Why can’t we put cabinets on this wall? This is the question that perplexed me after a two hour design meeting with the buyer of a new custom home. The wall referred to by the homeowner is in the kitchen but it does not require cabinetry. I guess we could have added more cabinets on this wall but to what end? The design already provides more than enough storage and the layout is textbook. I guess he thought that every wall in the kitchen should have storage.
Today’s simple lined, clean designs further pushes the less is more approach. There are many designs where we eliminate cabinetry in favor of a focal point element like floating shelves or a decorative hood. This center of attention then gets enhanced with the backsplash and whatever else surrounds it. The extra space required for this creativity does need a sacrifice of storage. Only you can decide how much space you can give up in favor of a potentially cooler design.
Many homes today eliminate the walls in favor one big open space. This type of plan sometimes does not have clear parameters of each area. Where does the kitchen end? Where does the dining space begin? How much space is needed for the TV seating and the desk and whatever other use will be made of the remaining square footage? Without clear borders the excess of kitchen cabinetry leaks into other parts of the home. Do you really need that many cabinets?
The amount of cabinet space in a new kitchen should be planned. However, the spending of thousands of dollars should not be based just on maximizing the storability of kitchen stuff. You and your kitchen designer must strike a good balance between form and function in order to satisfy both.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Jimmy Gavalas
The Kitchen Cabinet Guy
Atlantis Kitchens
