My kitchen isn't huge but I have mostly drawers. A 36" pots and pans drawer, and two 18" 3 drawer bases.

They're so easy to access and they really increase storage space. If I had more room, I'd have almost all drawers, including for dishes, and very few, if any, uppers.

I have all drawers, except for the sink cabinets and a tray cabinet. Would never want a kitchen with regular lower cabinets. We keep everything in the drawers: plates, glasses, mugs, pots/pans, tupperware, cutlery, baking pans/dishes,, etc.

I have all 2-drawer base lowers. Love, love, love them. I also have sliding "boxes" about 2" deep at the top of most of the drawers, 1/2 depth of the drawer, for silverware, utensils, cat food lids, etc. For pots and pans I have a corner drawer unit with movable dividers in the drawers - can stand up lids, etc. Like this:

Not mine ^^^ just an example. Mine is 2-drawer, not 3-drawer.

These photos are the grandsons' "dishes drawer" which shows the sliding boxes. I'm sure there's a name for that - can't think of it. They lift out.

The "dishes drawer" is 18" wide and the rest are 24" to 30" wide.

I would never pick anything but drawers again, if I ever decided to build/remodel again. (Shoot me if I even mention doing that.)

Did redo kitchen a few yrs. ago. Love the ease of lower drawers for pots/pans, etc. Plates still go in wall cabinet next to sink. As I get older the plates get heavier. I would do lower drawers for all plates next time.

My parents have some variation on this for all of their lowers- Regular-looking cabinets but all drawers instead of shelves (except under sink).

I considered the lower drawers for plates but they are in the upper cabinets. Two old people with old spines here - easier to put them "up" then bend over to load and unload. All of my dishware, serving bowls, etc., are in the upper cabinets. I have one lower drawer dedicated to bread, buns, etc. One to foil, wrap, plastic bags, etc. (One to cat food.) The lowers have the lighter weight items and some food items, along with silverware and utensils in the interior "boxes." My pantry is not all that functional; this remodel was a disaster and I had to be creative in some places.

Still, I love the drawers and have several friends who have put the peg dividers in lower drawers for dishes and they love that concept. I just try to eliminate as much bending and lifting as possible.

Drawers are the new standard for base cabinetry. They'll increase your cost, and you must be careful to plan an assortment of sizes and place items in them sized accordingly if you want to re-capture the maximum space available after the drawer boxes, mechanisms, and between-drawer clearances take out space compared to a static shelf cabinet. Storage-wise, most people end up getting more use out of drawers even though the actual open area is less than a traditional top-drawer/bottom shelf cabinet. The dishes in drawers was a strong trend when shelving on the wall was popular, but you are seeing more of a return now to various locations for plateware. The pegboard dividers haven't taken off as being as strong of a trend as one might expect, in part because the pegboard itself takes up space, and the soft-close mechanisms on most drawers these days help prevent shifting regardless.

If you're anticipating wheelchair usage in the future, consider strongly a wheelchair-accessible sink. That's one of the things that's hardest to retrofit and also most useful to someone who cannot stand or walk easily. Even if one spouse were to become disabled, it would greatly relieve the other spouse who was still functional if the wheelchair-bound spouse could wash their own hands and get water for other things. Also, keep in mind aisle width. You'd never want to dip below 42" for that, and pay attention to door clearances as well. It would be sad to need to embark on major renovation because the doorways didn't fit a walker when everything else was ideal.

Love all my drawers, all 21 of them! Dishes in drawers are the best. This is my second kitchen set up this way. Would never go back.

All lower drawers have been the mantra here, for a multitude of years.

My kitchen has all drawers, even under the sink. Best thing I ever did. The lower drawer holds all my cleaning supplies, and extra paper towels. The upper drawer holds an assortment of plastic bags, tin foil, wax paper, and parchment paper. Above that is a tilt out draw for spare blue scrubby sponges. Click to enlarge.

So much better than a cavern under the sink!

More of the kitchen:

I think drawers are the way to go. However, I would keep one or two regular cabinets if you have heavy items like cast iron dutch ovens, food processor, Kitchen aid stand mixer, etc. Some items can be too heavy for a drawer.

All but two in my kitchen are drawers. One is under sink and one is years. I would never have anything but drawers - simple the best!

Been specifying "all drawers" for 40 years, LOVE them. My cabs were priced middle-of-the-road (Home Depot) and easily support cast iron skillets.

Thanks everyone for the pictures and suggestions!

I have mostly drawers as well, except for under the sinks, a lazy Susan corner cabinet, and two cabinets for tall or bulky items that wouldn’t work in drawers - and those have pull-outs. Love the drawers and pull-outs - can’t imagine ever going back to regular lower cabinets! For aging in place (where did the time ago??) they are terrific.

My mother designed her kitchen in 1970 with almost all lower drawers. It's wonderful. She does have a lower cabinet for cereal, the dish cupboard is above; a cabinet with pull-out shelves for pots and pans which she decided was better than drawers for those (I agree) and a cabinet with dividers for sheets, jelly roll pans, and the like.

Drawers, drawers, drawers. They're great.

My kitchen has all drawers except 2 sink bases and a super susan.