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Please help w/ ideas to improve kitchen layout for increased storage.

last month
last modified: last month

Hi All, attached is a layout of my parents home. Am wanting to help them redo their kitchen, but need help on how to increase storage. The space next to the existing bathroom currently houses the water heater tank. We thought that instead of having a single wall kitchen, we could add cabinetry on the other side and make it look like a gallery kitchen. One of the problems though is that we have the secondary exit there. We cant really relocate the refreigerator. We do not have, nor would would we want a DW for the same reason that we want storage space. Any thoughts on what can be done without breaking bank?

Correction: The kitchen window is not placed correctly. It is actually in-line with the counter.

1023: Thank you all for the ideas! I think another one of our issues is that we have big appliances. Am open to getting smaller ones since it is only my parents and sister living at home and the only times we have big gatherings is during holidays. Our kitchen table is in the living room and we have a small 3 seater couch due to space.






Comments (13)

  • last month

    Small kitchen owner here. I argue for a dishwasher in a small kitchen. Unless you dry everything by hand immediately and put it away, your minimal kitchen counterspace is going to be taken up by a drying rack. Having a dishwasher actually helps with lack of storage because your cabinets are less full due to dishes, glasses, and pots always being in rotation in the dishwasher. I put EVERYTHING in my dishwasher.


    On the 3'-10" wing wall, I'd do an ode to Julia Child's peg board pot rack.




  • last month

    I agree with both @Kendrah and @dan1888

    The only options I see are the pegboard for the 3'10" wall and shelves behind the door. It looks like that would preclude a small table and chair in the kitchen though.


    If that entrance door could be someplace else it would make that kitchen much more workable.

    Run all wall cabinets to the celling for extra storage.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    A few more brainstorms. Storage type A and type B.



    Type A - Floor standing, hutch, case good items

    Shallow but deep enough for dishes, pots, baking items

    Sure this will stick out into the pathway to the back door and be in your face when you enter the front door, but sometimes in a small space you have to deal with that.

    I live in NYC where it is not uncommon to have to step outside of your kitchen proper into the living room to fetch kitchen items. The way I look at it, people with huge kitchens walk just as far, only they are still in their kitchen to fetch the pie plate instead of being in their living room coat closet!

    I'm thinking something along the lines of these Ikea cabinets for the Type A storage unit.





    Type B storage - Wall hung very shallow unit

    What are the measurements you have to work with where I labeled B?

    I don't find open storage attractive, but these units are incredible for small spaces. I have three in my apartment inside closet doors. If you don't care about open storage, get one of these now! They hold sooo much stuff.

    You can just as easily mount this to a wall as you can to a door. Pay no mind to the stupidly styled picture. These things can hold way more. You can get larger baskets too.



    Or maybe you can find closed storage that could accommodate this tiny space. Perhaps you could recess it inside the wall, the way a medicine cabinet is.






    Or can you hack and Ikea shoe storage unit for this space so that you tilt it open an pull out a frying pans, aluminum foil, a lasagna pan, or cereal box instead of shoes? I don't know... It might be too deep for this area.







  • last month

    IKEA small kitchen for 136" wall


  • last month

    @wdccruise - Why two tiny "15 drawers instead of one set of wide drawers? Just curious.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Kendrah: "Why two tiny "15 drawers instead of one set of wide drawers?"

    The 15" induction cooktop body would hang down into its cabinet and I'm not sure how one would arrange the cabinet components (drawers, drawer-fronts, shelves, doors) inside a 30"-wide cabinet. Also, it was just a quick-and-dirty mock-up.

    Oh, one could probably add a cabinet over the refrigerator depending on its height.

  • last month

    IKEA Kitchen with induction range for 136" wall.



  • last month

    I lived with a tiny kitchen for seven years, cooking three meals a day for three people, no dishwasher.


    Great ideas given so far. My advice will take a different track.


    Clear out of the clutter.


    Empty out all the cupboards and clear out any duplicates or unused/rarely used items. With only three people living there (and no dishwasher) cookware, dish and drinking vessel needs should be modest. Once you pare down the cookware, etc. you can plan for that storage.


    I used a rolling cart for the microwave (on top) and used the botton two shelves for soda, snacks, bread.


    Decanting items like cereal, rice, flour, etc. in uniformly sized, clear containers worked wonders for maximizing storage as well as a visual reminder of "what was left" of the contents.


    Could you do a shelf above the window?


    The current cabinet above the fridge looks a bit worthless, what is currently stored in there? Maybe skip a cupboard above the fridge and use that area for a basket for dry goods storage.


  • last month

    The photos and additional information helped a lot.

    All cabinets need to go to the ceiling. Reduce the size of the appliances. Use a smaller sink and sink base. Install a dishwasher - I agree that it saves space on the countertop. The cabinets over the fridge need to be nearly flush with the front of the fridge to be useful. Microwave/vent over the stove.


    There is currently a glass front cabinet opposite the sink - change that to open shelves or closed cabinets. Include a narrow closed cabinet for mops/brooms.



  • last month
    last modified: last month

    More prep and taller (40") cabinets. Dishwasher to left of sink.


  • last month

    Could the exterior door be modified or replaced so that it opens out rather than in? That way you could actually relocate the fridge or range to that wall. You want a dishwasher for sealer.

  • last month

    *resale

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