7 common items that might be cluttering your designer kitchen

Bringing your dream kitchen to life can be a challenge – keeping it tidy even more so! Keys, letters and utensils are all amongst the most common things that can easily end up scattered around your kitchen worktops, which can undermine that beautiful aesthetic you’ve worked so hard to create in your designer kitchen. Those are the most likely culprits – but not the only ones! So to save you some time, here we’ve summed up some of the most common bits and pieces which can end up cluttering your kitchen, and what you can do about them!

Be gone with bills, keys and wallets

Your phone, wallet and keys are all examples of items that probably seem to end up making their way onto your kitchen counters, over and over again. Happily, you’ve got plenty of options to help you free up some counter space. You could try a key hook by the front door, or a console table if you have the space. If neither of those are a viable option, you might want to consider allocating a drawer in the kitchen that can act as a space for your everyday items. Speaking of everyday kitchen items…

Clear up culinary equipment

Storing your cooking utensils in a jar on your counter top is a popular look. Plenty of our customers here at Kitchen Design Centre find it attractive and it can also be pretty convenient too! But if it’s not for you, floating shelves are always a beautiful (and practical) alternative. Seamlessly fitted shelving can really open up your kitchen space, saving you from storing cooking utensils like spoons and whisks in jars. For knives, consider a magnetic wall strip over a knife block – not only does this save space, but it also looks fantastic.

Out with out-of-date spices and oils

One of the finer details! Now, this is one of our more subjective points – there are plenty of customers who enjoy having their spices and oils on display. Even if they’re not used in recipes, things like cumin and parsley can bring a pop of colour to your space and give off a more inviting and welcoming feel.

If that’s not the look you’re going for though, when you’re starting to clear out your kitchen then a good place to start is with any out-of-date oils, spices and condiments. If you won’t ever consume them, and they don’t add anything to the room, there’s no place for them in your kitchen!

Kick unwanted kitchen gadgets to the curb

We all know the sort. If you’ve got a smoothie maker that’s never been put to use, or a sandwich toaster which has forever remained waiting on the side, it could be time to move them on. Kitchen gadgetry tends to spend a lot of time hanging around our kitchens, often partially out of a sense of obligation (we’ve all unwrapped our fair share at Christmas!). Also though, there’s always that vague sense that they’ll come in handy one day. Trust your instincts – if you’ve not used them in the last few months, chances are you never will. They don’t have to go in the bin – but they don’t have to go on your counters either!

Find a place for your pots and pans

Pots and pans are undeniably useful, but they’re also bulky. That can make them a challenge when it comes to storage. Once again though, there’s plenty of solutions you can try! A hanging rack can be a great way to utilise space around the kitchen – and it opens up some intriguing design opportunities too. You can play around with the colour of your pans to create contrasts or complementing effects in your kitchen, especially if you experiment with different materials like copper or ceramic.

Don’t drown in your drink selection

Let’s be honest – lots of us up and down the UK love a glass of wine with their evening meal. That’s hardly surprising, as it can be an enjoyable way to unwind after a long day. The flipside is that you’ve got to find the space for them, and preferably a storage solution that doesn’t detract from the carefully cultivated impression of your dream kitchen.

An integrated drinks fridge is one option, but if that isn’t for you, a simple wine rack can really improve the utility of space within your kitchen. These don’t have to be expensive, and add a delightful element of sophistication to your already exquisite design.

Mull over miscellaneous appliances

Speaking of drinks… for many of us, there’s nothing we enjoy more than a cup of coffee or tea – whether that’s for a social occasion, to get us ready for the day, or just to kick back and relax. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why coffee machines and kettles hold such treasured places in so many people’s hearts.

If that’s not something that overly concerns you though, you can trust us to come up with alternatives. It’s worth giving thought to a Quooker tap for your dream kitchen – it instantly produces boiling water, eliminating the need for a kettle, and saving you time that you might normally be spent waiting for your water to boil. (Our ultra modern designs thrive on their functionality!)

The same with the microwave. It’s a particularly handy appliance for those of us constantly pressed for time, brilliant when you just want to whip up something quick and easy! But if it’s taking up a lot of space on your kitchen counters, lots of solutions allow you to enjoy all the benefits without sacrificing any space. For example, an integrated microwave like the one we installed for one customer in Hale. Equally, you could consider mounting your microwave on either a flat wall surface or the underside of a countertop – both solutions that we’ve successfully implemented for previous customers.

Our designers have years of experience creating clever storage solutions in order to seamlessly integrate your household appliances, ensuring you’re able to make the best use of your kitchen space. So if you’re still looking at clearing some space on your kitchen counter tops and need some inspiration, Visit one of our showrooms in Blackburn, Liverpool or Manchester where a member of our design team will be happy to assist you!