Pro Reveal: 9 Great Kitchens' Storage Secrets
9 design experts reveal how they optimised storage in their clients' kitchens
Practical storage is an essential part of any good kitchen design. But how much do you need, where where should you put it, and which storage inclusions will be the most useful in your kitchen? To help you refine your ideas, we asked nine designers for the tips and tricks they used to maximise storage in their clients’ kitchens.
2. Designer and commentator: Kimberley Whitehead, senior designer at Garsden and Clarke Kitchens
Location: Wellington Point, Queensland
Set-up: A kitchen owned by a professional and her grown-up daughter in a high-end, new build.
Whitehead says: The clients wanted the kitchen to be the showcase of the home and the butler’s pantry to provide practical functions. The fridge, dishwasher, sink and plenty of preparation space are all located here.
Lots of open shelving means that everyday items are on display and easily accessible.
We specified deep bottom drawers to house bulky appliances. For a cohesive look, we carried through the same finishes from the kitchen to the pantry.
LED strip lighting under the wall cabinets provides excellent task lighting. This pantry is also a thoroughfare and the strip lighting creates a wonderful ambience at night.
Tip: Tall, shallow shelving creates the illusion of more space in a small kitchen or butler’s pantry. Keeping shelves shallow also prevents you from stacking items deep, which can result in things getting lost at the back.
Location: Wellington Point, Queensland
Set-up: A kitchen owned by a professional and her grown-up daughter in a high-end, new build.
Whitehead says: The clients wanted the kitchen to be the showcase of the home and the butler’s pantry to provide practical functions. The fridge, dishwasher, sink and plenty of preparation space are all located here.
Lots of open shelving means that everyday items are on display and easily accessible.
We specified deep bottom drawers to house bulky appliances. For a cohesive look, we carried through the same finishes from the kitchen to the pantry.
LED strip lighting under the wall cabinets provides excellent task lighting. This pantry is also a thoroughfare and the strip lighting creates a wonderful ambience at night.
Tip: Tall, shallow shelving creates the illusion of more space in a small kitchen or butler’s pantry. Keeping shelves shallow also prevents you from stacking items deep, which can result in things getting lost at the back.
3. Commentator: John Lorych, design team leader at Smith & Smith Kitchens
Location: Frankston South, Victoria
Set-up: A kitchen in a two-year-old house owned by a busy, professional couple
Lorych says: The client was after a kitchen with traditional elements and the ergonomics and storage benefits of a modern kitchen.
The shallow pantry at the end of the kitchen provides efficient storage for hard-to-store items such as appliances and long platters. The shelves are stained to match the flooring for a unified look.
Sliding doors allow the pantry to be left open when it’s in use and closed for a seamless appearance when it’s not.
Concealed storage creates a luxurious look and reflects the elegance of the rest of this home.
Would your kitchen benefit from some expert help? Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz
Location: Frankston South, Victoria
Set-up: A kitchen in a two-year-old house owned by a busy, professional couple
Lorych says: The client was after a kitchen with traditional elements and the ergonomics and storage benefits of a modern kitchen.
The shallow pantry at the end of the kitchen provides efficient storage for hard-to-store items such as appliances and long platters. The shelves are stained to match the flooring for a unified look.
Sliding doors allow the pantry to be left open when it’s in use and closed for a seamless appearance when it’s not.
Concealed storage creates a luxurious look and reflects the elegance of the rest of this home.
Would your kitchen benefit from some expert help? Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz
A solid timber drawer with dovetailing and baize lining was designed to store the client’s good cutlery. It adds a touch of luxury while taking up minimal space.
A built-in, solid timber wine rack is the only open storage area in this kitchen. It was custom-stained to tie in with the flooring, and balances out the white joinery.
While this is a very functional space, elements such as handle-less, panelled joinery mean that it doesn’t scream ‘kitchen’, giving it a softer look and feel.
A variety of pull-out storage units are located on either side of the oven to house oils, spices and other items that are needed while cooking.
Tip: Do away with corner cabinets if you can. If you must have a corner cabinet, make it easily accessible by installing a clever corner solution.
A built-in, solid timber wine rack is the only open storage area in this kitchen. It was custom-stained to tie in with the flooring, and balances out the white joinery.
