Kitchen Drawers

Les — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:56:27 +0000

There are never enough kitchen drawers in any kitchen. Kitchen cabinet designs have made many innovative adjustments that allow for cookie sheet cabinets, cabinets with built-in lazy susans and cabinets with shelves to be used as pantries. These designs allow for one drawer on the top of the cabinet closest to the kitchen counter. While these drawers are usually wide and can be ordered with drawer dividers to separate silverware or other kitchen items, most people like the idea of having a stack of drawers to replace a cabinet as one of the options in their kitchen design.
A stack of kitchen cabinet drawers is very useful to store items like wax paper, aluminum foils and storage bags. A useful adaptation of a stack of usually four drawers is to have a top drawer and a divided cabinet underneath with a top open shelf for added height to store kitchen utensils and a bottom cabinet that can be used for things like large bottles and kitchen supplies. Newer kitchen designs have come up with ways of actually using what used to be wasted space in large bottom kitchen cabinets. There are reasons for needing a stack of drawers besides just keeping kitchen supplies needed for cooking like cooking bags and foils.
Smaller kitchen items that can get lost in large top of the counter cabinets can be easily accessed if stored in a kitchen drawer that can take many smaller cooking products as well as things that don’t require refrigeration but would be difficult to reach in a top cabinet that is usually used for larger cans and boxes of foods. The typical kitchen usually has two mandatory cabinets underneath the counter. One is to be used for silverware and the other for kitchen towels. The drawer closest to the sink is usually the drawer that is used for keeping kitchen towels. The drawer closest to the kitchen table is usually the one that is divided or can be installed with a silverware divider to hold silverware.
But many households do not like their large cooking utensils like ladles and metal food turners, potato mashers and the like displayed on hooks underneath their top kitchen cabinets. A stack of drawers lets the cook know where her cooking utensils are easily and can be kept out of the clutter that usually accumulates on counter tops. Benjamin Franklin wrote “a place for everything and everything in its place”. That saying could very easily be the motto for choosing a stack of drawers to replace one bottom cabinet.
Another reason is one of aesthetics. Kitchen drawers are visually appealing. The break or contrast from the cabinet to the counter and the addition of drawers to utilize space that would be wasted in long bottom cabinets is functional and also practical. The usual addition of a space shelf inside bottom cabinets can be annoying for taller kitchen items. Keeping most of the length of the bottom cabinet but including the top kitchen drawers even on top of narrow bottom cabinets is visually appealing and allows for extra storage that is always welcome in anybody’s kitchen.

Affordable Ideas For Kitchen Door and Drawers

Les — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:54:25 +0000

If your kitchen has become tired and outdated and you would love to remodel those kitchen door and drawers of your kitchen cabinets but think it’s just to expensive…think again. There are fantastic ways to update that are surprisingly affordable and will make a dramatic difference.

The first step is to determine how you want your kitchen to look as well as what the budget will allow. If you are unsure about what type or style of design changes you want to make, start by looking at design magazines, books or periodicals.

While browsing, make note of the colors and cabinet styles that catch your eye. Either jot down these favorite indicators or, if allowable, tear out the images and create a visual cork board type collection of your selections. This will provide a general design direction as you begin your kitchen updating.

Most of the current publications will also provide some form of price indicators to help determine if the design choices will fit into the budgeted allowances.

Next, learn quality indicators to ensure you are getting the best kitchen cabinets money can buy by knowing what to look for. You see, there are two ways to buy cabinets: custom or ready made. Do not assume that the ready made will lack the quality of custom nor should you assume the custom cabinets will be the better choice if you don’t know what to look for.

Key quality features available in both custom or DIY cabinets are:

Dove tailed joints rather than stapled joints, particularly in the drawers.

Grooved and glued constructed drawers rather than stapled.

Mortised hinges that are fitted to the doors.

Drawer sides should be 1/2″ to 3/4″ in thickness with 3/4″ frames over all.

Consistent finish on all cabinet fronts and kitchen drawers particularly with the stock cabinets found in home supply stores. The method of mass production can often result in unmatched staining results. Inspect each box that comes with your order to ensure consistent coloring.

If, on the other hand, a major remodeling job is not quite what you are ready for, there are some simple yet powerful ways to update kitchen doors and drawers without major and expensive changes. Consider these just for starters:

Change the appearance of your kitchen cabinets by painting, replacing door panels with glass, replacing the old pulls and hinges with modern styles or hiring a professionals to reface the front surfaces of your cabinets. Adding crown moulding and trim to the top and bottom of the cabinets is also a simple but effective way to create a more customized look in your kitchen.

However you choose to remodel your cabinet kitchen door and drawers, be assured that any level of updating will add to the overall equity of your home as well create a more inviting cooking environment.

Get Organized with Kitchen Cabinet Drawers

Les — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:56:01 +0000

Getting the kitchen organized is easy with kitchen cabinet drawers. No matter how beautiful or tastefully decorated the kitchen, it is hard to be efficient in an organizational nightmare. If there is a jumbled mess of housewares and canned goods behind those exquisite cabinet doors, it makes finding the right implement or ingredient an extra chore. There is a handy solution to kitchen cabinet storage problems.

The kitchen cabinet drawer is a practical answer to straightening out the disorder in kitchen cabinets. These handy devices are drawers that pull all the way out of the cabinet and provide orderly storage. Many are engineered to hold up to 50 pounds, so won’t sag with normal use.

Some of them are styled like shelves or very shallow drawers and are good for storing pots, pans and lids. They fit where the cabinet shelves normally are and slide all the way out to display every item they contain. This is a boon to anyone who has physical problems bending down to hunt through the cabinet searching for the right lid for the pan. This modification to existing cabinets prevents back and knee pain.

