The kitchen must be functional and efficient, it must have loads of storage space, and it must be beautiful. These are no small tasks though, when the kitchen holds everything from food to large and small appliances, gadgets, trash, dishes, and that miscellaneous drawer or junk paper and coupons. Even with all of the requirements that a kitchen must meet, homeowners have high expectations and it’s a fact that they want what they want from the kitchen and will often do with nothing less.

If you’re planning a kitchen renovation, it’s your opportunity to get every last detail you’ve always wanted from your kitchen. But with so many possibilities and designs that are going in and out of style, how do you know what to include and what to leave behind? The kitchen layout and cabinet features of even 10 years ago may not be what’s hot and trendy today, or what will be trendy 10 years from now.

At Extreme Renovations, we help homeowners design and construct kitchens that are functional, efficient, stylish, and full of must-have features. With years of kitchen renovation experience, we have seen certain things come and go and we believe we have a good grasp of what will stick around. In the end, it comes down to having a kitchen that works for you and how you like to work in the kitchen. When planning a kitchen renovation and choosing what features to add to your cabinets, consider not just what’s trendy, but what will make your life in the kitchen easier and more enjoyable.

Must-Have Kitchen/Kitchen Cabinet Features From Extreme Renovations

Sliding Drawers and Shelves

Go into any kitchen that was built over around 15 years ago and you’ll be able to instantly tell whether it is outdated or not. Take a quick look at the type of cabinets that are on the lower level. If there are traditional cabinet doors that open on hinges, there’s a good chance that the space hasn’t been renovated. In a new kitchen, nearly all lower-level cabinets feature sliding drawers and shelves. This allows the user to simply pull out the drawer and everything inside is easily displayed and accessible. With doors, it requires the user to bend down and look inside, possibly reach around items to get what they want. The depth of the drawer can vary anywhere from a few inches to a foot or more, allowing the user to store pots and pans, cooking utensils, food items, and more inside the pull-out drawer. If the drawer is deep enough, there can be sliding shelves inside as well that can create layers of space. The possibilities available can be dizzying, so be sure to consider the items you use most often and how you want to access them.

Spice Rack

There have been dozens of methods created for storing and organizing spices, from Velcro and sticker labels to hanging spice holders and trays. Because there are often so many spices that need to be within reach when making any meal, spice storage has been an enigma. A pull-out spice rack is a tall and slim sliding cabinet with several open shelves that hold and display spices. Depending on the rack, there may be different levels of varying heights to create tiers of spices so that the type can easily be seen. It’s a simple and effective way of displaying dozens of containers.

Touch Faucet

Making a mess in the kitchen, whether you’re making dinner or creating a science project for school, is inevitable. The problem is what to do about it. When your hands are covered in cookie dough, or even if you come in from outside with muddy hands, you don’t want to touch anything, including the faucet to turn the water on. With a touch feature on your plumbing fixtures, you can simply touch the faucet with the back of your hand or your elbow at the water will turn on. This allows you to easily wash your hands without getting anything dirty. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest conveniences.

On-Counter Appliance Storage

When planning a kitchen renovation project, homeowners often want as much as possible to be hidden away in their kitchen, including small to medium-sized appliances. This could include the toaster, coffee maker, mixer, blender, etc. But when you don’t want to take up precious cabinet space, and you definitely don’t want to lug out and plug in these appliances from a lower drawer every time you need them, what’s the solution? An on-counter appliance cabinet. There are several ways to achieve this, including a traditional cabinet door that opens and you can slide the appliance out, or a sliding door that hinges up and slides below the cabinet above. The trick with on-counter appliance storage is creating a design that doesn’t end up taking up more space.

Pot Filler

If your sink and stovetop are not right next to each other, it can make filling up large pots with water and carrying them to the stove cumbersome. A pot filler is a plumbing line that can be installed just about anywhere — ideally directly above your stovetop — allowing you to easily fill up a pot and simply turn on the stove to heat it up. Adding new plumbing lines or running new pipes can be a significant project for a kitchen renovation, so even though it sounds like a simple feature, talk with your contractor about the scope of the project and if it works for your budget and existing kitchen layout.

Pull-Out Trash and Recycling

This is a feature that has become fairly commonplace, but it’s so convenient that we had to add it to the list. Many homeowners will put a trash can below the sink, but it can be strange for guests to throw out trash and get a weird glimpse into all of your cleaning supplies and other various items hidden away in the cabinet below the sink. With a dedicated pull-out drawer that holds bins for trash and recycling, it’s a clean way to keep trash and other items hidden away from view.

Planning a kitchen renovation is an exciting way to update a kitchen and is an opportunity to create a space that fits your needs and work style. However, there is a lot of planning and decisions that need to be made. Make sure you’re working with a home renovation team that understands design, craftsmanship, and providing great customer service along the way.

Extreme Renovations is located in Niagara Falls and provides kitchen renovations throughout the area. With years of experience and a team of skilled contractors, you can achieve a kitchen that you truly love. Contact us today for a consultation.