Kitchen Guides
11 Drawer Designs for an Efficient Kitchen
Incorporating drawers in various designs is a great way to gain extra and more user-friendly storage
Kitchen drawers provide great storage: not only do they keep your kitchenware well organised, but they allow you to see the contents at a glance, which makes them easily retrievable. However, no amount of drawers can be helpful if they are cluttered – messy drawers seriously hamper the functionality and efficiency of a kitchen. Here, we bring to you a number of clever drawer designs, each designed for a specific purpose, so that there is a place for everything and everything is in its place.
Tip: Make sure your chosen design can take a decent amount of weight, and that the drawers are deep enough to store bigger pots and pans if necessary.
2. Drawer within a drawer
Interior drawers like this, having two separate drawers behind one drawer front, are good for things that are taken out together – like pots with the lids in the interior drawer, or baking utensils and their accessories. It’s space-saving because you save precious inches that would have gone for an extra face panel. Plus, the exterior looks sleek and compact.
Interior drawers like this, having two separate drawers behind one drawer front, are good for things that are taken out together – like pots with the lids in the interior drawer, or baking utensils and their accessories. It’s space-saving because you save precious inches that would have gone for an extra face panel. Plus, the exterior looks sleek and compact.
3. Stand ‘em up
Most of the utensils seen in this image are normally stored on the counter in a container. Put them away to save counter space, yet within easy reach. Using a number of smaller pockets in the drawer allows for similar items to be grouped together, which makes finding the one item you are looking for so much easier than rummaging through items, were they lying down.
Most of the utensils seen in this image are normally stored on the counter in a container. Put them away to save counter space, yet within easy reach. Using a number of smaller pockets in the drawer allows for similar items to be grouped together, which makes finding the one item you are looking for so much easier than rummaging through items, were they lying down.
4. Bottles drawer
We all know the items used most regularly should be kept in the cooking zone, but who wants numerous bottles cluttering up the countertop and encroaching on prep and space. The answer is a drawer for oils, vinegars and sauces. Each drawer can be segmented to ensure the bottles do not bump into each other or fall over as the drawer opens and closes, making it easy to grab and easy to put away.
Tip: Use non-adhesive liners that can be removed and cleaned in case of spills.
We all know the items used most regularly should be kept in the cooking zone, but who wants numerous bottles cluttering up the countertop and encroaching on prep and space. The answer is a drawer for oils, vinegars and sauces. Each drawer can be segmented to ensure the bottles do not bump into each other or fall over as the drawer opens and closes, making it easy to grab and easy to put away.
Tip: Use non-adhesive liners that can be removed and cleaned in case of spills.
5. Stow away your trays
Trays, cutting boards and cookie sheets are particularly hard to store unless contained in a space. They slide around and generally get in the way. What . better way than to confine them in a space where they will stay put.
See the reasons why pullouts are a blessing
Trays, cutting boards and cookie sheets are particularly hard to store unless contained in a space. They slide around and generally get in the way. What . better way than to confine them in a space where they will stay put.
See the reasons why pullouts are a blessing
6. Invisible drawers
Drawers that look like panelling are a design aspect of your kitchen space, but they can be functional too. This style lacks handles on the drawer and cupboard doors, giving your kitchen a smooth, seamless look. These drawers provide a gap on the top of the drawer so that fingers curl around the surface edge and onto the back of the drawer, pulling it forwards to open. The benefit of grabbing the back of the drawer is you don’t need to touch the front, so it won’t leave any fingermarks.
Drawers that look like panelling are a design aspect of your kitchen space, but they can be functional too. This style lacks handles on the drawer and cupboard doors, giving your kitchen a smooth, seamless look. These drawers provide a gap on the top of the drawer so that fingers curl around the surface edge and onto the back of the drawer, pulling it forwards to open. The benefit of grabbing the back of the drawer is you don’t need to touch the front, so it won’t leave any fingermarks.
7. Corner drawers
Ingenious corner drawers are a creative solution for awkward corners. Clever, L-shaped drawers, which makes them deeper than most, transform a dead corner space into something super practical – the ideal spot for stashing odd-shaped gadgets and clumsy cookware.
Ingenious corner drawers are a creative solution for awkward corners. Clever, L-shaped drawers, which makes them deeper than most, transform a dead corner space into something super practical – the ideal spot for stashing odd-shaped gadgets and clumsy cookware.
8. A charging drawer
A space like this is an excellent size for holding just a few power ports, which can then be used to charge an item sitting on the counter, such as a laptop or wireless speaker. You can leave the drawer open while it’s in use without having a full-extension drawer protruding into your workspace.
A space like this is an excellent size for holding just a few power ports, which can then be used to charge an item sitting on the counter, such as a laptop or wireless speaker. You can leave the drawer open while it’s in use without having a full-extension drawer protruding into your workspace.
9. Pegboard drawers
Create drawer partitions by using a pegboard liner and some wooden pegs. Move the pegs to snugly fit around plates and pans so they don’t slide around when the drawer is opened and closed.
Tip: Alternatively, use boxes and containers to compartmentalise your drawers (I use sturdy shoe boxes).
Create drawer partitions by using a pegboard liner and some wooden pegs. Move the pegs to snugly fit around plates and pans so they don’t slide around when the drawer is opened and closed.
Tip: Alternatively, use boxes and containers to compartmentalise your drawers (I use sturdy shoe boxes).
10. Microwave drawer
Microwave drawers are probably the most exciting thing since the invention of microwave popcorn. For years, microwaves have claimed a couple of feet of counter space – banish them now to their very own domain. These open-from-top microwaves are going to become as ubiquitous as the dishwasher. A microwave drawer can be safer for checking temperatures or stirring food without having to remove the container.
Microwave drawers are probably the most exciting thing since the invention of microwave popcorn. For years, microwaves have claimed a couple of feet of counter space – banish them now to their very own domain. These open-from-top microwaves are going to become as ubiquitous as the dishwasher. A microwave drawer can be safer for checking temperatures or stirring food without having to remove the container.
11. U-shaped drawers
U-shaped drawers that are made to suit the shape of your sink are the perfect way to use the large empty space underneath. It’s a flexible solution and uses the nooks on each side of the sink, which would otherwise be wasted – a perfect place place for all cleaning supplies.
Tip: Ensure the drawer edges are sealed to prevent damage from humidity.
Read more:
15 Most Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas
Reduce Clutter With These 12 Genius Ideas
Tell us:
Which of these ideas did you like the best? If you have other kinds of drawers in your kitchen, do share pictures in the Comments section below.
U-shaped drawers that are made to suit the shape of your sink are the perfect way to use the large empty space underneath. It’s a flexible solution and uses the nooks on each side of the sink, which would otherwise be wasted – a perfect place place for all cleaning supplies.
Tip: Ensure the drawer edges are sealed to prevent damage from humidity.
Read more:
15 Most Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas
Reduce Clutter With These 12 Genius Ideas
Tell us:
Which of these ideas did you like the best? If you have other kinds of drawers in your kitchen, do share pictures in the Comments section below.
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Keeping crockery and other bulky everyday items in deep, easy-to-pull-out drawers is ergonomic – in other words, it means you can wave goodbye to lifting a precarious pile of plates up into (or down from) a cupboard. The best part about deep drawers is that they display the contents at once, which allows for easy retrieval and replacement.