Trying to be thought-provoking, not argumentative:
Having cabinet above wall oven fitted with dividers which hold most of my pans.
I'd love to use the cabinet above my refrigerator, but I'm just too short. Anyone else who's short, go down to Lowes and try out the sample kitchens before you spend. As for built-in dividers, are these better than the dividers you can buy at Walmart?
fitted with knife holder so that I don't have a knife holder on the counter.
I have a magnetic knife holder mounted under my cabinets -- love it. The knives are invisible but right at hand.
I like having the absolute minimum on counters as they look less cluttered and are easier to wipe down.
Me too -- and clutter invites more clutter.
Absolutely no to pull-out spice racks
I absolutely love my spice storage system ... it's little triangle containers that click together and fit on a couple small lazy susans. They quit making my brand, but Joseph Joseph makes something similar (and more expensive).
Whatever you decide to do with your spices, think through how you're going to use it /whether you're the person who will decant spices into those pretty little matching jars. And if you're a decanter (I am, by the way), consider that you need another plastic tub in an out-of-the-way spot for your extra stuff /not quite empty store bottles.
Not sure what you mean by utensil holder
You definitely need a drawer of some sort next to the stovetop for your spatulas, etc. And a drawer of some sort in your prep area for ... everything.
Something I absolutely love: the pegboard in my walk-in pantry. It holds so many gadgets that I value ... but don't need to keep right next to the cooktop in prime real estate.
It forces you to cull your knives to just the 5 or 6 you need, which is a good thing.
I need to follow your example.
Garage closed to hide all the dogs food and stuff
Generalizing that thought: Think through your specific, unique needs ... and figure out how to meet them.
personally I'd want one skinny one for cutting boards near my prep space, and another for sheet pans by the stove/oven.
In a perfect world, I'd have a Chef's Drawer to hold my most-used sheet pan and cutting boards ... and the lesser-used items would be relegated to the pantry. For example, I rarely use cupcake pans, so it'd make sense to store them in the pantry /leave ample space for the basic sheet pans I use several times a week.
Cabinet handles that stick out.
Adding to that thought: If you get knobs (that attach with just one screw in the middle) they can "spin" ... and that's okay if they're round knobs, but if they're more rectangular, "spinning" is a problem.
recycling pullout
What I really want is a chute in the kitchen wall that'd allow me to toss recycling straight into the outside can. They do make this, but I don't have the right set-up.
Yes to sink tip-out tray for scrubbers.
When I replace my sink, I'd love to add a tip-out (less clutter at the sink), but I'd rather have a farmhouse /apron sink -- very handy for us short people.
Also like having lots of 42" uppers for glasses and fine china.
Definitely cabinets to the ceiling. Order a few extra shelves for your uppers.
If you need storage, 30" (front-to-back) lowers and 18" uppers are very nice.
If you can reach these items, that's great -- but short people like me wouldn't appreciate them. Also, if you go with extra-deep lowers, be SURE that the cabinet maker gives you deeper drawers to match the deeper cabinets ... in my old house, I had 24" cabinets with 18" deep drawers. Why did anyone do that?
And pay extra for full-extension drawers so you can SEE the stuff at the very back ... and pay for heavy duty glides that'll last. I'd rather have fewer drawers DONE RIGHT + a large adjacent pantry to hold most stuff.
Oooh - also forgot…how bout a lil coffee station nook
I like a small area "out of the main work area" for the always-outs ... coffee pot, cookie jar, bowl of fruit. We all have something that's an always-out.
The one very useless accessory that I bought is a bread box insert.
I think I'd like that ... after we accidentally brought home a puppy who turned out to be a Husky mix, we had to buy a breadbox, and she's smart enough to open the thing!
My own additions:
- Best thing a kitchen can have is a good pantry. A pantry is exponentially less expensive than a bunch of cabinetry, and it absorbs all your kitchen clutter. It allows you to see all your stuff at a glance, and it's easy to rearrange as your needs change.
- The best thing you can do for yourself is to inventory all your kitchen gear and figure out where you're going to store it ... don't assume.
- Just noting: People are always worrying over islands here on this board, but not a single person has discussed islands on this "best cabinets" thread.
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