Find out who did this new kitchen. Was it a local cabinet maker or kitchen showroom? It's possible to have some of the doored cabinets retrofitted as drawers instead, but you will need a cabinet person who knows what he's doing along with ordering new drawer fronts and some fillers or stock to create the rails for the frame. It is very very difficult to retrofit a susan into an existing cabinet because the circumference is larger than the door will allow access for to insert. If you are going to be doing new counters, that is the time the cabinet maker can do this from the top after removing some of the support. He'll need to reinstall the bracing after he's done to keep the counter supported.

Sounds about like every kitchen I've ever had until now, except nicer what with pullouts and all. We've all had to make do with a lot worse and ugly too. The trend for lower drawers has only been recent, how did you survive up until now?

Sorry, I don't really mean to be snarky there but "designed by someone on drugs"? It sounds like a very common kitchen design with some nicely upgraded aesthetics to me. Perhaps some pictures?

BTW, pullouts aren't the end of the world compared to drawers. They both serve the same basic function and the pullouts might even be height adjustable. They are a little harder to get into of course, but you can use them just like a drawer so I'm not sure what you need to compensate for? I'd suggest living with what you've got for a while before deciding to drop a bunch of cash into changing it.

I agree with live_wire_oak that drawers can be retrofitted by a competent cabinet maker, IF you can match the finish.

In short, I guess I'm with your husband on this one, but if it matters to you enough to go through the headache of fixing it all then by all means, we can try to help you with that too!

I have to say that I'm with grumpydave on this one. Sounds like you have a very nice kitchen there that you really like....except the drawers. Is that the end of the world? I don't think so. Honestly, if you never spent any time here, you probably would never know about the "drawer" thing. Live with what you have for a while, make it work for you rather than fight against it.

I have a close friend who JUST reno'd her kitchen. She was ripping everything out and starting from scratch. I highly recommended she incorporate some large drawer bases in her design. Nope, she was happy with the design/layout she already had which was from the '80's and basically swapped out cabinet for cabinet.... go figure. Her kitchen is completed now and she is very happy with what she has, but she also does not spend any time here to be influenced otherwise.

If you just moved in I would ask the realtor to contact the previous owners and ask them who did the cabinets. Have them come out and give you options for adding the functionality you want.

BTW, if you really feel the need to have "drawers" for storing things that might overflow the short sides of a pullout, go down to the Container Store and find some plastic bins that fit your pullouts. Put the bins on the pullout, put the stuff in the bins. The added benefit is that you can remove a bin and place it on the counter when you need to use the contents for a while.

I recently bought several cases of bins in various sizes and I use them EVERYWHERE. I wish I had done that years ago. The key for general usage is to have enough of them on hand that you never hesitate to use one no matter how trivial the need might be.

Of course you can also get prettier ones than these if you want but they'll be hidden away in your cabinets.

Adding in a lazy susan and remaking a couple of cabinets as drawer will not be cheap. The labor will be what's costly here, but unless you have a good set of woodworking skills, you need a cabinet professional (NOT a "carpenter") to do the job. 2-3K for labor and materials. Yes, 2-3K "just" for what you've said. You have to deconstruct the cabinets and reconstruct them and get everything to match. I personally wouldn't even replace the counters yet. Live with it a while to decide which cabinets would work better as drawers and if you really need the super susan and what color counters might actually work.

Have you seen these foldable lazy susans? They are designed with hinges and can be inserted into corner cabinets, and then unfolded...
Looks easy but I have no idea how nice they are

Here is a link that might be useful: Folding lazy susan

Does the corner base cabinet have stationary shelves? If so, would it be possible to install rotating shelves on them, thus creating a "super susan"? Something like this...

I do agree, though, that most people are "clueless" about drawers...even KDs. I'm starting to see more drawers in our area when I visit showrooms, but for the most part, "regular" people (i.e., non-TKO/non-Kitchens) don't know any better. So, I don't think the original owner was "on drugs" or anything else...they just didn't know any better and probably assumed any KD they used knew what they were doing (in many cases, a bad assumption - most so-called KDs are really just cabinet salespeople w/no KD training or real design experience! Note: not all are bad, but most that I have seen are. We have some of the good ones on Kitchens!)

