, thank you for your feedback! Now the question is a bank of 2 drawers vs 3 (in 30” for under microwave and peninsula)?

My kitchen is small and I have some taller pots, etc. So I did one wide and one narrow base cabinet with an adjustable shelf, no pull out so I could maximize the space. The rest are drawers and one super Susan. I'm glad I didn't do all drawers as some things just wouldn't have fit like my giant stock pot and instant pot. So think about what you have.

Edit: I also have a base cabinet for tall baking pans.

Mona, yes, I was thinking the same thing. I think I will leave the 18” lower cabinet (left of the range, no pull out) and probably leave the 27” lower cab in peninsula (no pull out) and then drawers remainder of peninsula and also under microwave. My thought with leaving the lower cabinet in the peninsula is that when the dishwasher door is open for unloading, I won’t be able to fully open that cabinet right there. If I am storing larger pots/appliances that I won’t use often it won’t interfere with unloading and accessing things. Whereas, if that was a drawers with Tupperware, I’d have to close the DW door to open that drawer. Does that make sense, am I thinking about that right? esthetically, does it look OK in the peninsula to have one cabinet and one bank of drawers or should they match? (Again, probably overthinking). With this many decisions, I begin to overthink everything. Thanks for feedback! Appreciate it!

Two or three depends what you want to store. I would vote for three, still nice and deep. ( see under the micro above.

The entire back wall..........is drawers, just as you see on that right side edge. They hold a ton of stuff: )

Have you thought about where you’re going to store your pots and pans? (Some of those handles can be awfully long!) Large baking dishes? What about oversized and/or awkwardly shaped and/or infrequently used items—deep fryer, Crock pot, waffle iron, ebelskiver maker, turkey roasting pan? If it were me, I’d forego the clipped corners on those two cabinets in the lower left corner of your plan and just really sit down (or stand!) and think about how each drawer is going to be used. At first glance it appears you have storage galore, but it’s not as usable as it could be.

Jan, your kitchen is GORGEOUS!

You are not overthinking your kitchen storage! :) Inventory your stuff and figure out the best way to store it. Look at your layout and decide exactly what goes where. Drawers are much easier than cabinets with (or without) pullouts in pretty much all instances. A drawer brings things to you. You have to reach into a dark cabinet to find things. I like pull outs for narrow spaces (e.g. bottles and spices next to the range) and pantries.

I understand your thinking about the cabinet in the peninsula with the DW open. Would it make sense to put your pots and pans near the range instead? Think about how you cook. How you wash dishes. What goes in the DW, what doesn't. Etc. All your steps in the kitchen. Planning your kitchen is not overthinking it. (Overthinking it is obsessing between two similar paint colours. :P)

I plan to do 3 because I think a shallow top drawer will be useful for important but small items (ie cutlery, tinfoil, dish towels, etc.).

Sammy, thanks. Yes, that’s what I am considering now. The clipped corners need to stay for circulation, it’s really tight there. For the reasons you state, that’s why I am struggling with cabinets vs drawers. I don’t have a ton of big items though.

Tartanmeup- thanks for making me feel better about this! As for pots and pans, I was actually thinking of using the lazy Susan next to the range. I know this is probably unconventional, but I think it would work in this kitchen. The upper corner cabinet will he used for spices and flour, sugar storage. Cookie sheets and other pans to the left of the range in the cabinets.

What type of lazy Susan? Will it be strong enough to handle daily use? Pots and pants can get heavy. Will you be storing the cookie sheets horizontally or vertically? Narrow vertical spaces are usually easier for cookie sheets.

I'm not fond of storage "gadgets" - they can break. We have an expensive metal blind corner unit and it's not that practical. Regret that purchase. We also had an "appliance garage" and the door hinge broke after a while. We took it off. Sometimes, simpler is best.

Good luck and enjoy the journey! You'll save yourself a lot of headaches if you plan it properly.

I don’t have a ton of big items though.

Sure, maybe you don’t have them now, but they’re coming. You need to think beyond sippy cup storage. :D

BTW: Are you remodeling or is this new construction? Whichever it is, it’s exciting nonetheless!

Sammy, thanks for the laugh. I am currently need deep in sippy cups with no light at the end of the tunnel. I have to remind myself there is life after this LOL

^*knee deep ;)

Yes, Sammy brings up an excellent point! Think long term. If you end up with empty cabinets/drawers after allocating all your current stuff to your proposed layout, you have achieved kitchen nirvana. Pat yourself on the back and go confidently in the direction of your dream kitchen. :D

You might be interested in this recent thread on [kitchen organization[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kitchen-organizing-help-dsvw-vd~5545254).

