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Maximize storage in a small kitchen

Clive Anderson / Maximize storage in a small kitchen

Maximize storage in a small kitchen

Published in April 27th, 2020
custom cabinets

Every bit of space counts in a small kitchen, so look at every wall and surface and strategize about ways to utilize it. A great investment for tiny kitchens are custom cabinets that reach all the way to the ceiling utilizing all the available space. Also if you don’t have a pantry consider buying a custom cabinet, you can place it where it’s convenient and free up your cabinets for other things.

Spots that are often used exclusively for decoration can actually become handy storage. The false drawer under most sinks can be replaced with a tilt-out drawer front that’s great for storing sponges and scrub pads. Even more crafty, having a plinth drawer. Nobody will suspect that’s where your muffin tins are hiding!

Use unexpected storage solutions and mixed materials to liven up a monochromatic kitchen.

Store away with custom cabinets

Keep small appliances off the kitchen counter. Store them together in a kitchen cabinet or pantry. Out of sight means less visual clutter, but things hidden in the cabinet tend to be forgotten. So only store what you will use.

You might want to look st replacing an under hob cabinet with deep pull-out drawers. Stack pans as tidily as possible, grouping like with like. Also consider a mounted pot rack or pegboard system. And designate a shallower drawer for storing the lids.

The kitchen functions at its best when it’s set up in zones. There are five main zones: cooking, preparation, cleaning, storage and food. Everything in your kitchen should fit into one of these five categories. If you have an item that doesn’t fit, it may not belong in the kitchen.

However small or abundant your space may be, there’s no doubt you can make the most of it. This space allows you to express your creativity through decorating, organizing, cooking and baking.

Country / Contemporary Painted Bespoke Furniture

Published in February 18th, 2020
Mirrored paneled fitted wardrobe

Nowadays, with more and more custom-made furniture pieces, it is important to paint them in an appropriate way. Custom-made furniture pieces or any furniture available from the 1950s and 1960s can be painted in a retro way. Meaning that we look back to the time after the Second World War when there was a boom in technology and use of color after years of austerity. English Yellow, Paris Grey and Louis Blue are retro colors, along with Barcelona Orange and Olive.

Alternatively, painting can be modern and architectural where there’s minimal decoration and large slabs of color are used in a room. As well as painting just one wall in a different color to the other walls. Stripes take a more central role in decoration and we have become more and more aware of clear, simple color.

What is your style for your custom-made furniture?

Country style has developed out of practicality, with function definitely coming before style. It is a weathered, worn and natural look. With worn, washed and faded painted wood, limed oak and rough walls. It can appear natural and earthy with whites and neutrals or whites and grays. But it can be quite colorful. With a style that has come straight from the farm.Bold colors, such as strong reds, bright greens and blues suit it well. For your country kitchen, you can chose softer worn and faded colors or bright ones such as pure red. That will add a great touch to your bespoke kitchen.

Take as an example this fitted wardrobe that has been hand painted in graphite. Which is almost black, is not a simple, hard color but a mellow, sophisticated mix. It can be darkened with dark wax or used over a blue color to make it deeper.

Grays in all forms,whether dark and charcoal-like or with a hint of blue or brown. Are synonymous with Swedish interiors. Gray is also used in minimal and retro interiors.

Selecting furniture for your kitchen remodeling

Published in October 25th, 2019
kitchen design

Kitchen design is a booming specialist area in interior design. And due to increased public awareness, is becoming more and more creative and innovative in approach.

An integral part of any kitchen design is the selection of furniture. And a furniture designer can choose between standard size designs or built-in furniture, custom-made. Which can be a good solution when space is at a premium. Solid furniture can be made in soft or hard wood, or MDF, ply, which can then be painted, laminated or given a spray finish.

As with all design, it will be the attention to detail that sets a piece apart. A bespoke design makes the best use of space but can be an expensive option. The furniture designer will generate working drawings for any kitchen design required.

Mixing different woods in the kitchen can be challenging and clients do not always understand that wood itself has a colour. The final choice of furniture design will depend on its practicality in relation to the client’s brief, its style. And whether it will fit and work satisfactorily in the actual space.

<h3>Details and accessories</h3>

Attention to details is a key part of good kitchen design and a great deal of emphasis is placed on the way accessories are used in contemporary interiors. Details such as handles, can appear incongruous if they are not in keeping with the overall scheme. While modest additions such as stylish, good-quality handles can transform a simple piece of furniture.