While this is a very functional space, elements such as handle-less, panelled joinery mean that it doesn’t scream ‘kitchen’, giving it a softer look and feel.
A variety of pull-out storage units are located on either side of the oven to house oils, spices and other items that are needed while cooking.
Tip: Do away with corner cabinets if you can. If you must have a corner cabinet, make it easily accessible by installing a clever corner solution.
4. Designer and commentator: Justin Quinlan, managing director at The Quinlan Group
Location: Paddington, NSW
Set-up: A kitchen in a narrow terrace house, which is the occasional residence of a London-based client.
Quinlan says: The terrace is only used sparingly and needs to be ready for the owner to use at any time with no effort whatsoever. We sought to create a hotel-like feel throughout – light, clean, efficient and luxurious.
Mirrored kick plates in the kitchen give the illusion the cabinets are floating, which adds to the sense of spaciousness.
Everything had to be concealed to minimise clutter and maximise light and openness. The central island was quite narrow so we decided not to have any storage in the middle. The island now functions as both servery and table, freeing up the living areas.
We used walnut veneer on the cabinetry to give it a luxurious, masculine feel. Going handle-free keeps the look streamlined.
The joinery does double duty as a divider between the formal and informal living areas.
Location: Paddington, NSW
Set-up: A kitchen in a narrow terrace house, which is the occasional residence of a London-based client.
Quinlan says: The terrace is only used sparingly and needs to be ready for the owner to use at any time with no effort whatsoever. We sought to create a hotel-like feel throughout – light, clean, efficient and luxurious.
Mirrored kick plates in the kitchen give the illusion the cabinets are floating, which adds to the sense of spaciousness.
Everything had to be concealed to minimise clutter and maximise light and openness. The central island was quite narrow so we decided not to have any storage in the middle. The island now functions as both servery and table, freeing up the living areas.
We used walnut veneer on the cabinetry to give it a luxurious, masculine feel. Going handle-free keeps the look streamlined.
The joinery does double duty as a divider between the formal and informal living areas.
5. Designer and commentator: Katherine Dujmovic, architect and director at Studio AKA
Location: Basket Range, SA
Set-up: A long, galley kitchen in a busy family home.
Dujmovic says: The challenge in this kitchen was keeping the minimal look while still maintaining a high level of functionality. We achieved this by using ample drawer storage instead of cupboards and adding a highly functional pantry with plenty of additional storage.
The timber on the face of the cupboards is solid wormy chestnut with half-circle handles cut into the face and painted eucalyptus green to add a touch of colour. We sought to give the space an earthy feel with lots of texture so the surrounding walls are an off-white brick with a midnight-blue match board along the stairs. To counter all that texture, the benchtops were kept clean with a thin, white stone top.
Location: Basket Range, SA
Set-up: A long, galley kitchen in a busy family home.
Dujmovic says: The challenge in this kitchen was keeping the minimal look while still maintaining a high level of functionality. We achieved this by using ample drawer storage instead of cupboards and adding a highly functional pantry with plenty of additional storage.
The timber on the face of the cupboards is solid wormy chestnut with half-circle handles cut into the face and painted eucalyptus green to add a touch of colour. We sought to give the space an earthy feel with lots of texture so the surrounding walls are an off-white brick with a midnight-blue match board along the stairs. To counter all that texture, the benchtops were kept clean with a thin, white stone top.
Creating a gallery kitchen allowed us to have two long walls of storage and bench space, with minimal space needed for circulation.
We removed all overhead storage so there is minimal clutter at eye level, which maintains a clear view through from the living room to the dining room (the kitchen is located between the two rooms). We made up for this reduction in storage with ample shelving in the kitchen and tucking the fridge away.
We removed all overhead storage so there is minimal clutter at eye level, which maintains a clear view through from the living room to the dining room (the kitchen is located between the two rooms). We made up for this reduction in storage with ample shelving in the kitchen and tucking the fridge away.
6. Designer and commentator:
Karen Aston, designer at Karen Aston Design
Location: Sydney, NSW
Set-up: The butler’s pantry in a classic Pettit+Sevitt mid-century style house occupied by a busy couple with two teenagers. The owners do a lot of a meal prepping.
Aston says: We specified plenty of bench space so everyday items such as the kettle, toaster and coffee machine could be left out where they’re easily accessible. It also creates space for the teenagers to make toast and snacks, without making the main kitchen untidy.