I changed all my lower cabinets to drawers - mostly deep ones (and yes, my Dutch oven fits in it) and some shallow for silverware and spices. Over the double oven is a double door cabinet for trays (which used to be in my former island and was convenient.)
Everything fits in drawers if you consider how many deep and how many shallow you need. I have ALL my baking dishes in them. All my cooking pots and lids (those are in a shallow drawer).
I am trying to convince you to listen to Jan and realize that one motion is so much easier.

redRyder- those 3 bank of drawers look fabulous and still very large!

Take your time and think about what works for you and your family. We remolded whole kitchen about 2 years ago. Really did not change to much of old lay out because the space just worked for us. I did do a lot of thinking about the use of the space , and had quite a few peoples opinion on how they would best use the space . So I learned a little something from all of them. Never hurts to ask questions. Pay attention to details so you get what works best for you. You will so enjoy your kitchen because you took the time to think it out. As far as drawer vs pull -outs what are you putting in the drawers? I did pull-outs for drawers near the stove (pots-pans) . Perhaps you can re-think your cabinet sizes? It is your $ & your kitchen just makes sense to get what you want.. Go to Kitchen & Cabinet stores and see how you like the lay outs. how they used the space. You are so going to enjoy your kitchen when it is all done because you thought the whole thing out. Best ...

Drawers! I have 2deep drawers next to the range and they hold all my pots and pans.......very deep and strong! Amazing how much is in there. It has been a fairly “life changing” improvement. No more sitting on the floor to reach the things in the back of the cabinet!

Drawers all the way. The kitchen at my previous house had a plentiful amount of drawers in the base cabinets and I loved it. The kitchen at my current house has four drawers total and two of them are specific (built-in silverware dividers and built-in spice rack) so I only have two actual drawers I can use for my specific needs and it really limits my options for how I can use my kitchen storage. I (very) strongly dislike it.

Cabinets with pull-out drawers often don’t have deep enough sides, but drawers are usually more expensive, so if you have to do pull-out drawer cabinets over actual drawers due to budget, go with pull-outs with deeper sides over shallow sides if they offer them. If you’re going with a manufacturer whose cabinets are limited to shallow sides for pull-out drawers, I’d opt for drawers only.

Drawers provide SO much better storage AND avoid the issue of hinge fatigue / slamming of doors. As for "big" kitchen items, most are not used even on a weekly basis. If you don't have a pantry these items can be stored elsewhere (closet/garage) and retrieved as needed.

Drawers leave more net storage space than pullouts, less motion, less wear & tear.

My more experienced kitchen users end up with drawers>rollouts.

I like both. I find my deep drawers somewhat hard to organize as everything gets piled in there on top of eachother. I have a 36" pull out for pots and pans and much prefer this and things don't get nested or buried as much.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/new-build-gabe-phvw-vp~123161380

have a look here, we did almost all pullout drawers, except for under the corner cooktop it has 2 shelfs.& the kitchen sink .

Put the drawers left of stove and/or immediately left of sink and/or on the interior wall across from the stove (sorta across from it) -- at the end of the cabinet row -- because you definitely want a pair of doors on both sides of the corner to open a usable sized access to the corner base cabinets, with or w/o the lazy susan:

https://www.build.com/rev-a-shelf-6421-32-52/s871072?uid=2224366&source=gg-gba-pla_with_promotion_2224366!c1046625289!a48108717981!dc!ng&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI69_8o53p3gIVi4vICh36ewidEAQYAyABEgLpNvD_BwE

From the Kitchens Forum's Read Me thread:

FAQ: How Do I Plan For Storage?

• https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500787/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage

As mentioned by a few people above, PLAN your storage! Once you plan your storage you will have a much better idea of what makes sense. Remember -- Point of Use!

FYI....I would never put in a base cabinet with a stationary shelf, adjustable or not! If something is in the back of a shelf or the bottom of the cabinet, you will have to get on your hands and knees to get to it!

Tray cabinet storage like in the last picture of Artistsharonva's thread above, yes; but not just a cabinet with one or more stationary shelves.

RE: 2 or 3 drawers. My 35" drawer stack is 3 drawers, with the bottom 2 equal, the top shorter. The bottom drawer hold all of my pots and pans, including my full sized wok -- the only exception is my roasting pan that I use once a year, and my large dutch oven (I could fit that in but choose not to since it is used only a few times each year also). The pot lives in the base corner cabinet, the roaster on the top shelf of the coat closet.

The middle drawer hold all my casserole dishes (a collection that I need to downsize!), mixing bowls, measuring cups, pie pans and pot lids.

The top drawer I regret not having made as a drawer -in -drawer, since its depth would have allowed for a shallower drawer on top for my silverware and frequently used knives and utensils; below would be a place for less frequently but occasionally used utensils.

