SIMPLE KITCHEN UPDATES
Bring new life to the busiest room in the house by adding fresh character and sorting out your storage
SETTING STORE
Whether you have a big farmhouse kitchen or a smaller cottage space, everything from hefty saucepans to sprigs of herbs needs to be stored in a logical, accessible way. Kitchen designers are constantly dreaming up ways to eke the most out of tricky spaces and irregular nooks.
Bifold-doors are ideal when space is tight. Fitted to larders or smaller counter-top cabinets, they conceal – and then reveal – everyday appliances such as toasters and coffee machines. Behind cupboard doors, smooth-sliding wooden drawers are an efficient way to store foodstuffs and crockery. You can fill up the entire space but still reach items right at the back. Drawers can also be tucked into corner cupboards, receding into what would otherwise be a ‘dead’ space.
While some items are best hidden away, others deserve to be admired, which is where open shelving comes in. Stacked with an interesting array of plates, glasses and vintage finds, they function like a latter-day dresser. On a more practical note, if staples such as rice and pasta are stored in glass jars out on show, you can see what needs replenishing. If you don’t already have a built-in larder, freestanding versions now come with mini shelves fitted inside the doors, making them as indispensable today as when they kept a cook’s foodstuffs cool and dry. Sometimes, the old-fashioned ideas really are the best: pans hung from a metal rail or a rack use space efficiently while doubling as a visual display.