Kitchen companies and design idea for small, over crammed kitchens

[SargentDecca]

Evening wise MNers! We've got a pretty small kitchen, which is literally bursting at the seams. We've edited things down as much as we can, but we love to cook and entertain and the cupboards are full to bursting. We're looking to replace it in the near-ish future and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a kitchen company that provide some particularly ingenious solutions for small spaces.

Also, if anyone could advise which storage has made a particular difference to taming their kitchens I would be incredibly grateful- I'm looking at pull out larders and corner carousels and a multitude of other options, and I just don't know which would help the most, and which would just be annoying! TIA!

Something that I found really helpful was a sort of diy pull-out larder- so a tall, narrow larder cupboard with a regular side hinge door, that we then installed individual pull out baskets into. It was an attempt to make do of an existing kitchen, but I ended up preferring it over friends’ ‘proper’ pull out larders, because pulling out individual baskets at a time meant we fit at least two extra in the height we had, and we could space them just so for the things we wanted to store- tall for cereal boxes, short for tinned goods, much better than just spacing them all equally.

Now I’m getting to replace a kitchen in a new house and I’m all ears too for any suppliers that are good at these space saving options :)

It depends on the shape of your kitchen, but in our small kitchen, we do not have pull out corner units / larders. They would make things more accessible but reduce your overall storage space. We just put stuff that is infrequently used towards the back.

Try to find a company that does tall wall units. That maximises storage on the walls, and if you can get them installled right up to the ceiling means the added bonus of not having to dust on top

It's hard to beat Ikea for nifty internal storage systems, we're in the process of having ours installed and have a whole lot of internal drawers to hoover up all our kitchen stuff. It was the deciding factor for me in sticking with them over MN favourite companies like DIY Kitchens or Handmade Kitchens of Christchurch.

The nice thing about Ikea is that there are so many companies now specialising in doors for Ikea units that you can get pretty much any look you want at high or low end budget-wise.

I also regularly rave on here about "plinth pods" from these people https://www.drawerboxes.co.uk/plinth-pod-with-blum-tandembox-soft-close-drawer-tip-on-push-to-open-made-to-measure-assembled-c2x27528016 as the really maximise drawer space, which is always more efficient than cupboards anyway.

The in-house Ikea design service can be a bit hit-and-miss though, so I'd find an independent kitchen designer (try looking on Houzz) anc get them to draw up a plan for you to make the best of your space.

Units floor to ceiling. Use the kick board drawers, use the ceiling height, use storage in chair bases

There is a munsnetter who is an independent kitchen designer. Sorry can't remember her name but someone else might. Also you can get drawers which for into the kickboards under cupboards for some extra secret storage.

Her name is Karen and the company is called oneplan

This is all brilliant and much appreciated, thank you so much for the recommendation of plinth drawers @Zinnia, and also for recommending Karen @cloudtree. The kitchen is 'C' shaped, and fairly square @BananaPie.

@cloudtree. Thanks. Love the Mumsnet shared knowledge.

what in your downstairs like op? For instance, is it a terraced Victorian with a dining area & under stairs space? Do you have a good space for a sideboard in your living room? you can claim extra storage space that way - (you have probably thought of that!)
Ikea can help with ideas for this too

My DD had a small kitchen space refitted around 1 year ago. She used John Lewis. They did understand the issues but we all had to work hard on design solutions in a small space.

She didn’t want very tall cupboards and wanted work surface increased. She didn’t want a pull out tall cupboard and it was impossible to fit it in even if she had wanted one! Lots of companies don’t offer them either.

Starting from left to right in a C shape, she has a fridge freezer. It’s built in but was an existing appliance then washing machine (it’s a smallish flat) with work surface over and into the corner.

Then on the longer wall it’s a Franke Box sink with chopping boards built in and a rollaway Franke drainer. These are genius! Then dishwasher, induction hob with oven under, and then work surface/drawers into next corner. There are wall cupboards for storage above.

