Suggestions for kitchen cabinet organizers?

[Hassouni]

Hm, possibly, but it's above easy reach, for sure. I might as a temporary measure hang some baskets or something above the sink....

[dcarch]

The follow picture shows what I have done for my place and what I have suggested to friends before.

 

Lots of spaces in walls between studs not used. 

 

Lots of space inside the drop ceiling between ducts and conduits and pipes.

 

There may be space for a closet between the washer dryer and the hallway wall also.

 

Shop a a carpenter, may not be as expensive as you think. Will increase value of your apartment significantly.

 

dcarch

 

Edited November 13, 2014 by dcarch (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I wish I could cram more stuff into my apartment, but to me the space in that picture looks claustrophobic.

[Hassouni]

In the original photo or dcarch's doctored one? The kitchen is a bit claustrophobic, unfortunately. The living room and bedroom are OK, but there is no room for kitchen stuff in either.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

In the original photo or dcarch's doctored one? The kitchen is a bit claustrophobic, unfortunately. The living room and bedroom are OK, but there is no room for kitchen stuff in either.

 

Doctored picture.  I keep my Kitchenaid in the living room.

[dcarch]

I wish I could cram more stuff into my apartment, but to me the space in that picture looks claustrophobic.

 

Not sure why you feel it's claustrophobic.

 

Depending on where you are, real estate is very expensive per square inch. Finding extra space is like winning a small Lottery.

 

This will allow you to free up cabinet room to put away all other stuff.

Spice gallery on wall can be very decorative.

The inclining bookshelf on the right, use one or two shelves for books, and the others for display of interesting antique cookware will create a nice atmosphere for a "foodie's" apartment.

 

dcarch

 

Edited November 14, 2014 by dcarch (log)

[cave76]

I was wondering, too, if the photo dcarch posted was Photoshopped. (Great job, if it was!)

 

I have read almost every word in this thread because I'm interested in getting more space for my space. But I may have forgotten if people mentioned going to stores that sell to RV people or the sailing crowd.

 

I too have kitchen stuff all over my small apartment. My rice cooker and crockpot reside in the bedroom. A large free standing cabinent in in the 'TV' room, which isn't just for TV but also for container drawers in the large closet that hold a lot of cooking/food 'stuff'.

 

As ideas come in I will probably utilize some of them myself. Thanks to everyone with their great ideas.

 

Just remembered: because my small fridge is too crammed with all the 'necessary' condiments I need for my eclectric cooking style,  I've just discovered: http://www.interdesignusa.com/kitchen/fridge-pantry-binz-organizers/

 

They're great for my fridge. And they also have drawer bins.

[cave76]

I just saw the second, probably Photoshopped, pic from dcarch. I do have to say------- where is the ladder needed for access to the books? 

[andiesenji]

There are "drop-down" spice cabinets that hide behind a false front that can hold art work, or if deep, shallow shelves and which, if you can afford them, can make your spices accessible for a person of normal height. 

 

There is also this type from Ikea hacks but I personally would not put spices anywhere near the stove...

 

And is there room at the end of the bottom cabinets shown at the far left for an installation with a roll-out like this.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Not sure why you feel it's claustrophobic.

 

Depending on where you are, real estate is very expensive per square inch. Finding extra space is like winning a small Lottery.

 

This will allow you to free up cabinet room to put away all other stuff.

Spice gallery on wall can be very decorative.

The inclining bookshelf on the right, use one or two shelves for books, and the others for display of interesting antique cookware will create a nice atmosphere for a "foodie's" apartment.

 

dcarch

 

 

I live in a one bedroom apartment.  I love ideas for making use of kitchen space, but I don't think this would work for me.  For one thing, what would be the ceiling height?

[dcarch]

I live in a one bedroom apartment.  I love ideas for making use of kitchen space, but I don't think this would work for me.  For one thing, what would be the ceiling height?

 

The ceiling height is a given. It comes with this apartment. 

 

dcarch

[JoNorvelleWalker]

That does not answer the question.  The picture still looks cramped.

[dcarch]

That does not answer the question.  The picture still looks cramped.

 

If the question is about ceiling height, there is a building Code requirement for that. I don't know what is the minimum allowed. The picture looks cramped perhaps that comes with a small apartment, My suggestions in the picture added nothing which takes up more floor space or more volume. 

 

Speaking of Building Code requirement, my suggestion of using found space between wall studs should not be done on exterior hallway walls. Hallway wall s are sometimes structural, and always Code required fire walls.

 

dcarch

[djyee100]

Re: bookshelves built into dropped ceiling section.

 

I have seen this kind of design in small apts, though I've never lived in an apt with this arrangement,  and it's attractive. The books add color and shapes to an otherwise bland part of the room. As for getting at the books...I have lived in small apts with high shelving storage space, and I've become fast friends with lightweight stepladders. A 3-step folding ladder can tuck into a surprisingly small space.

 

With doors on these storage spaces, you could also use them for food storage. Or so I guess. If they're deep enough for books, they're deep enough for canned goods and medium-size canisters.

 

This kitchen reminds me of my long-ago San Francisco kitchen, in a 800 sq ft apt. It's about the same size, same storage...a one-person kitchen. The good news is, it's very efficient. If you can arrange the cabinets well, you can turn around and everything is there. I kept food prep in bowls on the dining table. If you set the bowls on a half-sheet pan, when you're ready to cook, you can transfer the whole kaboodle to the stove.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Different regions have different ceiling heights.  When I was younger I was invited for dinner to the home of a business associate in Texas.  The daughter of the family was a weight lifter, and I was invited to try my hand at lifting while the meal preparations were being finished.  I put the barbell through the ceiling.

 

I am more comfortable in a kitchen where I cannot hit the ceiling.

[djyee100]

Different regions have different ceiling heights...I am more comfortable in a kitchen where I cannot hit the ceiling.

 

???? The dropped ceiling looks like it's about 15" high. If you were to add a dropped ceiling for storage, I don't think it would be worth it. But dcarch is making use of an existing ceiling, as shown in the OP's original pic. The design does not make the ceiling higher or lower. It simply offers more storage space from what's already there.

[dcarch]

I am the world's best expert when it comes to solutions for small living space. :-)

 

When I was in  college (NYC) I lived not far from school in a small one-space apartment. What is a one-space apartment?

 

There was one living space and one kitchen, in the same space. The bath tub and toilet were in the kitchen. 

 

The only good thing was that the ceiling was very high. 

 

Have you seen the toy Transformer? That was my apartment. I used the school's shop to build all kinds of motorized convertible furniture, including platforms which drops down from the ceiling, etc. I became "famous" to other students who also had small apartments. I ended up helping many of them.

 

My most famous invention to expand space: If you use glow-in-dark paint, which is colorless, to paint dots everywhere in a room, in total darkness, you will get the same sensation as if you are in infinity outer space floating with the stars. Far out! People where tripping out in my apartment.

 

In physiology, in total darkness, you lost the ability to judge distance with point sources.

 

dcarch