Essentials for a new kitchen

[Anonymous]

We are redoing our kitchen and I’m looking for ideas of what we should include. It’s a narrow-ish space (but not a galley kitchen) so no room for a big island or anything. Sink and stove are on one wall. Fridge across the way.

[Anonymous]

Under cabinet lights.

Drawers below counter.

We had a built in trash/recycling drawer in one house, hated that there's no lid on the trash bin and it's not hands free. So for our next kitchen we did forgo that and got a nice rose gold simple human can instead.

[Anonymous]

Spice drawer

Enough drawers for dinnerware storage

A real pantry - or enough cabinet space for all your food to be put away and not live on the countertops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under cabinet lights.

Drawers below counter.

We had a built in trash/recycling drawer in one house, hated that there's no lid on the trash bin and it's not hands free. So for our next kitchen we did forgo that and got a nice rose gold simple human can instead.

We have a trash/recycling drawer that opens when you you push it. Ikea. Requires installing an outlet behind the cabinet. It's awesome.

I agree with under cabinet lights and drawers below counters, also like our narrow cabinet for baking sheet storage next to the stove. Make sure your stove has a vent hood that vents outside if you can. We have cabinets to the ceiling to maximize storage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under cabinet lights.

Drawers below counter.

We had a built in trash/recycling drawer in one house, hated that there's no lid on the trash bin and it's not hands free. So for our next kitchen we did forgo that and got a nice rose gold simple human can instead.

We JUST finished a kitchen renovation. I second the drawers - omg, game changer. I wish we had done more drawers. We now put our plates and bowls in a drawer right next to the dishwasher and everyone loves it (we have two kids who now have no excuse to empty dishwasher/set table/etc).

The undercabinet lights are beautiful.

We have trash in a cabinet and I actually really like it - we didn't have anywhere else to put the trash can. We installed an automatic trash opener so it's hands free - you just lightly tap with your knee or toe and it opens. The cans are a little smaller than a stand alone can, but it just means our trash doesn't get as stinky because we take it out a little more often (which my husband was actually glad about).

[Anonymous]

OP here—yes we rented a place once with dishes in drawers, which was a dream. We’ll definitely be doing that. Hidden trash would be nice. We don’t have a cover on our trash anyway because we compost so our trash isn’t so gross anyway. I’m not sure if we’re going for cabinets or open shelves. But will keep the under cabinet lights in mind.

Any ideas about storage for small appliances? We have them on the top shelf of our nearby coat closet right now, which is less than ideal.

[Anonymous]

We just moved to a new apartment with a large pantry with deep, sturdy shelves. We’ve only been here a week, but it’s working really well to have appliances I sometimes use (toaster, blender, instapot) on very low shelf (like ankle level) and things I rarely use on the highest level. All the mid-level is pantry / storage.

A friend redid her kitchen and really regrets not making the window deep enough for plants and other items.

[Anonymous]

warming drawer - best appliance in the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Order your appliances NOW, stuff is taking forever (and has crappy parts when it does come).

- Currently waiting on a replacement for our brand new microwave, which died after 2 months. Replacement due to arrive in May.

[Anonymous]

Outlets galore. More than you would ever think you need.

[Anonymous]

I thought a pasta faucet was silly at first but I’ve grown to really like it.

[Anonymous]

I don't think undercabinet lighting is a necessity. I often think it looks cheesy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think undercabinet lighting is a necessity. I often think it looks cheesy.

I love mine. I turn it on in the evening when I want light in the kitchen but don't want the overheads on. It's fantastic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here—yes we rented a place once with dishes in drawers, which was a dream. We’ll definitely be doing that. Hidden trash would be nice. We don’t have a cover on our trash anyway because we compost so our trash isn’t so gross anyway. I’m not sure if we’re going for cabinets or open shelves. But will keep the under cabinet lights in mind.

Any ideas about storage for small appliances? We have them on the top shelf of our nearby coat closet right now, which is less than ideal.

We have an appliance garage for our stand mixer and food processor, similar to this: https://wood-mode.com/styles/storage/appliance-garage/. (Search “appliance garage”—you’ll find tons of options.) It’s fantastic—but its utility for us is tied to the fact that it sits on the counter where we cook/bake. So we open the garage, slide out the appliance, use it, slide it back in. It’s nice to have them hidden, but I don’t think that alone makes it worthwhile; it’s that we don’t have to lift/schlep heavy appliances from one place to another.

Agree with others about under-counter lighting, spice drawer, pantry space, narrow cabinet for baking sheets, and low drawers. We bake a lot and have a big, deep drawer where we keep all of our baking stuff, under the counter where the appliance garage is. It’s so convenient.

Also love our roll-out drawers for pots and pans and other heavy things.

I’m also a big fan of a wide, deep, single sink. Ours is part of a fabricated stainless counter, with drain board, all one piece. It makes cleaning so easy.

[Anonymous]

Immediate PP here, and I’d just add—layout is huge. Are you using a designer? If not, consider it. So much of what I described loving is the result of a kitchen designer who understood how we used our kitchen and made smart layout decisions.