Читать книгу 1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization, New Edition - Joseph R. Provey - Страница 8

Whether you’re planning a complete kitchen remodeling or reorganizing the kitchen you already have, improving your storage and organization can save time, effort, and money every time you use it.

Introduction

When most of you think of good kitchen design, you probably think of fabulous appliances, gorgeous cabinetry, and beautiful floors and countertops. But they’re not the half of it—though they will collectively claim the lion’s share of your budget. Good kitchen design is about two far-less-glamorous ingredients: organization and storage.

Just consider the benefits: smart storage and organization can save you enormous amounts of time and effort every week. Whether you’re making a school lunch or preparing a dinner party, having what you need where you need it will speed up the task. Imagine: no more digging around in a jam-packed drawer for a knife to cut the sandwich or sorting through a pile of clippings for a favorite recipe.

A well-ordered kitchen, in which working is a pleasure, is also one where you’re more likely to spend time working. In wan era when many parents rely on fast food to feed their families, more meals at home can mean more nutritious, healthier diets—not to mention saving thousands of dollars a year on eating out.

Your Storage Style

No, the issue is not whether you prefer country to contemporary. Storage styles have to do with more fundamental preferences. Do you want a kitchen where, at day’s end, everything is stowed away in drawers or behind cabinet doors? Or do you find that functional items are a pleasure to look at and prefer to have everything in the open where you can admire them? Or perhaps you are somewhere in between? Sometimes such preferences are personal. Other times there are simple reasons. If, for example, you have an open floor plan and don’t want to see pots and pans while relaxing in the family room, an out-of-sight approach to storage may be your choice. On the other hand, if your hobby is cooking and you like your tools within easy reach, without having to open a door or drawer, open storage may be the answer. Julia Child famously kept her pots and pans hanging in the open on pegboard. Most homeowners prefer a bit of both, hiding some items in cabinets and putting others on open shelves, hooks, or racks. Nevertheless, think about the storage style that best suits you. The approach you choose will affect many of the design decisions that you’ll have to make during the course of your kitchen remodeling or reorganization.

Today’s open-plan kitchens feature islands that increase storage and counter space. But they rely on traditional elements, too, including cabinets, shelves, and baskets.

This kitchen, inspired by country kitchens of the past, makes good use of hooks, pegs, baskets, and narrow shelves.

Opposite Contemporary design subscribes to the belief that everyday objects should be beautiful—and visible. Glass cabinet door-and-drawer fronts, as well as backsplash railand-hook systems, do the trick.

Kitchen Evolution

Before the Industrial Revolution, the kitchen was a very different place. Centered on an open hearth, kitchenware was homemade or handcrafted by the town blacksmith and other local craftsmen. Families had relatively few kitchen implements. Storage was less of an issue than it is today—a few shelves could handle much of the typical kitchen’s contents. Many foods were stored outside the kitchen in larders, smokehouses, and root cellars. In the early nineteenth century, however, technological advances and mass production changed things. The iron range displaced the hearth. Cooking tools became less expensive and multiplied in number. The kitchen also had greater demands placed upon it. Iceboxes displaced root cellars and brought food storage into the house. Mass-produced jars and tins allowed for new methods of food preservation—and new demands for storage in the kitchen. The advent of modern cooking fuels (gas in 1860 and electricity by the end of the century) ushered in a new era in kitchen appliances. The evolution of the kitchen continues today. The average homeowner has hundreds of items that need a home. Cabinet systems have evolved to hold this trove and to keep it manageable. In addition, manufacturers have devised hundreds of ways to store the overflow on walls and ceilings, under cabinets, and in every empty corner imaginable. Appliance manufacturers, for example, offer their wares in every size and configuration, allowing you to put only what you use most where you need it most. Split fridges and freezers, for example, allow you to put the fridge where it’s handy, without gobbling up prime real estate with a less-used freezer. Many appliances can now perform multiple tricks, another space-conserving opportunity.

In this book, you’ll find out how to use every cubic inch of space for storage, from up near the ceiling to behind the toe kick panel— and everywhere in between.

What This Book Will Deliver

1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization has been created to help you design a kitchen that’s right for you. Part 1, “The Essentials,” covers the two things that are fundamental to optimal storage: organizational wisdom and cabinets. In Chapter 1, “Finding Efficiency,” you’ll learn how to make decisions about how to increase your available storage. You’ll also learn how to go about deciding where to put things for maximum efficiency. Chapter 2, “Cabinets and Accessories,” will explain the many choices you have when buying cabinets. It will also show you how to outfit new or existing cabinets to suit your needs.

Part 2, “Beyond the Cabinet,” discusses the storage options that are “outside the box.” Chapter 3, “Countertop and Under-Cabinet Storage,” for example, is loaded with ideas for how to use the valuable kitchen real estate that lies between your countertop and wall cabinets. In Chapter 4, “Overhead and Vertical Spaces,” you are encouraged to look around for useful storage opportunities that are often neglected. They include walls, windows, doors, ceilings, and even appliance fronts. Chapter 5, “Getting Creative with Leftovers,” suggests ways to use leftover nooks and crannies for useful storage just when you thought you’d run out of space. The chapter deals with all those necessities that need a home but are often simply stashed in a corner. What’s the best place for cleaning supplies, step stools, pet food, tool kits, and the fire extinguisher? You’ll find the answers.

Want to get serious about organization? Find a spot for a kitchen command center for the business of everyday life. You’ll discover how.

Buying kitchen cabinets ranks high in remodeling expenses. See Chapter 2, “Cabinets and Accessories,” for guidance on getting the most for your dollar.

Part 3, “Specialized Storage,” covers everything from where to store food so it lasts to where to keep the pen for writing your shopping list. In Chapter 6, “Cool and Cold Storage,” this book fills you in on how to use your refrigerator and freezer more effectively, as well as what new and exciting units to consider when you remodel. It also lets you know the proper way to store your finest wines. Chapter 7, “Trash and Recyclables,” gets down and dirty, describing the best ways to stow garbage, recyclables, and compost. Chapter 8, “Kitchen Offices and Message Centers,” offers ideas for incorporating a desk, files, electronics, and a message center into your kitchen plan—and tips on how to keep them orderly.