10 Storage Solutions for Kitchens With Character
A perfectly designed kitchen cupboard is a wonderful thing, but so, too, are these clever alternative storage solutions for your cookery kit
Jo Simmons
31 March 2016
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
Kitchens are all about storage, but it can become rather predictable: think rows of built-in cupboards and wall cabinets, with an emphasis on practicality over personality. So how can your cook space ingeniously accommodate kit, utensils, ingredients and more while also looking original and exciting? This pick of 10 great solutions offers some fresh ideas and a great deal of storage eye-candy, too!
Love a larder
The larder is huge news in kitchen storage and for very good reason. While a conventional base unit requires you to get down on your knees with a head torch to find that last tin of beans, anything stored within a tall larder is visible and accessible.
Typically fitted with drawers, racks, baskets and even lighting, and doing valiant service even when slender in width, there’s little to dislike about a larder. Even if you don’t own one, there’s still joy to be had in admiring and aspiring to one.
The larder is huge news in kitchen storage and for very good reason. While a conventional base unit requires you to get down on your knees with a head torch to find that last tin of beans, anything stored within a tall larder is visible and accessible.
Typically fitted with drawers, racks, baskets and even lighting, and doing valiant service even when slender in width, there’s little to dislike about a larder. Even if you don’t own one, there’s still joy to be had in admiring and aspiring to one.
Repurpose a hanger
Tea towels go over the radiator or are looped on a cupboard or oven door handle, right? Wrong! You can hang them on a hanger that is hanging on the wall! Original, quirky, inexpensive storage.
Tea towels go over the radiator or are looped on a cupboard or oven door handle, right? Wrong! You can hang them on a hanger that is hanging on the wall! Original, quirky, inexpensive storage.
Create an island library
Keen home chefs accumulate many cook books over the years, but where to store them? Due to their proximity to the cooking coalface, they can become scruffy and grease-spattered, too, so perhaps don’t suit being displayed prominently.
How about this, though: neat shelves on the end of an island? The books are visible – and add colour – without being central to the scheme and they are easy to grab when searching for a recipe.
See ideas for making your kitchen table the heart of your home
Keen home chefs accumulate many cook books over the years, but where to store them? Due to their proximity to the cooking coalface, they can become scruffy and grease-spattered, too, so perhaps don’t suit being displayed prominently.
How about this, though: neat shelves on the end of an island? The books are visible – and add colour – without being central to the scheme and they are easy to grab when searching for a recipe.
See ideas for making your kitchen table the heart of your home
Scale up
A larder that’s also a breakfast station is sure to set any storage fanatic’s pulse racing. This is perhaps the ultimate piece of kitchen furniture – something most of us can only dream of.
It combines oodles of storage and a dedicated space to prepare tea and toast, too. You can then stand and gaze at your neatly arranged shelves while you munch on your sliced granary. Life doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
A larder that’s also a breakfast station is sure to set any storage fanatic’s pulse racing. This is perhaps the ultimate piece of kitchen furniture – something most of us can only dream of.
It combines oodles of storage and a dedicated space to prepare tea and toast, too. You can then stand and gaze at your neatly arranged shelves while you munch on your sliced granary. Life doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
Carve out space for a board Chopping boards and trays are sizable, often heavy pieces that benefit from a dedicated home – a home like these two compartments incorporated into a run of units. It’s such a simple little storage detail, but so invaluable. Want that!
Ditch convention
This pale and unpretentious kitchen may not be to a neat freak’s taste, but there is something to be admired in its anything-goes approach to storage.
Superficially cluttered it may appear to be, but I suspect its owner knows exactly where everything is and that all the essentials are within a quick grab from the cooker.
See whether any of these 10 things neat freaks know to be true chime with you
This pale and unpretentious kitchen may not be to a neat freak’s taste, but there is something to be admired in its anything-goes approach to storage.
Superficially cluttered it may appear to be, but I suspect its owner knows exactly where everything is and that all the essentials are within a quick grab from the cooker.
See whether any of these 10 things neat freaks know to be true chime with you
Opt for a lovely long shelf
There’s a growing trend for installing long-length shelves that simply break up a run of units rather than provide essential, workaday storage. They can then become home to beautiful objects, or the odd cookery book or plant, and help to personalise a built-in design and lighten its look.
There’s a growing trend for installing long-length shelves that simply break up a run of units rather than provide essential, workaday storage. They can then become home to beautiful objects, or the odd cookery book or plant, and help to personalise a built-in design and lighten its look.
Hang it high
Making use of vertical space is a smart move in a kitchen, where lots of storage needs to be worked into often quite a small footprint. This space features a metal rack that was probably never intended for a kitchen, but works brilliantly as pan and utensil hanging storage.
It’s fixed quite high up on the wall to reduce the risk of banging a head against a frying pan!
Check out 10 of the best small kitchen solutions
Making use of vertical space is a smart move in a kitchen, where lots of storage needs to be worked into often quite a small footprint. This space features a metal rack that was probably never intended for a kitchen, but works brilliantly as pan and utensil hanging storage.
It’s fixed quite high up on the wall to reduce the risk of banging a head against a frying pan!
Check out 10 of the best small kitchen solutions
Resist the sleek
Kitchen design often tends towards the sleek, bespoke and efficient, but it can also rock a more edgy, homemade look while still packing in tons of practical storage. So think laterally and use old piping and scaffolding boards to make a shelf, and give your cook space masses of storage and original style at the same time.
Kitchen design often tends towards the sleek, bespoke and efficient, but it can also rock a more edgy, homemade look while still packing in tons of practical storage. So think laterally and use old piping and scaffolding boards to make a shelf, and give your cook space masses of storage and original style at the same time.
Add a twist to the typical
Kitchen storage needs to be well designed and abundant enough to hold everything from mugs to Marmite. But really great kitchen storage fulfils this need while adding a twist of unique style.
These gorgeous cupboards are basic, glass-fronted cabinets, but tiling the interior wall of each adds detail and interest, and contributes to this kitchen’s industrial feel.
TELL US…
From furniture to simple hooks or shelves, what are your favourite pieces of kitchen storage? Let us know in the Comments below.
Kitchen storage needs to be well designed and abundant enough to hold everything from mugs to Marmite. But really great kitchen storage fulfils this need while adding a twist of unique style.
These gorgeous cupboards are basic, glass-fronted cabinets, but tiling the interior wall of each adds detail and interest, and contributes to this kitchen’s industrial feel.
TELL US…
From furniture to simple hooks or shelves, what are your favourite pieces of kitchen storage? Let us know in the Comments below.
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Lovely feature team Houzz! We love creating clever kitchen solutions, check out our unique liquid bronze larder. Full details on our blog
Love this metal larder combined with the vintage.
Kids would love to play in that metal larder. It looks like a space ship.