At Mike Hughes Fitted Interiors, we’ve been designing and installing kitchens for over 35 years. We’re experts in creating beautiful kitchens, and one thing we can say with confidence is that storage, and its positioning, is absolutely key to the success of any kitchen. We’ve all been there when you have to empty the whole shelf out just to find the one thing you were looking for; designing your kitchen to complement the way you cook makes your life so much easier.
Successful storage isn’t just about quantity; it’s about quality. Planning your kitchen layout and organising your storage requires careful thought to ensure it works perfectly for you. The modern kitchen is often used for entertaining family and friends, so your storage should also visually compliment your interior. To give you some inspiration, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to the types of storage you will want to consider including in your space.
Accessible Storage To Make The Most Of Your Space
Deep Storage Drawers
Did you know you can gain 30% more storage by adding drawers to your kitchen design? Drawers take away the frustration of routing through the back of the cupboard for what you need. Needless to say, having to rummage through cupboards slows down your cooking, but in a well-designed kitchen, your life should be so much easier. Drawers make accessing the back of your unit easier, so you can see what you want instantly. High-quality furniture has added strength, durability and depth, making drawers suitable for storing even heavy items like crockery and pans. Deep drawers can include dividers to organise the contents or slim interior drawers for smaller items, such as cutlery, utensils, or tea towels. Drawers can also be introduced as an internal feature within taller cabinets or as pull-out systems and are a brilliant way to organise your space. Adding plenty of cleverly placed drawers to your new kitchen will undoubtedly help put the joy back into your cooking.
Corner Cabinet Storage
Without an ingenious storage solution, corner cabinets can be annoying and awkward to use. The Le-Mans gliding storage carousels are one of the most popular designs, giving easy access to the far corner of your cupboard. Experiencing our storage solutions for yourself is the best way to decide on the features you feel most comfortable using. Click here for more information on visiting our showroom.
How To Organise Your Storage
Clever Internal Designs
Keeping your storage organised is really important. You can have the most cupboards and drawers in the world, but if they’re just a huge jumble of bits and bobs, you’ll never be able to find what you’re looking for. At Mike Hughes Fitted Interiors, we work with manufacturers that supply a range of fantastic internal accessories to help keep your units organised. It will make your life easier!
Zone Your Storage
As we mentioned before, when it comes to storage, it’s not necessarily a case of quantity over quality. Zoning your storage helps establish areas in your kitchen that are ideal for certain tasks, like preparing hot drinks or chopping vegetables. Your designer should help you plan your storage effectively, keeping your individual requirements and lifestyle in mind. A kitchen is a large purchase and needs to work in the right way to make your lifestyle as comfortable as possible.
Choose Your Style
Pantry Cupboards
Pantry cupboards make a popular addition to traditional kitchens, and it’s easy to see why. All hidden behind closed doors, their lovely internal design makes a beautiful and practical feature. From small bottles to baking ingredients, they offer plenty of room for everything. Add a bespoke arrangement of handy baskets, drawers and shelves and choose between modern or traditional styling.
Full Height Units
A kitchen island isn’t always the best practical solution for your space. Squeezing a large island into a compact kitchen can interrupt the flow of your room, leading to a cramped and awkward design. A peninsula can make a fantastic alternative, offering the same potential to introduce seating and appliances while freeing up space.
Pocket Doors
Pocket doors are extremely popular in the more upmarket kitchen. They can be full room height or dresser height and push to open or sliding. Of course, it depends on your budget, but they can create a fantastic hideaway for an area you do not use every day, for example, a bar area or coffee station, or can conceal your small appliances. With the option to hide or display a part of your kitchen, pocket doors make a luxurious and practical feature to show off to family and friends.
Another feature is a tambour door on a dresser cabinet which conceals the storage by sliding downward when required. A very useful feature for a contemporary kitchen.
Fusing Style & Practiciality
Open Shelving
Kitchens are the focal point of our home and are often a hub for entertaining and relaxing, and so it’s not just the practicality of your kitchen that’s important, you will also want to create a stylish and inviting environment for you and your guests to enjoy. Open shelving makes a wonderful way to add a touch of personality and character to your kitchen. It serves as convenient storage while also providing a wonderful space for you to display your favourite crockery, glassware or ornaments. Consider enhancing your shelving displays with beautiful lighting. Industrial shelving can look stunning teamed with modern furniture; why not ask your designer for more information.
Glass-Fronted Cabinets
For those who love the elegant and refined looks of the traditional kitchen, classic glass-fronted cupboards are a great choice. They will introduce character and brightness to your design in a similar way to open shelving but are perhaps better suited to you if you dread the thought of clutter and prefer a more formal style. They offer a lovely way to show your favourite decorative items or your best crockery.
Modern glass-fronted cabinets are available with seamless glass doors and push to open catches for a streamlined look, perfect for storing those special pieces you only want to use on occasions.
Make the Most of Island Life
Crockery Drawers
Kitchen islands are incredibly popular with our clients and can be a must-have feature if you have room. They bring additional worktop space as well as storage and make a beautiful, stylish statement with their striking presence. Adding crockery and cutlery drawers to your kitchen island can bring wonderful practical benefits.
Storage is an important part of any kitchen, and at Mike Hughes Fitted Interiors, we have lots of solutions to suit you and your space. We are experts in designing beautiful bespoke kitchens that are both practical and stylish. If you have a project you’d like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly and knowledgeable team. You can either call us on 01229 871122, email [email protected] or arrange a visit to our showroom by clicking here.
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