We were not shocked with the results from a recent Ricky Smart Chart article, where over 300 design professionals were asked to pick from a list the most important aspects to be included in a kitchen remodel. From the list, these top 8 items were considered to be “must haves” in a new design. In our opinion, if you’re going for a full remodel, why not consider including everything you want, instead of regretting after the remodel is completed. A good place to start is with this very list!

Full Extension Drawers

If you don’t know what this is then you haven’t lived. Totally joking, but seriously, no more digging around in your drawer trying to get to the back. With full extension drawers you have full sight of what’s inside and can utilize every square inch of space. 

Photo from Ultracraft

Trash/ Waste unit/ Recycling center

I don’t think anyone wants to have a bulky waste bin sitting out in the open or inside his or her pantry. I mean, who does? Most builders do not include this in their design because it is an extra cost to them when building 1000’s of homes, so we totally understand when clients come to us and imply this is a must have! We totally get why this feature is ranked at #2.

Photo from Ultracraft

Kitchen Island

From mini to grand, and round to square, there are many ways to configure an island. Incorporating an island is an easy way to add contrast by selecting a different finish to the rest of the kitchen. Islands also have many uses such as: seating, prepping, cooking, buffet, the sink, and the list goes on! Plus, with the additional storage in the island we totally understand why our clients desire to have one.

Deep Drawers

Having deep drawers opens up the door (or drawer?) to the variety of items you can store! Think, small appliances, pots and pans, dishes, Tupperware. Deep drawers also allow you to include an internal smaller drawer, which allows for even more organization!

Accessible Storage

The keyword here is accessible. Accessible, accessible, accessible. We believe a huge factor of accessible storage comes from having frameless cabinet construction. Having framed cabinet’s cuts off accessibility and the selection of interior features you can use.

Custom and Semi-Custom Cabinets

This is a good place to clarify the meaning of the word custom.  The first version of custom would be a furniture or cabinet-maker who custom cuts (most likely framed construction) and paints your cabinets (on site) to your specifications. The next version of custom is a fully custom cabinet manufacturer where all cuts and 10+ step finishing process is done in a factory setting.  So, where you stand with your budget and expectation of finished quality will depend on how you define the word “custom”. Now, semi custom (which is what we work with the most) is taking standard size cabinets and customizing them (to an extent) to fit your needs. So, in a typical design we would mostly use standard sizing, and apply a custom size where needed.

With both custom and semi-custom cabinets from a manufacturer you will be able to apply several types of interior fittings (roll out drawers, spice organizers, etc.) and finishes.

LED Lighting

LED lighting has many benefits such as a long life, it’s eco friendly, energy efficient, and safe because it does not give off much heat. With so many benefits, making the switch to LED is a no-brainer! Plus, it’s very versatile with many different sizes, shapes, and colors.

Hood (separate from microwave)

We see why a microwave hood would be beneficial in certain situations, such as a small kitchen with the need to have appliances that can do two jobs at once. However, if you have the space, many clients opt to remove the microwave hood and incorporate a nice metal hood or a hood to match their cabinetry. The microwave could then be implemented into a cabinet or you could even incorporate a microwave drawer. Plus, using a hood will give the ventilation more power and remove the odors from cooking much more efficiently.