Choosing Cabinetry to Fit Your Lifestyle
If you’re going through a remodel or building a new home, you’ve already discovered that designing your kitchen is one of the most arduous tasks you’ll encounter. How much space do you need for your Krosswood Shaker style cabinets? How much storage space do you need? What kind of storage would be best? How tall should your upper cabinets be? How wide? So. Much. To. Decide. It can be overwhelming to say the least. So, here are a few questions to ask yourself and some things to consider as you decide on your options.
Calculating Storage Space
The first thing to consider when choosing cabinetry is to determine how much space you need. Here’s a list of questions to help you get thinking:
- How many meals do you actually cook each week?
- Do you love collecting kitchen gadgets?
- Do you utilize the kitchen for more than cooking? What other activities happen there?
- Do you entertain often?
If you do a lot of cooking each week, host dinners regularly, get a kick out of the latest banana or melon slicer, or like to use your nice big countertops for craft or school projects then you may need more storage than someone who uses their kitchen as a place to warm up frozen pizza and Pop Tarts. Storage space needs to reflect real usage, not just the style you like. It’s better to overestimate your needs than to run short of space. But don’t go overboard! If you never do bulk shopping, then you’re not going to need a huge pantry.
Drawers or Doors, High or Low?
Once you have an idea of how much room you’ll need you have some decisions to make about the type of cabinets you want to install. Here are a few things to consider when choosing upper and lower cabinets:
- Wall cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling create a clean line and the illusion of height that can make a small kitchen feel larger.
- Wall cabinets to the ceiling also prevent dust build-up in your home.
- If you love to display collectibles, lower wall cabinets create the perfect space to showcase your items.
- Drawers can be utilized for all kinds of storage, not just kitchen towels or utensils. Pots, pans, foodstuffs, and herbs can be stored in drawers very efficiently.
- Drawers help to contain items that might otherwise get lost in the back of a door cabinet.
- Door cabinets with pull out shelves are a very efficient use of space since nothing is hidden away.
Whether you want high or low wall cabinets, door or drawer cabinets it all comes down to personal choice and usage preference. You’ll find some homeowners who swear that one kind is better than another. If you want to know for yourself, try visiting a big box home improvement store and spend 20 minutes in their kitchen section. Picture yourself following your typical cooking routine. Which cabinet seems to fill your needs better? Go with the option that gives you the most freedom of movement and makes sense with your natural sense of place and direction.
Talk to an Organizer
If you find yourself just getting too frustrated with the entire process and can’t figure out exactly what you need, consider calling an organizational expert. People who make their living helping others make the most out of their space can help you determine the best way to design yours for ease of use, cleaning, and beauty.
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