Five kitchen storage ideas

A deep double drawer for pots, pans and lids. (courtesy of Fiona Klerekoper)

Five kitchen storage ideas

Can’t find the matching lid to your pot or pan? Just found an open box of cereal from 2014 at the back of the deep, narrow pantry? And where the heck Is your favorite spatula?

One of the top requests from homeowners who are remodeling is for more storage. Sometimes that really means better storage, particularly in the kitchen. Many of the homes in Scripps Ranch have the original builders’ quality cabinetry that is inefficient: unusable corners, shallow drawers.

Sound like a familiar story? Kitchen and cabinet designers are constantly coming up with solutions to make working in your kitchen easier and more functional.

Your home may be reaching an age where it’s time to remodel the kitchen. Below are a few suggestions to consider that could maximize storage, improve functionality and generally make your life run a little smoother. Who doesn’t want that

Pot/pan and lid double drawer: Tired of rummaging around for the right pan in a cabinet? Don’t even mention finding the matching lid! Deep double drawers help keep your stacks neat and accessible and the lids in check.

Utensil drawer: This clever utensil pull-out keeps cooking tools conveniently at hand.

Dishware drawer: A peg system allows dishes to be placed in a base cabinet for easier lifting and organization. Sturdy slides under the drawer can support up to 150 pounds, so heavy plates are no problem. This can be located close to the dishwasher for ease of loading and unloading.

Pantry pull outs: No space for a walk-in pantry? Losing food at the back of deep shelves? No problem. Tall pullouts and drawers/shelves of varying sizes allow for a variety of food storage needs.

That weird space over the microwave or oven: What a great spot to store narrow items that you don’t want to stack such as platters, cookie sheets and other bakeware/serving dishes.

A new kitchen can be a fun and exciting project. There are many great new products available and inspirational images are everywhere. Maybe it’s time to evaluate your kitchen and develop a plan to turn it into a space that makes preparing meals a pleasure and frees you up to do more of what you love, like relaxing in your “California Room,” but that’s a story for another article!

Fiona Klerekoper is a long-time resident of Scripps Ranch and is the principal and designer at FDK Design. Based in San Diego, FDK Design is an award-winning interior design studio, serving clients locally (Scripps Ranch) and beyond. It offers a full range of interior design services, with a specialty in kitchen and bath design. For more information, call (858) 945-2867 or  fiona@fdkdesign.com.