The next set of cupboards are in a peninsular with built in double pull out bins behind each other. Then pan storage and then the microwave built in with storage under. There are more wall cupboards on the wall at the long wall at the end of the peninsular. This whole section was a new addition to the kitchen. Before it was an L shape. The peninsular provides a serving area nearer to the dining table.

It’s a real challenge to get everything in but you have to prioritise what you want and whether you can have a bank of floor to ceiling units or whether this means insufficient work surface. DD has everything in pale grey and white. The smallest of areas seem to give the biggest headaches and no utility/laundry room doesn’t help!

Magnet designers made a great job of my friend’s tiny kitchen.
Fitted in cooker, microwave, pan drawers, units, washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge freezer and a 4 seater island.

Wren did a great job if my tiny kitchen. Even managed to get a breakfast bar as well.

Following with interest.
If I get chance to do my small kitchen then I’d like to do away with the corner cupboard carousel. Hate it. Feels like a waste of space and not great storage for my pans.
I have an under counter pullout larger which is great for seeing everything you have.

@mumwon Its a new-ish house, with a small dining room adjoining the kitchen. The wall has been knocked through to the dining room, and the dining room is tiny. We have a 4 seater table in there and we literally can't squeeze anything else in. My OH was talking about lining it with kitchen wall cupboards but I think it would start to feel very claustrophobic. The kitchen comes off of the living room, which is also pretty small and there's no room for a sideboard unfortunately. But you're right- sideboards are amazing for requisitioning to store other stuff, you can squeeze so much in! I had one in a studio flat previously that had all my bedding stuffed into it- it was a complete life saver! Yes, I've been trawling through the Ikea website this morning after a suggestion further up the thread- they have some really clever stuff!
@TizerorFizz Those Franke sinks and roll away draining boards are genius! I never knew such things existed!

That's really good to know @Rummikub, thank you- right, carousels off the list and under counter larders are on!!

If you have a right angled corner but don’t have a carousel, you do have a big stretch into the hidden depths of the corner. You will have loads of “stuff” in front of what you want at the back tight in the angle! I have one in my own kitchen and one in a holiday house. Reaching into No Mans Land is awkward and it’s difficult to see what alternatives there are for awkward corners.

Yes this is the issue.
I knew I didn’t like carousels but couldn’t see available alternative.
Although in Neighbours in one of the kitchens they have a big corner pantry cupboard built into the corner with a double door which I love.

Yes. I see how that could work and sometimes the awkward corner in the work surface gets cluttered too! Guilty of that!

Corner carousel is great.

Generally when looking at design for a small kitchen work on the basis that you are aiming to keep your surfaces totally free of clutter. Somethings like a kettle are difficult to avoid on a surface (unless you are going for a boiling water tap) but microwaves etc, you should look at trying to get things built in above or below the surfaces.

Storage on the inside of the doors (for spice racks, saucepan lids etc) is also worth looking it but you will need to make sure the doors are strong enough to take the weight.

Like these kind of things:

www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/tips/g1607/organizing-pot-lids/?slide=4

www.fromhousetohome.com/cabinet-door-storage-ideas/

Two level cutlery drawers (with a sliding shallow top insert) are great because you get more in the drawer and it is very organised. I know siematic do them but I'm sure others with too. This type of thing but more comparmentalised for cutlery:

images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5800a47eb3db2bebfef91eb1/1478548670642-86FZGQJ3G875GSDQXUFI/SieMatic+-+PURE+Interior_03+%28MED%29.jpg?format=1000w

Also (not what you were asking) the book How to Feel Your Friends With Relish has some good ideas for cooking in small spaces. One of the tips that I thought was great and I always remember when looking for something new for the kitchen is keep an eye out for anything stackable. This can save a lot of space in cupboards etc. Once you start looking for this, you can find all sorts of stuff.

• How to FEED your friends with Relish. Not feel. That's probably criminal.

www.larkandlarks.co.uk/kitchens/kitchen-units/rigid-units/base-units/corner-base-units/corner-kitchen-base-unit-l-shape-bi-fold
This is what I have, bifold cupboard door with conventional shelves.

www.pinterest.com/pin/43628690117024306/
Another idea.