Wood paneling, panel frames of MDF or tongue and grooves boarding. Can be applied to introduce a particular style to a kitchen design, or manipulate the proportions. As with all the finishes in a decorative scheme, the interplay of texture and light will be a factor in the selection process.

“Design is a continuous learning process, and one should never stop educating the eye through art. travel, books, film and theater.” Constanze von Unruh – designer

Clutter-free surfaces and floors

Published in July 3rd, 2019
bespoke kitchen

In a small kitchen, as much storage as possible should be wall mounted, scribe to ceiling, bespoke cabinetry. Banish surface clutter by putting up a key rack, letter holder and noticeboard. Consider where it might be useful to site a small open shelf or a basket. Installing a floor-to-ceiling bank of minimalist kitchen cabinets squeezes every inch of storage space out of a small room. In a large open-plan room, it helps to create the feel of a living kitchen by downplaying the functional aspects of the area. Bespoke cabinetry comes into its own in an awkward or compact space. If you are remodeling your kitchen, it may be possible to make more significant changes to maximize storage space. There are numerous clever solutions to enable easier access to corner base units, including cabinet carousels and pull-out shelves.

Maximize storage

Tall pull-out larder cupboards are great for squeezing maximum storage value out of a small strip of vertical space. They are so much more useful than ubiquitous built-in wine rack.
The minimalist aesthetic demands that surfaces are kept clear of clutter. Bespoke cabinetry, this means sufficient storage provision for every ingredient, utensil, small appliance and piece of china and cookware. It also means that cleaning is made easier.
When everything is being stored out of sight, easy access is important. Deep drawers are a much more practical option than base unit cupboards, which make it difficult to reach items at the back. This usually involves kneeling on the floor and delving into the depths of the space.

Custom-built storage

Bespoke cabinetry is without a doubt the best choice, as it makes the most of every inch of space and can be designed with flat panels that either slide or push to open. A minimalist interior relies on clutter-free surfaces and floors. If you aren’t naturally tidy, planning a generous amount of built-in storage. Such as tall bespoke cabinetry is the easiest way to achieve this sleek, elegant look.

Kitchen Storage Ideas

Published in May 30th, 2019
bespoke kitchen

When planing kitchen storage, consider the type of cooking you do most often.Generally the busiest room in the house, the kitchen is truly multi-functional. We use it for cooking of course but often also for dining, socializing and doing the laundry. Among other things which means that it has to perform well when it comes to storage. Investing in custom-made kitchens, that can make usage of all the available space. From foodstuffs to detergents and saucepans to cocktail glasses. There is a huge variety of items that either need to be kept readily accessible or hidden from sight.

Kitchen Storage

So that meals can be prepared efficiently, storage for regularly used equipment and ingredients should be allocated close to the working triangle. The zone demarcated by the sink, cooker and refrigerator. This will help to streamline the cooking process, saving time and efforts.
Conversely, items that get only seasonal use – barbecue and picnic equipment, or large serving dishes. Can be stored towards the back of deep cupboards or high shelves. Keep cutlery / flatware, tableware and linens near the dining table. While the laundry basket and detergent belong close to the washing machine. Tea, coffee and sugar should be immediately accessible once you’ve flicked the switch on the kettle.

Custom-made kitchen

Investing in a custom-made kitchen allows pans/ skillets, colanders and other cookware to be kept easily accessible.Store like with like, so that it is easier to find a particular item when you need it. When it comes to storing heavy cookware such as cast-iron casseroles. It is a good idea to keep them stacked on a low shelf, for easier and safer access. If shelves can be sited near to the cooker, all the better.
In order to squeeze maximum storage potential out of a cupboard or wall space. Position shelves as close as possible, or have them adjustable. Without packing them so tightly that it’s difficult to remove items, of course.

