Today’s blog builds upon the kitchen de-cluttering ideas of Friday’s post, and will hopefully get you geared up for finding those underutilized areas of your kitchen that can be harnessed for maximum functionality. Even if you have a large kitchen, these ideas can help keep it open, organized, and original.

• If you have wasted vertical space is some of your base cabinets, you can add a pull out surface for cutting boards or small kitchen tools.
• Add shallow shelving above kitchen windows or beneath overhead cabinets for quick access and storage. These can hold anything from spices to measuring cups, or even your quirky kitchen collectables.
• Tuck drawers or shelving below window seats or on the walls of your eat-in area. One window banquet we turned up while researching for this blog had shelving hidden in the back of it!
•  If you want to incorporate a small office area in your kitchen, you could also hide your necessities (such as a laptop or paper and pen) in a pull out drawer. Another idea is a pull down desktop that can blend in with the rest of your cabinetry.

Take a look at this collection of projects and images from Fine Home Building for more inspiration. And share your ideas with us! What clever, function-adding ideas have you dreamed up for your kitchen?

Kitchen cabinets and countertops seem to be magnets for clutter, especially in small kitchens where there isn’t a lot of space. The following are kitchen storage ideas that make use of sometimes underutilized space to help you organize clutter. Implementing some of these in your kitchen design can leave you with a functional kitchen you’re proud to call your own.

• Shelving, shelving, shelving! You can put open shelving in a lot of places in your kitchen that otherwise is left as unused. Some locations include in corners (you might find shelving more functional and less bulky than corner cabinets), on the backs of breakfast bars or islands, and along the side of the fridge.
• If you don’t want to use extra wall space for shelving or more cabinetry, use it as hanging space for pots, pans, or utensils, even measuring cups. This gives you a convenient place for these items and also turns them into art for your kitchen.
• Go upwards! Instead of having soffits, extend cabinets or shelving in your kitchen all the way to the ceiling. This creates storage that’s high up and that can be difficult to reach, but it makes an ideal place for things you don’t use frequently.
• Have full extension drawers so that you can use all the space your drawers have to offer. Having drawer cabinets in addition to door cabinets may help you to maximize your storage options. You can have drawers that are shallow for spices or deep drawers for pots or roll out trash & recycle bins. Having drawer dividers to organize flatware or other cooking utensils also helps you make the best use of drawer storage and makes it easy to find what you need quickly.
• Utilize the backs of your cabinet doors for hanging storage, racks, or shelving. You’ll need to make sure there’s enough space for your doors to still close, and that whatever you’re planning on storing isn’t too heavy for the door hinges to support.
• If you’re still in need of more space, use freestanding storage in or near your kitchen. This can be open or closed storage, depending on what you decide to store in it. You could also use this storage as a message center for mail, grocery lists, etc.

Mixing and matching these ideas for the redesign or design of your kitchen can create storage space that you need where you need it.

This blog was inspired by a Better Homes and Garden picture gallery – be sure to check it out here for more ideas.

If your kitchen is dark, cramped, and closed off, it’s probably not a kitchen you enjoy being in. The smart placement of windows can transform your kitchen by bringing in daylight, connecting the space to the outdoors, and creating an overall feeling of openness. Here are some different window arrangements that can improve the character of your kitchen.

1. Increase the height of your windows, stretching them from countertop height to the ceiling. This not only allows more light into the space, but also creates less of a barrier between your kitchen and the outdoors.
2. Devote an entire wall to windows, increasing the feeling of flow between your kitchen and the outdoors. These can be windows of any size. A good place for you window-wall might be in the informal eat-in area of your kitchen so as not to sacrifice cabinet space. But keep in mind that wall cabinet space can be gained back in other ways if you feel like a wall of windows is the best idea for your kitchen.
3. Creating a corner window in your kitchen is another good way to increase the feeling of connection to the outdoors. Corners can be awkward places in a kitchen when it comes to storage and cabinetry. By replacing awkward storage with windows, you can turn your corner into a cheery spot.
4. If you have a small kitchen, placing a window adjacent to a perpendicular surface (like a wall or cabinetry) can really brighten up the room. Light entering from the window will bounce off the wall or cabinetry into the rest of the space which will feel much less cramped.
5. Flanking windows with cabinetry, shelves, and/or soffits creates more surfaces for light to be reflected and directed into your kitchen. It’s also a great way to maximize storage space in your kitchen.

When you see a picture of a kitchen in a magazine or online that you love, take note of how windows are arranged in the space to bring in the outdoors. These arrangements can be utilized when remodeling your kitchen or designing a new one to create the bright, cheery, open kitchen of your dreams.

Yesterday’s blog discussed how you can start your outside kitchen, beginning by creating cooking and food prep areas. With these elements plus an outdoor seating or dining area, you’re all set to enjoy a meal in the outdoors. But, there are some other things you might consider adding to your outdoor kitchen.

You’ll definitely want shade for your outdoor kitchen, especially if you’re using it in the summer here in the Brazos Valley. You can utilize an existing covered porch if you have it, add a pergola, or buy a large umbrella. Your choice will reflect the frequency of use of your outdoor kitchen. If you plan to use the space a lot, you’ll probably want to invest more into it.

Adding a water line allows you to have a sink. You can also have a small fridge if electricity is run as well. A dishwasher will require the addition of hot water, which can get pricy. If you don’t want any of these amenities in your outdoor kitchen, think about using a rolling island or cart to bring cooking supplies and clean or dirty dishes to and from your indoor and outdoor kitchen. Don’t ever be afraid to think outside the box to add simplicity and function to your design.

Having a fireplace in your outdoor kitchen may seem like a crazy idea here in Bryan-College Station (mainly because of our hot summers), but it can allow your kitchen to be used and enjoyed when the weather turns cold. It can also be a great place to make s’mores as a family! You can choose a built fireplace or a portable fire pit, depending on the size and budget of your outdoor kitchen.

