Appleshine: Unpacking a Kitchen (Part 2)

In yesterday's post, I started unpacking my client's kitchen.  She'd just moved from her small apartment to a more spacious loft and had no idea how to layout her kitchen.  

I unpacked all her boxes, displaying her belongings on the floor so I could see all that I had to work with.  Taking into consideration the design of the kitchen, I approached the storage with a logical and realistic sense of efficiency.  Take a look at the before/after pictures:

While it was tempting to put food in the cabinet closest to the fridge, I appreciated the simplicity of being able to unload the dishwasher and put the dishware directly in the cabinets above.  If the plates had been over the sink instead (note the Before photo), it would've required reaching around an open cabinet door in order to put a clean dish away.  Eliminating extra steps like that keep a kitchen running efficiently.

Many of her appliances and gadgets were a bright cherry red.  Instead of hiding them in cabinets, I chose the most suitable ones to display on her countertop.  When placing such items, keep the paper towels close to the sink (preferably on the right side as most are right-handed), the cooking utensils by the stove and larger electrical items accessible to an outlet.

These are 4 of her...wait for it...8 drawers!!  I know that may not seem so impressive to anyone outside of NYC but most of us deal with only one kitchen drawer.  (I wish I were exaggerating but I swear I'm not!)  I'd already filled her 4 stacked drawers with utensils, gadgets, tupperware and linens (respectively).  And since these were on the extended side of her prep area, I used them for extra smaller items, keeping like with like.

While it would've been more logical to keep pots and pans in the inner cabinet, closer to the stove, the design didn't lend itself to that idea.  The inner cabinet had a deep pocket, causing the top shelf to cut back.  So I kept more of her prep items (strainers, mixing bowls, measuring cups) there instead.  Notice that when storing the pots and pans, I kept the lids on top.  Sometimes it helps save space if you turn the lids upside down, creating a smooth surface to stack other items on.  However, unless you have a lid rack in your kitchen, it always saves time having the matching lid at hand rather than searching through loose ones.

It was a long day but in the end, I had a LOT of fun unpacking this kitchen. Starting from scratch with any organization project is a great time to implement good systems that work with the design of the space as well as the functioning needs.

Tell me, Appleshiners, what tips do you have on determining a layout for your kitchen supplies?

PS- Here are some great kitchen organizing tips from real cooks- twitter style.

Appleshine: Unpacking a Kitchen (Part 1)

Last week, I helped a client unpack her kitchen.  Their move from a small apartment to a loft brought more cabinet space.  But thanks to their innovative storage in their previous apartment (she kept her baking supplies in the hall closet and the ice cream maker under their bed), they had more than enough cookware to fill it. 

The first step was to unpack everything.  Laying it all out in the open allowed me a visual survey of what I'd have work with.  

They'd already unpacked some of the basics (since they moved in a few days ago) yet had no ideas on where to place them.  

I peeked in all the cabinets, drawers and checked out the counter space, considering the most logical and efficient arrangement for their belongings.  They had a wide array of cookware, servingware, daily dishes, fine china, drinking glasses, wine glasses, linens- a full hostess' kitchen.

It was a long day of Appleshining but if you check back tomorrow, I'll show you how it ended up!


Tell me, Appleshiners, do you have any tips for unpacking a kitchen?

Appleshine Anatomy: Dressing a Bed

As I was day dreaming about bed linens from Serena & Lily, I happened across their ingenious design tool that lets you compile all the pieces of a grand bed set.  You can mix and match their crisp white linens and bold print duvets to your liking.  Kinda gives a new meaning to 'sweet dreams'.

I love how they offer complimenting designs for everything from euro shams to duvet covers and accent pillows to headboards.  Creating a comfy oasis for sleeping, dreaming, reading or just lounging is one of my favorite decorating daydreams.  

Tell me, Appleshiners, how do you like to dress your bed?