Drawers or Doors? Tips on Configuring Kitchen Cabinets

The style, design and configuration of kitchen cabinets and drawers is one of the most important decisions a homeowner has to make when it comes to kitchen remodeling. The outcome can mean the difference between a kitchen that functions smoothly, and one in which it’s hard to find stored items.

While most traditional kitchens have a full set of upper and lower cabinets with a few drawers, there are several benefits to replacing more of your lower cabinets with drawers. In the end, it’s all about finding the right balance.

The Benefits of Kitchen Drawers

• Ease of access. Lower cabinets are typically about two feet deep. This can be a problem when it comes time to retrieve what you’re looking for. Items tend to get lost in the dark recesses of lower cabinets, meaning you have to awkwardly crouch or kneel and pull out everything in the front to find what’s in back. The solution to this annoying problem is to replace some of the lower cabinets with drawers. Utensils, pots, and pans can be situated in drawers near the stove, while mixing bowls and other cooking supplies can be conveniently located near the prep area.
• Increased efficiency. Another problem that’s common with the typical lower kitchen cabinet is the amount of “dead” space, those hard-to-reach areas where you don’t store anything because the space is so difficult to get to. Install drawers in these areas, however, and you’ll be able to use 100% of your storage space.
• Improved organization. If your kitchen storage space is mainly composed of cabinets, you know that the big, boxy areas under the lower ones can be hard to keep organized. This often results in chaotic piles of cookware and other kitchen essentials. With kitchen drawers, you can easily utilize handy dividers that will make organizing everything much easier.

The Benefits of Kitchen Cabinets

• There’s a reason why the majority of kitchens still predominantly use traditional lower cabinets with doors instead of drawers: the cost. With more hardware and more materials necessary to create drawers strong enough to hold heavy pots, pans and glassware, drawers typically have a higher cost as compared to cabinet doors.
• Storing tall items. If you have appliances that you only use on occasion, you’re not going to want them cluttering up your countertop. Try storing them under the counter instead. Whether they’re tall or big and bulky, under-counter cabinetry gives you plenty of room to store almost any item.
• Vertical storage. If you’re like most people, you have a big stack of baking sheets and pans crammed into the drawer under your stove. These types of items actually store well vertically; simply set them upright in one of your cabinets, along with things like trays, muffin tins, and cutting boards. You can even add a few dowel rods to further separate them.

If you’re looking for an honest, reliable remodeling company to help you modernize your kitchen with some convenient new kitchen drawers, look no further than Callen. Call Callen today at 414-765-2585 and one of our experienced professionals will be happy to answer any questions and set up your FREE no-obligation consultation.