The Functional Kitchen

By: Brent Hanson

Over time the kitchen has gone from a place to prepare food to one that hosts most all of our everyday activities. It’s where families come together to share news about their day, where friends gather to reconnect, and where many of us find ourselves multi-talking our lives at any hour of the day. As the use of the kitchen changed so did the way it needs to be set-up in order to accomplish all we want to while there. Thinking outside of the box and taking into consideration the space you have to work with while planning can help create a space that is not only functional but also beautiful.

Look for the small under-utilized spaces in your kitchen and determine if they can be turned into usable space. I’ve seen great pull out storage for the small spaces often left near the refrigerator. Storing spices and canned goods in something such as this can free up valuable cupboard space for other items.

Mise En Place, putting in place, is a French term that is an effective practice in creating home kitchens. I recently saw a great solution for the area around the sink using desk organizers like this:

The same idea is demonstrated by this custom designed drawer perfect for containing all of the plastic containers and their lids.

Another great way to redefine space is by re-purposing a tension rod to create a more usable set-up. Using a tension rod in the kitchen cupboard can maximize that space and keep it organized.Or can turn an ordinary cupboard or cabinet into a sleek storage space designed specifically for your storage needs.

Or can turn an ordinary cupboard or cabinet into a sleek storage space designed specifically for your storage needs.

It doesn’t matter if you are looking for solutions to the typical kitchen needs or working to maximize the space for your personal needs; creating a kitchen you love to be in and one that offers space for all types of activities will pay off in the end with a room you never want to leave.