The client is highly organised with a great set-up for reusable storage containers, so we included plenty of open storage to give everything a space and make containers easy accessible.
Shallow, open shelves such as these provide great viewing and access.
Karen Aston, designer at Karen Aston Design
Location: Sydney, NSW
Set-up: The butler’s pantry in a classic Pettit+Sevitt mid-century style house occupied by a busy couple with two teenagers. The owners do a lot of a meal prepping.
Aston says: We specified plenty of bench space so everyday items such as the kettle, toaster and coffee machine could be left out where they’re easily accessible. It also creates space for the teenagers to make toast and snacks, without making the main kitchen untidy.
The client is highly organised with a great set-up for reusable storage containers, so we included plenty of open storage to give everything a space and make containers easy accessible.
Shallow, open shelves such as these provide great viewing and access.
Deep, extra-wide drawers allow for more storage, while giving you easy access as the drawers pull out towards you. They also have a sleek appearance and make it easy to categorise cooking ingredients.
Tip: To create a practical and useable butler’s pantry set-up, you’ll need a minimum space of 1,500 millimetres in width to allow for a benchtop on one side, and 2,400 millimetres in width to accommodate benchtops on both sides. You’ll want 1,000 to 1,200 millimetres of floor space between units to bend comfortably in front of shelving. And be realistic about what you can squeeze into a space!
Design Legacy: 5 Lessons Pettit+Sevitt Taught Us About Architecture
Tip: To create a practical and useable butler’s pantry set-up, you’ll need a minimum space of 1,500 millimetres in width to allow for a benchtop on one side, and 2,400 millimetres in width to accommodate benchtops on both sides. You’ll want 1,000 to 1,200 millimetres of floor space between units to bend comfortably in front of shelving. And be realistic about what you can squeeze into a space!
Design Legacy: 5 Lessons Pettit+Sevitt Taught Us About Architecture
7. Designer and commentator: Patricia La Torre, principal designer at OutsideInside Building Elements
Location: Coburg, Victoria
Set-up: A kitchen in a busy family home with three young children who all enjoy cooking together. The kitchen is part of an extension designed by RP Busselmann and Associates.
La Torre says: Storage needed to be accessible, efficient and functional. We included generous drawers, including ones in the kick plates for large platters, plus a variety of under-bench storage systems.
A slender, vertical run of open shelves provides display space and adds visual interest.
Open shelves at the end of the kitchen are an appealing breakaway from the usual waterfall end and provide extra storage or display space.
Location: Coburg, Victoria
Set-up: A kitchen in a busy family home with three young children who all enjoy cooking together. The kitchen is part of an extension designed by RP Busselmann and Associates.
La Torre says: Storage needed to be accessible, efficient and functional. We included generous drawers, including ones in the kick plates for large platters, plus a variety of under-bench storage systems.
A slender, vertical run of open shelves provides display space and adds visual interest.
Open shelves at the end of the kitchen are an appealing breakaway from the usual waterfall end and provide extra storage or display space.
The family enjoys cooking together so we needed to create as much bench space as possible. We included space to either side of the cooker and a 600-millimetre clearance between the sink and wall, which provides plenty of preparation area, while creating a sense of spaciousness in what is a fairly restricted area.
A pantry with bi-fold doors provides extra bench space to store small appliances, plus open and pull-out storage.
See the rest of this colourful kitchen
A pantry with bi-fold doors provides extra bench space to store small appliances, plus open and pull-out storage.
See the rest of this colourful kitchen
8. Designers and commentators:
Sarah Bryant, director, and Rob Randell, project architect, both at Bryant Alsop Architects
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Set-up: A kitchen in a busy family home occupied by a couple and two active kids.
Bryant says: On a relatively tight block such as this one, every bit of space needs to work hard and perform more than one job. The area under the stairs houses a fridge, two wall ovens and a heap of storage. There’s a walk-in pantry, laundry and study nook situated behind the kitchen, and we’ve designed the layout so that someone using the kitchen doesn’t cut off circulation to them.
A nook beneath the stairs was designed to house the owner’s much-loved cookbooks.