As an overall rule, use materials that will weather well for all your outdoor kitchen needs (from your table to your umbrella to your grill). This will help make it an enjoyable and sustainable spot with less replacement and maintenance!

An outdoor kitchen is a great addition to your home. In the summer months, cooking outdoors allows you to decrease extra cooling loads on your air conditioning that comes from heat created in your kitchen (from turning on the oven, etc). Outdoor kitchens also provide a great transitions space that connects you and your home to your surrounding environment. Outdoor kitchens can be as useful and unique as their indoor counterparts—it’s all up to what you choose to include in the design!

So how do you start to create an outdoor kitchen? If you already have a grill, great! If you don’t, start by purchasing one. Then add counter space. This can be done by placing your grill into stone work, creating custom built-in countertops on either side. Or, you can create a freestanding countertop by utilizing a table or cart as a less expensive option. This gives you much needed space for food prep, for cooking supplies, and even for serving.

Add lights to your cooking area so you won’t be limited to grilling only when there is daylight. You can run electricity to your outdoor kitchen area, or you can use battery or solar powered lights. The lighting you’ll need is task lighting, meaning that it doesn’t have to be too big or too bright. It just needs to be placed near your work surfaces. If you do choose to run electricity out to your kitchen, you then can use small appliances as well. Your decision should depend on your personal preferences, how much you want to spend on your kitchen, and how often you’ll be using it.

Our next blog will continue discussing elements you can include in your outdoor kitchen, so be sure to keep reading!

Have you thought about adding a small herb garden to your kitchen? This can be an easy way to add live plants to your green kitchen design, bringing in function, uniqueness, and wonderful aromas.

You’ll need a spot for these herbs, preferably a sunny one. If there’s room on a windowsill, place your potted herbs there. One way to increase sill space around your kitchen is to add a taller, shallow cabinet behind your 24” deep base cabinetry that aligns with the height of your windowsill and runs along an entire wall of your kitchen.

You could also have a more vertical arrangement of your herbs, placing them on shelves alongside or close to a window. These can be part of your kitchen cabinetry or free mounted shelves. You can also add areas for drying your herbs!

The containers you choose add personality to your herb garden. Try to plant your herbs in recycled containers, like large cans or jars. Check out this photo gallery for some whimsical planting containers. Make sure you know the needs of the herbs you are growing so containers are the appropriate size and shape. Also be sure to think about drainage for your herbs with a layer of pebbles or terra cotta chips in the bottom of each container. Each herb also doesn’t need its own container. Some herbs are taller, some more like ground cover – mixing these herbs together utilizes all of your potting space.

There are lots of herbs you can plant (basil, oregano, mint, parsley, thyme, dill, etc.). Choose herbs that you frequently use when you cook! But don’t be afraid to try something new—you might find your new favorite herb for seasoning.

It’s often the small touches in your kitchen design or remodel that give your space character and appeal.

Varying ceiling height can more clearly define your kitchen and add architectural richness to the space.

The way your kitchen is lit helps determine the atmosphere and improve function. For example, under cabinet lighting helps you better complete food-prep and clean-up tasks, while accenting your backsplash or countertop. Pendant lights over an island add visual interest while bringing lighting closer to the work surface.

Moldings can also add detail to your kitchen. If you have a large open doorway leading into your space, framing it with heavy molding makes it into a more substantial detail. Crown molding and chair molding can also be incorporated, especially in eat-in areas. Cabinet detailing and styling also greatly impact your kitchen, as a majority of space is dedicated to cabinets.

Add a focal point detail to your kitchen – this can be as small as a tile detail on your backsplash to a piece of artwork on the wall. It could be a fabulous kitchen island or a window nook over your kitchen sink. It could even be a shelved area full of cookbooks! Whatever it ends up being, your focal point should represent what your kitchen design is all about — merging your unique needs and personal style into an enjoyable space.

Don’t forget about green details! These can shine through in your choice of materials as well as less visible kitchen details, such as a recycling bin or built in composting tin. These details add practicality and sustainability to your kitchen, transforming it into a place you can be proud of.

Some basic principles can ensure that your kitchen design or remodel increases the workability and lovability of your kitchen.

Yesterday we discussed zones in a kitchen and how their arrangement can improve the flow of work spaces. Another way to improve flow is to keep doorways or passages from the kitchen to other areas of the house on one side of the room. This reduces foot traffic through the kitchen that would interrupt the food-prep and cooking process. You can accomplish this by closing off some doorways or by creating better placed openings of the kitchen to other areas of the home.

Opening up the kitchen to dining and living rooms can transform the feel and functionality of your kitchen. This can be a total connection (through removing an entire existing wall) or a partial connection (through expanding a doorway or adding a counter height opening). If your kitchen is small, it might seem like you’re sacrificing storage by opening up your kitchen, but you can regain that storage through the placement and arrangement of elements in your open space. You might even gain more space by borrowing some from the adjoining room.

Arranging your kitchen includes thoughtful placement of large kitchen features. Keeping large vertical elements (such as wall ovens, refrigerators, and full height cabinetry) at the ends of counter space prevents them from segmenting work surfaces. This improves the flow of your kitchen by keeping countertop space uninterrupted for food-prep, cooking, and clean-up.

If your kitchen is 12 feet or wider, consider adding a small or large island. This can allow for increased countertop area, storage, and informal seating. The island can be a compilation of elements, with shelves, cabinets, raised bar height areas, or lower table height areas. An island, like the rest of your kitchen, can be customized to fit your needs and your lifestyle. As you’re cooking that turkey on Thursday, think about changes you’d like to make in your kitchen to add style and function!