New Kitchen

Published in October 17th, 2018
shaker doors kitchen grey

The most expensive home improvement

A new kitchen is about the most expensive home improvement that you can make and probably the quickest way to add value to your home. If you are able to upgrade, put a lot of thought into the planning. Particularly with regard to safety; you need to ensure a clear passage around the room so that carrying hot, heavy pans from the oven or hob to the sink is nor hazardous. If you use a specialist design company be sure to brief them comprehensively as to how you work within the space and what your particular priorities are.

hidden kitchen door shaker grey

Shaker doors

The design of this kitchen has taken into account the fact that it is part of a larger space. Hence has been created a wall with full height cupboards including integrated appliances such as fridge/freezer, double ovens, larder units also a hidden door that takes you into laundry room. It works really well for the space in hand.
white kitchen

White seamless kitchen

This light, airy kitchen is also used as a work space. Which creates even more pressure on the available space. The solution found here is an effective combination of a number of different elements. A majority of closed storage means that almost everything is hidden away when not required. Such as the walk in pantry cupboard or the integrated swing door that takes you to a different room.

Small space

With any kitchen larger than a galley kitchen,it makes sense to give yourself the option of eating in there. In a relatively small space choose a table with a fold-down leaf, which can be stowed back against the wall when not in use to maximise circulation space. Instead of chairs choose long, low benches that can be stored under the table between meals. For a very small space there are tables that fold right back to the wall. But whatever the size of your table it could easily double up as a work surface for household paperwork.

Fitted kitchen for contemporary home

Published in September 10th, 2018
custom-made white kitchen

The kitchen remains the heart of the modern home; not simply a functional are where food is stored, prepared and cooked. But also a social space where the family eat together, talk on the phone, finish homework and entertain friends.Ergonomics should be tempered with atmosphere to ensure that the kitchen not only works well but also remains an appealing room in which to spend time.
With the introduction of the fitted kitchen, now so frequent in the contemporary home, things have become even more streamlined. A well planned, fitted kitchen will answer all of your storage needs. Providing enough organised space for food and drink, cutlery, crockery, pots and pans. It may also include space for extra hi-tech, labour-saving gadgetry, as per our example a pop up plug socket fitted into the kitchen island.

Pop up plug socket

It makes sense to site your larger appliances. The washing machine and tumble dryer and of course the increasingly indispensable dishwasher. Within an overall fitted kitchen, which will often include space for them to be installed. To save extra space and give yourself more storage room in a fitted kitchen, invest in an integrated washer/dryer. In a small house or open-plan apartment choose the quietest models available. So that you can run them at night and still get to sleep. If your kitchen is exposed to your living or dining area. Then think about creating a closed-off utility area for storing the noisier appliances; such as the washing machine and tumble dryer. Also if the open plan kitchen allows you invest in a kitchen island with breakfast bar.We have as an example this great custom kitchen island that we have created and installed in Winchmore Hill.

Kitchen island

kitchen island
The island includes a selection of cupboards, drawer units, pull-out bin unit, Belfast sink, hob and breakfast bar. Cooking and eating should be stimulating, enjoyable activities and not complicated by messy, overloaded worktops, hard labour and out of control cupboards. A streamline kitchen that is hygienic, safe and easy to clean, with well planned storage for all your needs; will tempt you into culinary creativity.

Kitchen spaces

Published in August 16th, 2018
white kitchen

The sort of extension you decide to go with will dictate how much space your new kitchen will have; but as a general rule a single height and side return are often the first steps towards making use of otherwise unused space. And creating the best connection with the garden. The kitchen is still the main selling point of any house. And is also the one area that you will not want to scrimp on when it comes to extending. You have to be practical about your present and future lifestyle demands too.

Open-Plan Living

While open-plan living is so often the ideal you might want to think about incorporating designed zones in your re-imagined space for pantry storage, utilities and media, as well as areas for formal and casual gathering and dining.
It’s incredible what you can fit into a tight kitchen with a bit of clever design. Think about your own lifestyle and design around that. So, if you dislike loud appliances, a laundry room is a must. Or if you’ve a lot of small appliances you might like a walk-in storage space. Even deciding whether you want to eat or cook facing the garden can be a good starting point to evolving your design.
From the moment you open a front door, the value in a house is always in its long view. I want your eye to always run out to the garden. I feel that the join between old and new should be seamless. It shouldn’t matter whether you are in the extension or in the original part of the house, there should be no disconnect or threshold. It should just feel right.

Interior design solutions

Before you embark on any project make sure you have furnished it on plan.With open-plan living you have very few walls. So where do you hang art or put that sideboard? Square spaces can be very difficult to furnish.
Beware of creating over-large areas which you may not use, and also think about the amount of glass you will need. I personally like transparency but it is important to preserve privacy, so remember that large areas of glass will mean large areas of open plan.

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