Drawers, drawers, drawers! We love our drawers! Measure your tall items and go to the cabinet display for your cabinet brand and see what fits. We did a mix of 3 and 4 drawer cabinets, with one 2 drawer cabinet for tall items. My instant pot, crock pot and blender all fit. But you have to check before you order as not all cabinet brands drawers are the same demensions.

Drawers, as wide as looks nice for the length of that counter in the area or on that wall....and as deep as you can. One shallow and 2 deep is good. or 2 deep, maybe good in some areas, IF you have a plethora of cabinets. For instance. No kitchen requires MORE than 18, 3 inch or less, depth of shallow drawers, surely? So in those large expanses of counter top, 2 deep drawers may suffice. The shallow drawers are needed in the primary work areas of your counter, near the range, near the microwave, near the refrigerator, near the dishwasher and the sink, near the eating area, near the mixer/baking area. AND you will love those narrow slide in areas for those baking sheets, pizza sheets, serving trays, etc --placed on either side of your mixer or range or 'rollout/prep" area, or in the area where to make the 2 deep drawers wider(like not 5 feet, but 4 feet is good)that's a good place for that door and slide in dividers to be put.... And, make sure the cabinet maker hardware includes a quiet style of hinge for your drawers. There is a brand that is the noisiest EVER! Don't use the cabinet maker that must patronize that brand. If your drawers are NOISY opening and shutting, well, in that case..you may well be wishing for lower shelves. I don't know what brand it is, but I know when you open a drawer, in the vanity or the kitchen....even sleeping Grandparents wake up. NOT FUNNY! well...LOL

I have a combo of both drawers and doors.

The perimeter is two stacks of two deep drawers that hold bins of bulk flours, rice, beans, oats, and sugar; then the range, and a corner cabinet without lazy Susan that holds my pots and pans; garbage pullout sink cabinet, then the dishwasher.

The island has two deep drawers in the end nearest the range. The top one is a drawer-in-drawer with spices in the top shallow tray and less-often used utensils in the drawer and our waffle maker, Vitamix canister and plunger, etc and some KitchenAid mixer attachments. Around the long side of the island I have a cupboard with a solid shelf for lunch boxes and one for water bottles, with a drawer for water bottle lids. Then come three stacks of drawers, each stack being a short, medium, and deep drawer. The short drawers hold every day silver and frequently used small implements like potato peelers, foil and wax paper and ziplocks and lunch kit silverware (yes, I have seperate silverware that is allowed to go to school!), and grab bags/boxes of school snacks. The medium drawers hold tea towels, less-often lunch containers and leftover containers, and bulk jars of snacks like raisins, nuts, etc plus boxes of crackers. The deep drawers hold potatoes, lunch kit containers, and the popcorn popper (stovetop) and big popcorn bowls. The end cupboard has solid shelves again, with the plastic cups and wooden snack bowls, extra large Tupperware (used less frequently), and a set of plastic organizer drawers for random jar lids. The drawers where containers etc are stored as well as the potato drawer are closest to the sink/dw.

Our dishes are stored in a hutch, a bit unconventional now but it splits the distance between the dishwasher and the table and it is a family heirloom so I love using it. The plates and bowls are low enough that kids who are old enough can help and the babies who are old enough to "help"" can't reach (my youngest was at the drawer-emptying phase when we designed the kitchen so I knew the breakable dishes couldn't be in drawers).

This is rather long but I wanted to illustrate that you *must* plan your kitchen for your needs while allowing some flexibility for later. I measured everything before I settled on a plan and I located everything where I would be using it. I would strongly suggest that rather than settling on an arrangement of drawers and doors and then fitting your stuff to that, that you make comprehensive lists of what would be best stored in each area and then choose whether that area will be fitted with drawers or cupboards.

Three drawers are better than two most of the time I think unless like me you shop in bulk (25 lb bags of flour for example) and plan to use big bins. Pullouts are not as great imo but better than stationary shelves if it comes to that.

" I measured everything before I settled on a plan and I located everything where I would be using it. I would strongly suggest that rather than settling on an arrangement of drawers and doors and then fitting your stuff to that, that you make comprehensive lists of what would be best stored in each area and then choose whether that area will be fitted with drawers or cupboards. "

THAT is how you should go about designing a kitchen for your needs.

