Types of Kitchen Cabinets

Types of Kitchen Cabinets - Traffic Patterns

The distances between the fridge, stove, and sink should not be less than 10' and not greater than 25'. These three appliances create the 'work triangle' of your kitchen, where the majority of your foot traffic is going to take place.

The scope of your cabinets will vary, depending on the size and space of your kitchen. Generally, however, there are certain measurements for your counter and cabinet space. Counter height is generally 36". The space between the upper and base cabinets will be from 16" to 18". The general depth of cabinets is 24", but lower cabinets will have a depth of 25" due to the overhang of the countertop.

With these measurements in mind, you can start to sketch out the vision of your kitchen. The number of meals that you cook at home, the types of food you use, how many people you typically entertain, and the variety of meals you cook will all factor into your design. Listed below are a few suggestions for creating your ideal kitchen.

Sink Cabinets

A centered window placement of the kitchen sink will provide better lighting and a view of the outdoors. The sink cabinets are mounted doors that provide access to plumbing and a storage area. Often there is a front mounted, 'dummy' drawer, which can be hinged to flip down and used to store wet rings and sponges.

The dishwasher can be placed next to the sink cabinets in order to take advantage of the plumbing and to provide easy sink access.

Oven Cabinets

If you would like pots and pans to be near your oven, you should plan for larger cabinet areas. If you plan to purchase a separate cook-top, you should have drawers below to store these larger items. The top drawer underneath a separate cook-top should be cut thinner to allow it to move unobstructed in and out of its mounting. If the cook-top is thicker, the top drawer becomes a dummy front. This can be converted into a flip down where you can store small cooking utensils.

There is generally space to mount a microwave or additional cabinetry above your stovetop. You can add dividers in these top-mounted cabinets to accommodate large flat serving dishes or cookie sheets.

Kitchen Islands

Depending on the space you have to work with, and island can be an excellent addition to your kitchen area. This can allow you to cook and socialize at the same time, as you will not be staring at a blank wall while preparing your meals. You can add cabinets and drawers below the island, which may hold many of your cooking supplies. Additionally, depending on your plumbing and wiring, you may be able to add a stovetop or dishwasher to your island.

Pantry and Others Cabinets

There are many different options for your pantry. It can be a cabinet, or a closet with shelving. You can include pullout drawers or fold out storage shelves in your cabinet pantries.

Above your refrigerator, there may be enough room to install a small cabinet. Incorporating a glass holder or plate rack into this space will allow a perfect location to store fine china or display pieces.

Additional Options

There are many additional items that you can add to your new cabinets. Spice racks, slide out trash drawers, or lazy Susan shelves are a few of the many options. You can also create cabinet space to for range hoods, refrigerators, or appliance garages.

The most important thing to consider when designing your new kitchen is to create a space that works best for you. There are a countless number of ways that you can remodel your space, but make sure that you are committing to a design that allows you to enjoy every aspect of the most important room in your home.