5 Things Every Kitchen Needs That You Might Not Think Of
With plenty of kitchen renovations (most recently, our moody kitchen reveal) under my belt, I figured it might be beneficial to share 5 things every kitchen needs that you might not necessarily think of. Sure- there are the obvious items on the renovation wishlist: enclosed trash & recycling bins, a faucet with a spray function, deep pull-out drawers for pots & pans, and the ever popular “appliance garage”, but I wanted to list functional features that aren’t as expected. Click through to see which 5 things I don’t ever want to do without. They’re game changers! If you’re renovating, building, or planning a future kitchen overhaul… this is a post to pin and save, for sure!
Let’s get to it, shall we? First on the list…
#1 // A Pot Filler
This one is probably the most obvious, BUT pot fillers can be installed in more places than just above the range. Don’t get me wrong, I love a pot filler for cooking and I adore the gorgeous Rohl one sandwiched between my range and hood, but I also really miss having one above my espresso machine.
Another great place for a pot filler? Above dog bowls! Someday, when it comes time to renovate our laundry room… I’m going to design a dog feeding station that has built-in bowls with a pot filler installed above for easy watering. Think outside the box! Pot fillers are super duper functional.
→ shop pot fillers ←
#2 // In-Cabinet Outlets
This is the first time we’ve installed in-cabinet outlets and so far we’re loving the practicality! It makes charging items so much easier without junking up and cluttering the countertop. From charging phones and technology to kitchen appliances and utensils, the outlets are already seeing a lot of use. It pays to plan electrical in advance. Lowe’s sent us extra cabinetry paint for touch-up, so I painted the outlet cover the same color as the cabinetry to make it blend better. Nice, right?!
#3 // A Mixer Lift
This is one of those I didn’t think I needed until I had it. After sharing this feature on Instagram stories, the majority of you were equally as excited about the mixer lift. I love and use my heavy KitchenAid mixer on the regular, but given the size and weight of that thing, I’ll admit- it’s kind of a hassle to lug around and pull out. Now, I use the mixer with it on the lift, clean up, and it sinks back down into the cabinet when I’m finished. It’s honestly a game changer and I’m using much more frequently. It also frees up countertop space.
→ shop mixer lifts ←
#4 // Under Cabinet Lighting
I didn’t realize how much I missed having under cabinet lighting until we didn’t have it anymore. After renovating our previous kitchen and moving into our new home, it was a switch I kept hitting only to realize our cabinetry and countertop didn’t illuminate. I designed and incorporated cabinetry lighting into our new kitchen, but it got delayed in shipping and didn’t make it in time for the big reveal. I’m excited to announce it JUST got here and I can’t wait to see it installed. Maybe that is something we can tackle in the coming week? I hope!
We use the cabinetry lights as a soft light at night… almost like a night light, as well as to better brighten our cooking and prep space. It’s honestly a step in the design process that many people skip. I’m here to tell you it’s worth every penny! In our last kitchen we used strip lights and this time around, we’re using puck lights- pictured above.
#5 // A Slender Cabinet
Having lived with this in three of our kitchens, there is no turning back now! I love, love, love having a “cookie sheet” or “cutting board” cabinet, as they’re often called. This is honestly one of the most functional and most-used cabinets in our kitchen. I use a flat baking sheet or large cutting board almost every single day and having a skinny cabinet to easily slide these odd sized items that are too large to leave out has been amazing.
If you build your kitchen in the store with a designer, definitely ask for one! It’s also a great way to take up negative space that is too small for a standard size cabinet. I like to use every inch and squeeze as much function into a kitchen as I can.
Are there any other things you love having in your kitchen and can’t do without? Maybe they’re not as obvious, but are super functional? I’d love to hear in the comments below!