Canned goods and boxes are easily arranged in these kitchen drawers. The whole drawer slides out, bringing the contents from the very back of the cabinet directly into view. No longer is it necessary to pull all the cans out to see what’s at the back of the cupboard. It’s easy to see, at a glance, what that cabinet holds. This saves much time when getting ingredients together to prepare a meal. It’s also not difficult to see what staples need to be added to the grocery list.

It’s surprising how much room these simple, slide-out drawers free up in overcrowded cabinets. They are excellent organizational aids for pantry shelves. Creating a baking center is simple. One drawer can hold all the baking supplies and another can store all the baking pans.

These drawers will find a use in other rooms of the house too. The laundry room will look much neater with all supplies neatly tucked away. Bathrooms generally don’t have easily accessible storage space for the many items that belong in that room.

These kitchen cabinet drawers and doors will make any cupboards look almost as good with the doors open as with them closed. They give a clean, well ordered appearance, and make the kitchen or bath look well cared for. They might even find their way out to the garage, workshop or basement to manage the clutter in those areas. It’s easy to install these drawers to store paint cans and tools and will help the garage remain tidy. There are plenty of possibilities that give these versatile drawers a place in any part of the house.

Renovating Kitchen Drawers

Les — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:04:45 +0000

When renovating the home, it is not always the big jobs that can transform a room, sometimes just changing or altering the detailing in the room can make a big difference. Sometimes just subtle changes can completely change a room. In the kitchen this is no different. In this room people often think about re-tiling or buying a new appliance – all big jobs and expensive ones too. One of the most effective details to change which can dramatically alter the look of the room is the hardware on the kitchen drawers. I am talking about the kitchen drawer pulls and cabinet knobs. If these look new and complement the overall design and style of the kitchen they can add that final touch that turns your kitchen from looking good to great. It is also such a simple bit of DIY to do as well. If the hardware does not match it can really alter the look of the kitchen for the worst.

Many people will repaint, re-varnish or install completely new cupboard doors but simply put their old hardware back on. All that work ruined – all it achieves is downgrading all that hard work you have done. The new, clean looking kitchen cabinet drawers and cupboard faces look simply downgraded. Installing new knobs onto your cabinets is such a quick and easy job to do.

First you need to find a source and buy them. All home depot stores contain an abundance of cabinet hardware and you’ll often be overwhelmed with what to buy. Sometime a huge choice is not a good thing. One way to help you with your choice is to look at kitchens in magazines and online to find similar kitchens and styles to what you have in yours. Then take a look at the drawer and cabinet pulls and make a note of what they look like. Also visiting furniture stores where they have kitchens set up is a good source of ideas and inspiration. Another place to find kitchen cabinet hardware is online. Going to a site like Amazon and searching for cabinet pulls will bring up a huge array of styles and finishes. One small note – the finish is important – an antique or brass look should be left for traditional kitchens and chrome or silver for more modern looking kitchens.

So, now you’ve decided on your style you need to measure the distance between the holes on your existing hardware. When you go to buy the new ones they will give you the centre to centre diameter. You will need to buy pulls with the same centre to centre distance as the ones you already have. Some pulls have only one hole and so this is no problem as all similar pulls with one hole will fit. Each pull will normally cost between 2 to 5 dollars. Make sure you order enough! If you find that you cannot get the same size pulls and you are planning on painting your cabinets, you can easily fill in the old holes with a wood putty and paint over them. It is then straight forward to drill new holes at the correct size and distance apart.

This simple idea will make your kitchen drawers and cabinets look like new and will transform the whole look of your kitchen.

Zen of Kitchen Drawers!

Les — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:12:35 +0000

At one time, the kitchen was purely a place where food was prepared and where we occasionally ate. Nowadays, however, it has become the hub of the house and has such has acquired many uses and as a result become a repository for all our junk. Anything from keys, to books, to backpacks are commonly found in the kitchen. One area that is a magnet for kitchen clutter is the kitchen drawers. Open most kitchen cupboard drawers and you will be faced with an array of junk, often to the point where they are unusable and any item that should be in their is now usually stored on the kitchen worktops, leading to disorganization and an untidy look.

So we need to look at re-organizing the kitchen, getting rid of some of this junk and freeing up the humble kitchen drawers and using them for their intended purpose. First of all, we need to tidy up the work surfaces. Look at all the equipment lying around and ask yourself, do I really need this? Items such as bread-makers, juicers and mixers that, although you would like to use regularly, in reality do not get used often. These should be stored away in a cupboard or, if you do not use them at all, sell them.

Take a look in your kitchen cabinets, and any items you do not use more than once a month, place them into a container to be stored away, together in one cupboard or cabinet.

The next is the kitchen drawers – empty all the contents out onto the work tops and begin to sort. For the drawers nearest the stove, put all the utensils in their that you would use for cooking. These include, stirrers, wooden spoons, oven mitts etc. When emptying the drawers, you will often find items that you either never use or have not used them for years. Get rid of them – you don’t need them! Selling them is a good option, especially on a site like eBay. With the money you could buy new items to replace the old, broken utensils that you do use regularly. Not only are you getting rid of junk but you are updating your kitchen at the same time.

You will find a lot of items that just don’t belong in the kitchen. Move them out and put them away in their rightful place. I often use separate drawers for various, such as a drawer for serving items such as napkins, napkin rings and table mats or a drawer for baking items. In that way I know where to go to straight away to find a particular item. It makes cooking a breeze and less stressful.

De-cluttering is actually a good exercise to free up space and it also, surprisingly, helps clear the mind. I like to think of it as the Zen of Kitchen Drawers – try it, you’ll like it.