Adding to Your Kitchen Addition

No matter the size or age of the kitchen, there never seems to be enough counter or storage space. Get a holiday dinner cooking or a family get-together happening, and the kitchen just never seems big enough. Today’s kitchen additions are not just making the room itself bigger or more spacious, they are providing clever storage solutions and ways to make the best use of space. Ask your custom remodelerfor some ideas specific to your kitchen plans, and look for ideas from design books and custom-built homes. Houzz identified some of these favorites.

Leave room for space-saving and storage-gaining solutions like a pantry or cleaning supplies closet. These obviously must be part of the initial design phase, but they are worth the time and space you’ll commit to them. A walk-in pantry provides storage on three sides of you from floor to ceiling – what can be better than that, especially for larger families? If you just can’t spare the space for a walk-in, consider a pantry cabinet or pantry wall. Both will only take up one wall space, but will give you much-needed storage options. A cleaning supplies closet will also free up other space around the home by consolidating all those pesky and odd-shaped brooms, mops, buckets and cleaners.

Consider adding an extra work station – not a desk or paper catcher area, but a place that can be used for chopping, cutting, mixing and cooking. It is not connected to the main counter areas, so it could either match your current countertop material and cabinetry, or contrast it. Or, if you’re planning a center island, design part of it as a work station. Add built-in storage on all sides of the island to maximize space. Most islands simply provide a countertop and seating area, but with some careful planning yours can do double or triple duty with pull-out drawers, a cook top or grill and drawer space underneath the countertop. Select custom cabinetry built-ins such as knife storage drawers or spice racks to save space on countertops.