IME, kitchen drawers (below countertop of course) are good for just about EVERYTHING. The rare exceptions are:

* Huge, heavy appliances like bread machines (pullout allows more maneuvering while putting it in and out)

* Canned goods and dry pantry items (pantry pullout makes them easier to see from the side)

* Sink (doors are best)

* Drinking glasses (best in overhead cupboards as they could clatter in drawer)

* Very lightweight china (again, overhead cupboard as could clatter in drawer)

* Cookbooks (best in pullout)

EVERYTHING ELSE, including pots and pans, sodas, dishtowels, spices, plates and dishes, sodas, baking supplies, foils and wraps, flour and sugar, tea bags, etc. etc. is better in drawers. It's life changing.....things are easier to find, so it's much easier to keep everything accessible and organized. (Lower cupboards behind doors seem to gather random unreachable articles in their depths.)

I completed one kitchen several years ago and loved it. I am back in here doing research again for a new house that needs a kitchen remodel. I saw this topic and thought I could help. I had a very small kitchen that I was able to use every single inch of. Quite proud of that, no fillers were used in the kitchen. It took a very long time and many hours but it was super when it was all done. So I would like to add my 2cents maybe it will help someone out a little bit.

#1 we had a 24" wide pantry with pull out drawers that I was able to customize the distance from drawer to drawer. It took me 3 days to figure out exactly where to set the drawers. When I was finished that cabinet sucked up so much of the kitchen storage items it was amazing. I said next kitchen there will be a whole wall of these cabinets. Here is how I calculated the distance, wine bottles types were on the bottom like, balsamic bottles. A drawer for cans, (I don't use too many) A drawer for glass jar items, a drawer for items in boxes. Makes items easy to find and store.

#2 Base cabinet drawers I had a 24" base cabinet with one shallow drawer on the top that I put dividers in and all my SS cooking items went in there, serving spoons, forks, tongs you name it. Under this were two drawers that were evenly spaced and it held all my SS stock pots, pots and pans. This was to the left of the stove.

#3 Another bank of drawers that sat to the left of the fridge was 30" wide and had 2 shallow top drawers I added dividers and each housed my baking tools. Under this were two equal drawers and it held all my corning/glass dishes with the lids stored vertically. Again everything fit and was so easy to work with and find.

#4 For the sink I used the standard double doors but inside I put a wire rack system with a drawer for dish towels. and an upper rack for cleaning products. The rest of the cabinet had a lot of mechanical, so we lost some storage there. I used uppers for plates and bowls and glass ware. This time maybe I will put that kind of stuff in drawers. One thing to consider, if you are planning to go the distance in your house. I have learned from an aging Aunt that everything really had to be counter height no longer could she bend over and use the under cabinet storage. Something to consider if you are going long term. I think the pantry cabinets work well with that in mind because so many of the drawers could be in that usable sweet spot.

Well I got side tracked, easy to do on this site, off to figure out where I want a microwave this time.

I have pull out shelves, drawers and cabinets. I can’t stand to see a drawer wasted on just lids. In my lower cabinet I have a panini maker on the back half shelf along with nested baking pans. In front of the shelf sitting on bottom of cabinet is my kitchen aid mixer, my stock pot with lid turned upside down with my large saucepan sitting on the lid. I have similar stacked things. My frequently used items happen to be the item on the top of the stack. I have my 3 casseroles nested with the lids turned upside down. In the cabinet above the wall oven/microwave I have file dividers with glass baking pans between the dividers sitting vertically, along with baking stone. Everything is easily accessible for me. If the floor plan allowed a pantry it would have been nice because everything is visible. A stranger could take over your kitchen and find anything with a glance into the pantry. Maybe my next house.....

It's seems that those of us with drawers are pretty loud here. I have a 5' wide deep pantry in my right-next-door laundry room. That holds pretty much all our food items. But other than under my farmhouse sink and over the double oven, everything is in drawers.

I have a custom-built 36" cabinet of drawers next to my sink and that holds all the silverware (in top drawer) then my favorite pans, then my lids and the bottom drawer has a few fragile glass serving pieces. Everyone is jealous of that bank of drawers. Consider all your serving pieces as different from cooking utensils. All of those are on my island with my cooktop (and spices).

Thank you everyone!!! You’ve all sold on me drawers. Also, I see most lean towards the 3 bank of wide drawers vs. 2 deeper drawers.

I noticed that you are showing a double bowl sink. If you were to select a single bowl sink with an offset drain, you would be able to free up a cabinet and get your trash under the sink. Just a thought if you are feeling tight on storage.

That’s amazing, what a great idea under the sink. I did want a one bowl sink. I’d have to ask my cabinet company if they make these pull outs under the sink. Thanks for the idea

Valerie, also look at aftermarket trash pullouts. They are often more budget friendly than the cabinet companies, and there are several brands and styles to choose from. I 've used a combo of Rev-a-shelf, Lynk, and Ikea for adding pull outs under the sink.

I highly recommend using the single bowl sink with an offset drain, and pullout organizers. In my 30" sink base I have trash, recycling, and compost bins, as well as dish detergent and cleaning supplies.