DOORS ON DRAWERS

Is it better to have doors or drawers in a kitchen?

Your kitchen’s door and draw combination may never cross your mind but if you’ve inherited badly-planned cabinetry, you may be cursing the set up on a daily basis. 

A brand new kitchen provides the fresh start many need and an interior designer should be called in to answer one of the most important questions: is it better to have doors or drawers in a kitchen? Interior design companies in London should start with a lifestyle questionnaire before a single door or drawer is discussed.

It is imperative to know who uses the kitchen the most, how frequently – and seriously – they cook, what appliances need accommodating and whether there’s any scope to steal space from another room or even extend. Once all the above has been established, the kitchen planning can start.

Doors

Doors and cupboards go hand-in-hand. Cupboards are useful as they yield larger volumes of practical space and are ideal for the storage of bulky appliances, such as bread mixers, ice cream makers and food processors. The space can also be divided on a bespoke base by adding shelves at various heights within the cupboard.

If you have a peninsular island or corner unit, a two-tier, pull-out shelving unit that reaches right back into the void will allow you to utilise dead space. Doors will make accessing the aforementioned as easy as possible.

Bear in mind practicalities. Wall mounted cupboards with doors may be harder to reach for the more vertically challenged, while it won’t be practical to store large, heavy items above head height. Conversely, your back will not forgive you if your most commonly used kitchen items are at the back of base units. An interior designer will run through all these aspects with you, and will also consider elements such as door clearance and instances where open doors may clash.

Drawers

Shallow drawers are essential for the storage of cutlery and utensils. Add custom-made inserts and you’ll have wonderfully organised spaces every day. Shallow drawers also lend themselves to bespoke spice jar storage – ask for a tiered rack to be made to fit your favourite Bart herbs and seasonings. 

Deep drawers are best saved for the lowest part of your kitchen. Specific pan drawers are a sensible addition under a hob, while heavy duty crockery drawers are a practical addition below a serving area. What I particularly love about deep drawers is the ability to add a hidden draw – a draw within a draw – which can virtually double storage. 

The hybrids

A good luxury interior designer will be able to provide solutions to many of today’s kitchen storage problems. If you love the capacity of a cupboard but want the accessibility of a drawer, I’d urge the client to consider Haefele drawers. These are very deep drawers set in a cupboard, with a door on the front – a must if you crave design continuity.

A pull-out larder cupboard is another alternative I recommend, especially if you have space that’s taller than it is wider. The aesthetic is a slim door from the outside but you pull a handle to reveal a series of shelves or wire baskets within, which lend themselves to the storage of bottles, oils, vinegars, dry goods and larder staples.

Of course, a high end interior design will feature soft close drawers and doors, as well as handmade cabinetry and exquisite handles for the most flawless finish. If you would like help deciding between doors and drawers – and planning an entire new kitchen – please contact Rudolph Diesel Interiors.