Other than the lack of drawers & decent storage options for the corner cabinets, how is the layout? Is it functional?

bythesea... Why don't you post some pics of your kitchen so we can see?

I'm using some bins also. I bought some 'dish pan' type bins at the $ store to use in my bathroom linen 'closet' (not much of a closet! only about 15" wide). I plan to put large bottle items in one (rubbing alcohol, peroxide), wash cloths/hand towels in another (and another shelf). will put things very, very seldom used/or duplicates) in a bin on the very top shelf. Dog shampoo etc in a bin on the very bottom shelf.

I've also gone to goodwill to look for old trays to buy cheap to put on other cabinet shelves to put things on. Then I can just slide the tray out to see what's at the back.
And I plan to buy some fridge 'pull out' trays for in there. hopefully that'll help to NOT lose things in the back of it too! (search amazon) Some things like an old style egg bin or ice bin will also work, as will some long plastic divider bins at places like W that they sell for flatware /utensil storage.

They also make pull down shelves for upper cabs (your upper corner?). I saw one for spices like that at W last week.

Lots of people still don't know to put drawers in - or they know they can but just don't want to. They don't realize how much more convenient they'd be since they've never had them and probably don't know anyone who does.

LS - google search for after market LS. I think I saw some out there last week. Probably more expensive tho.

maybe the doors could be used as a front for a pull out - with an additional pull out drawer inside?

You may be able to find a cabinet maker that can convert
your doors into drawers.

I have more doors in my kitchen than drawers but we
have something like the picture below. Desertsteph had
a similar idea.

Can't wait to see your lovely kitchen.
~boxer

I put both drawers and rollouts in my new house and in a previous remodel, and chose each for different reasons, as have others who have read this forum and "know better", and are not on drugs. I put 3 rollouts in some cabinets under the standard 6" high drawer. The cabinets came with two, but I ordered an extra one for most of the cabinets. In my remodeled kitchen, which was small with no pantry, I put 4 rollouts in one cabinet so I could lay down canned and boxed goods--worked great. Kraftmaid makes standard size rollouts that can be ordered at any time, but I remember seeing them made by someone else and sold on the internet a while back, and these cost less.

Rollouts generally come in three types: shallow sides which are great for pans and baking dishes, high backs if there's something that might fall backwards--like small lightweight plastic containers, and all sides high like in boxerpup's first picture above. I especially like rollouts for pots & pans, because they can be put at different heights and there's a little more space in the usable width, since the lip of the pan is not confined as it would be in a drawer with higher sides.

Anne

I think the question is to unload all your things in your kitchen and see what items you truly can't store properly. Then, go to some cabinet showrooms and see what retrofit hardware is available for your specific needs.

Rev-A-shelf has some amazing options. Lee Valley and IKEA are have some great choices too and are more budget oriented.

While I like my big drawers, had I been handed pullouts (and in a lovely kitchen) I would have made them work. If you have an extra $3k, a trip to Hawaii would be more fun.

I'm with you.
I hate crawling around getting into base cabinets and now have drawers.

I also dislike pull-out shelves because there's a door in the way. And it gets banged up, as does the pull-out.

I have no fear about retrofitting stuff (ignorance is bliss, and I don't know I can't do it), so I'd retrofit the bases with drawers. I am already doing that with a Tansu I'm making: a 36" x 12" fridge cabinet is being cut down, the doors removed and a drawer installed. and I'm doing it my own self.

So if I can do this kind of stuff, a pro sure could .

I have homeowners proudly show off their pullouts all the time while I inwardly cringe and think about how much easier drawers would have been.

The pullouts were done by someone who thought that was the best route. It is certainly better than having no pullouts and just cabs with a half shelf over empty space.
If you must, convert them to drawers, but if the kitchen is otherwise nice, just use it for a while and work with it. It is not the end of the world to have pullouts. The glass is half full on that one....