Sarah Bryant, director, and Rob Randell, project architect, both at Bryant Alsop Architects
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Set-up: A kitchen in a busy family home occupied by a couple and two active kids.
Bryant says: On a relatively tight block such as this one, every bit of space needs to work hard and perform more than one job. The area under the stairs houses a fridge, two wall ovens and a heap of storage. There’s a walk-in pantry, laundry and study nook situated behind the kitchen, and we’ve designed the layout so that someone using the kitchen doesn’t cut off circulation to them.
A nook beneath the stairs was designed to house the owner’s much-loved cookbooks.
The island bench houses double-sided storage; drawers to one side and shallow cupboards to the other. Shallow cupboards mean that things don’t get lost in the back – ideal for items such as glassware.
9. Designer and commentator:
Brett Stonehouse, senior architect at Irons McDuff Architecture
Location: Barwon Heads, Victoria
Set-up: A flexible, family kitchen that can expand to meet with a holiday influx or contract for more intimate family times. The kitchen is part of an extension to a fishing cottage that opens to a dining/living space and a sun deck.
Stonehouse says: The client wanted a mix of casual, open storage that suits the home’s coastal atmosphere, and closed storage with hidden capacity.
The client collects handmade ceramics and we took the opportunity to display them in a kitchen setting. Exposing some of your more cherished items is what turns a house into a home.
Larger, more unsightly items can be tucked away in concealed storage.
The slot shelf under the island benchtop is an easy place to slip a magazine, laptop, homework or any other large flat item that finds its way onto the generous open bench. The island is also on castors so it can be moved around the kitchen/dining space depending on requirements.
Fixed or Moveable Island Bench? 5 Factors to Consider
Brett Stonehouse, senior architect at Irons McDuff Architecture
Location: Barwon Heads, Victoria
Set-up: A flexible, family kitchen that can expand to meet with a holiday influx or contract for more intimate family times. The kitchen is part of an extension to a fishing cottage that opens to a dining/living space and a sun deck.
Stonehouse says: The client wanted a mix of casual, open storage that suits the home’s coastal atmosphere, and closed storage with hidden capacity.
The client collects handmade ceramics and we took the opportunity to display them in a kitchen setting. Exposing some of your more cherished items is what turns a house into a home.
Larger, more unsightly items can be tucked away in concealed storage.
The slot shelf under the island benchtop is an easy place to slip a magazine, laptop, homework or any other large flat item that finds its way onto the generous open bench. The island is also on castors so it can be moved around the kitchen/dining space depending on requirements.
Fixed or Moveable Island Bench? 5 Factors to Consider
The panelled lining on the ceiling
We used panelling for the cupboard on the right of the island to create a sense of connection between the new extension and the original fishing cottage, which has lining boards. We added a similar lining to the ceiling of the adjoining living/dining area. The subtle texture of the panelling sets a relaxed tone and softens the flat surfaces in the kitchen.
We added visual interest to the open storage by contrasting the white joinery with warm timber touches. Natural materials enhance any interior and while the kitchen is often about utility, it’s a central gathering space for friends and family.
Your turn
Were you inspired by any of these storage ideas? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more expert kitchen stories? Don’t miss 3 Great Small Kitchens… and How They Did It
We used panelling for the cupboard on the right of the island to create a sense of connection between the new extension and the original fishing cottage, which has lining boards. We added a similar lining to the ceiling of the adjoining living/dining area. The subtle texture of the panelling sets a relaxed tone and softens the flat surfaces in the kitchen.
We added visual interest to the open storage by contrasting the white joinery with warm timber touches. Natural materials enhance any interior and while the kitchen is often about utility, it’s a central gathering space for friends and family.
Your turn
Were you inspired by any of these storage ideas? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more expert kitchen stories? Don’t miss 3 Great Small Kitchens… and How They Did It
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Set-up: An open-plan kitchen in a large family home built in a Queenslander style.
Sargent says: As this kitchen is large, we were able to incorporate a lot into the kitchen island. It includes panelled push-to-open drawers for servingware on the outward facing side, and a dishwasher, wine fridge and rubbish bins on the other side.
A walk-in-pantry housing the coffee machine, dry goods and a second sink keeps the kitchen clutter-free.
Tip: When planning your kitchen, think about the location of the dishwasher – you want it to be easily accessible and close to your glass and crockery cupboards.