Spacing of cabinets is important for beauty and function.
You will need to invest time in reviewing how you enjoy working in the kitchen in order to plan cabinets correctly. For example, if you use a lot of heavy cookware, you will want to create space for storing large pots and pans near the cooktop. It's important to design cabinets around appliances as well. Placement of appliances, starting with the dishwasher at the kitchen sink, will determine a lot about how both upper and lower cabinets will be spaced. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Make rough sketches of how you envision cabinet placement, and finalize all design work on graph paper as you decide on actual choices.
2. Write down exact measurements of your kitchen, including closets and appliance areas already in place. Begin visualizing cabinets by starting at the sink area where the dishwasher will be placed. Plan to install two or three cabinets to the left and right of the sink overhead. Use these cabinets for dishes coming out of the dishwasher. Design doors and drawers in the lower wall areas to hold pots, pans and cooking utensils. Choose cabinets that are no less than 24 inches deep by 36 inches high.
3. Move upper cabinets higher on the wall, if necessary, to allow for at least 18 inches of clearance space between the bottom of the wall cabinets and the finished counter top along the sink area. Allow 18 inches of clearance space or more on walls with counter top workspace in other areas of the kitchen. Select fewer cabinets in a greater width across the front versus buying several narrow cabinets. Plan to use cabinets with door fronts opening to at least 24 inches, so you can stack dishes in double rows on each shelf with room to spare.
4. Review cabinet portfolios and select a grade of cabinet that will last at least 15 years. Avoid purchasing the cheapest cabinets, since they will need to be refinished after a few years or replaced. Invest in solid wood cabinets if your budget permits, but select other choices in vinyl or faux wood ranked high by consumer guides. Choose hardware and knobs that match the metal on your appliances. Select stainless steel, for example, with white cabinets if your stove has a stainless steel top.
5. Design an island near the sink area with a large base cabinet to hold large cookware pieces. Plan to place drawers in the island cabinet to make viewing pots and pans easier. Include slide-out shelves for baking sheets and oven casserole dishes, since pulling out shelves to make a selection is easier than searching through cabinet doors.
Tags: pots pans, sink area, cabinets your, clearance space, inches clearance