I do like the container idea as I use those for spices that go together in the pantry. I have my most used spices in the spice rack, but there are some that are put away. I group them so that I need to grab one basket and have a couple of spices I need together. I used lots of plastic containers in our old kitchen for tupperware type stuff, lids, potholders, etc... Ikea has some great organizers too.
I prefer the drawers, but if I had had a kitchen that was good enough as is, I'd have saved a bundle and a lot of hassle and gladly kept it! You don't even get perfect when you design the kitchen because there is always something you would tweak after working in it for a while or when your needs/cooking style changes.

Thanks for all the terrific suggestions.
I am not looking to do any major work and don't want to try to retrofit drawers. I am however looking for any easy fixes that can compensate for the lack of drawers and help with the angled corner cabs. Has anyone tried those folding lazy susans suggested by Minty19?

We recently relocated to a new town and new home, and I left behind my dream kitchen which I planned forever and was able to enjoy for two short years (and there were lots of drawers).

I will try to post a picture tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone, and I agree colorfast, I too prefer Hawaii over a few drawers!

Was visiting my aunt, and she didn't have a silverware drawer. All her flatware went in a 4-pocket caddy (not unlike this link, but hers had a big handle in the middle instead of 2 at the sides) that was carried from the kitchen to the dining room for setting the table (or buffet-style off the sideboard more often) or set on the kitchen breakfast bar, or put away in an upper cabinet. Kind of nice to have that flexibility. If this appeals to you at all, could be a nice way to free up a drawer.

Here is a link that might be useful: example of a flatware caddy

I've got bins in my pullouts. They used to hold Legos and train sets and now they hold dish towels and pasta. It's okay. I guess it's how most people live. :P

I've got mostly drawers but have pullouts in our 12" cabinets. While I prefer drawers because they open with one action, it is only a slight difference. Pull outs can be used in a way very similar to drawers. One of our pull out cabinets holds our bottled kitchen supplies: oils, vinegars, etc. We keep the most frequently used bottles (e.g. olive oil and vegetable oil) at the front. To use one of them, on just opens the door and reaches in for them so it is one action. A pull out could even be used for flatware and utensils.

I think that two pull outs per cabinet won't be enough for fully utilizing the cabinet for some things. For our bottled stuff cabinet, it is enough because some of the bottles are quite tall. But for other things 3 or even 4 pullouts would be more useful like the pictures of the cabinets holding dishes above. You might figure out how much tall storage you need and buy some additional pull outs for some of the cabinets.

One advantage of pullouts over drawers is that it is relatively easy to reconfigure the space by changing their heights.

"Positive features are trash pull out, tall pantry with pull out shelves, tray dividers, spice pull out, appliance garage."

The positive features sound VERY NICE. The pull out drawers and pull out shelves serve different purposes. Like the other posters, I think it's a lot easier to use storage containers to organize a pull out shelf than if you had all deep drawers.
I like a mix, I have 1 cab of drawers and 1 of shelves(that's it, one each) and am thrilled not to have stationary shelves anymore !!!
You're maybe missing the kitchen that you designed and left after 2 years just when you had it perfect.

I would recommend getting bins from somewhere other than the toy section of the house. I had a Lego injury today.

For more drawer-like behavior of pullouts, get creative and raise the sides. Pullouts aren't that bad if (a) you use them for things that stay put or (b) you do something to make things stay put.

Doors (with or without pullouts) give a nice uniform look to a kitchen. Drawers are great but you get by without them. I've been using pullouts instead of drawers for 6 or 7 months and I'm okay with them. They don't bug me anymore.

Look for the grippy mechanic's tool chest drawer liner stuff. It's designed to hold on to heavy tools when the drawers are opened and not let it shift around. You can also make some of your own custom sized inserts with some birch plywood, a can of poly and a brush, and a plain old circular saw. If you have a straight edge and a clamp to make a guide to keep your lines straight, it's a bonus. You'll be dealing with small enough pieces that a bit of a curve over the length won't really show. A couple of notch cuts where you want the two boards to intersect, and they'll go together like two "U's" lock together. Clear coat them before you put them together as it's easier that way. A $40 sheet of plywood can go a VERY long way in your kitchen cut up in this manner.