Having been in the Custom Kitchen business for many years it’s been interesting to observe how storage trends have changed over time. For decades most all kitchens have had both upper and lower cabinetry, and then typically an island or peninsula to add some workspace counter to the room. Remember the 90’s when everyone started realizing we should have more drawers in the kitchen? Perhaps we just started accumulating more kitchen items… must be due to all the Tupperware sold in our region! LOL.
For seemingly forever kitchens would have drawers only right under the counter and then have doors with shelving below. As years passed some folks would retrofit pull out shelves into these areas to get easier access to the lower cabinetry, this I believe started a shift in thinking resulting in more drawers being the new idea. At first, even in new kitchens homeowners opted to go with pull out shelves in their base cabinets rather than banks of drawers… then as time passed and drawer slide hardware improved, we’ve come to realize that banks of drawers are more convenient, after all, why open doors first only to then pull out a shelf! We could just make it all regular drawers… what a radical idea! Believe it or not, this did not catch on right away… It really changed the appearance of your lower cabinetry, sometimes change is hard!
Now we’re in 2024, what storage methods are changing now? Sometimes change is hard to see! Perhaps that is because the change is happening behind closed drawers! I’ve been in the custom kitchen design – Manufacturing business since I was in Diapers. Never have I seen so many amazing functional features as available today! Today with technology people can share idea’s online, we get to see everyone else’s ideas by spending only a few minutes on Pinterest! Not only that, but the hardware options for more functional storage have also become impressive!
Here is the main change I see happening in the Pembina Valley Kitchen throughout 2024.
Better organization features within small spaces. With costs of housing becoming a real challenge in our region there has been an increase in demand for better organization within smaller kitchen spaces. As I get to spend many hours with clients designing their kitchens we routinely spend time planning what will be stored within each cabinet. It is becoming common to have a detailed plan for the contents of each drawer and shelf. Some kitchens we are building now hardly have a “normal” drawer in them, many times every single drawer will be outfitted with some type of organizational layout to optimize its use for the homeowner.
Here is a list of features we’re finding increasingly common in a Sunvalley kitchen.
1. Pullout Waste & Recycling bins. (Many sizes available)
2. Custom made cutlery and utensils organizers. Typically with a rubber drawer liner underneath. (Any shape/configuration can be built)
3. Spice organizers. Both for drawers and upper cabinetry.
4. Flour and Sugar Drawers. Often built with two or three Tupperware bins inside.
5. Knife Blocks integrated into cutlery organizers.
6. Bottle storage drawers. Custom made for your specific needs! Great for oils, vinegars or spirits!
7. Tea bag organizers. Much like custom cutlery trays, we'll build organizers for storage of tea bags/boxes.
8. Junk drawer dividers. Custom made, great for tidying a cluttered drawer!
9. Pullout cutting boards. At times these are paired up with a pullout waste bin!
10. Mixer lifts. Mixer lifts are great for aging in place! Often paired with a pullout shelf in the bottom of the cabinet.
11. Peg drawers for storing plates/bowls.
12. Pot and pan drawer dividers. These are custom built with any configuration you desire!
13. Toaster drawers.
At Sunvalley Cabinets we are dedicated to crafting customized spaces for your lifestyle! As we navigate evolving storage trends and hardware options we are committed to providing functionality within tighter spaces. We ensure to design and build your cabinetry with purposeful features behind your doors and drawers. When the time comes for your kitchen to undergo a transformation remember that Sunvalley Cabinets is here to turn your dreams into a reality, one custom drawer at a time. Your kitchen deserves the perfect blend of innovation and practicality.
Cheers,
Steve Elias
Sunvalley Cabinets