New Kitchen Storage Ideas

Make the most of your kitchen island by converting wasted space into storage space. Here, drawers, cabinets, and arched cubbies with wicker baskets -- along one side of the island -- provide plentiful storage for kitchen essentials while adding interest to the room. A low curving snack bar -- that's at a safe height for small children -- allows for casual dining at one end of the island.

Keep the space surrounding the cooktop clear. Here pullouts on either side of the range provide convenient storage for spices and cooking oils. The pullout shelves put these essentials near eye level, making it easy for the cooks to find exactly what they need. When closed, the tiered pullouts create a hearthlike surround for the appliance.

Here a drawer has been outfitted with pegboard inserts. The boards can be sized to fit existing drawers and the pegs can be adjusted to secure stacks of bowls and plates. Store dishes in low drawers -- near the sink or dishwasher -- to minimize overhead lifting and make putting away dishes a snap.

Give your kitchen a cleaner look by concealing the microwave. This microwave fits into a cubby, and a slide-back door makes it easily accessible without taking up a single inch of counter space.

Meal prep can get messy around the cooktop. Tucked next to the range, this slender pullout with a towel rack keeps linens and paper towels out of sight but within easy reach should spills occur.

Make food prep easier by storing items off the counter but still close by. In this prep area, a wall's worth of cabinets, drawers, and shelves artfully organizes dishes, appliances, ingredients, and more. A magnetic strip mounted to a backsplash keeps the most-used knives and utensils readily available. Two sets of open shelves -- on either side -- organize spices. These smart solutions keep counters clear for food prep.

Keep pet areas contained and out of the way. This mudroom keeps the kitchen clutter-free by offering plenty of cabinet space for storing pet food, toys, and more. In the cabinetry, a kitty-shape opening to the cat-box area adds a touch of whimsy while keeping the cat-box private and out of view for guests.

Customize your storage with a certified kitchen designer. A corner cabinet like this one would generally house a lazy Susan. However, with a designer's creative vision, this cabinet was instead outfitted with deep, pullout drawers that make it easier to store and retrieve cooking equipment.

Your cookbooks should be conveniently located without contributing clutter to work areas. Here's a great solution: At the end of this kitchen island, a built-in bookshelf keeps cookbooks off the counter and in one spill-resistant space. Besides giving the cook quick access to recipes, the bookshelf provides warmth and a pop of color to the all-white, fairly formal kitchen.

Keep pots and pans convenient with a hanging pot rack. Here a stainless-steel rack -- just above the sink -- allows the homeowner to wash pots and pans and hang them up to dry in the same spot.

If a hanging pot rack isn't your style, place pots and pans on a shelf directly underneath the cooktop. In this kitchen, a view-blocking hanging pot rack gave way to gridded shelves below the cooktop. This keeps the look of the kitchen clean. Plus, the open shelves give visual relief to the row of base cabinets.

Don't have the space for a separate wine bar? You can still showcase your collection by incorporating a wine bar into your kitchen island. This wine center includes a wine cooler for chilling bottles, a built-in rack, and slots for glasses. Just make sure to situate the wine center on the opposite side of the cooking area so it's easily accessible to guests.

Keep counters clear and the look of your kitchen flawless by stashing small appliances away. Here a spring-loaded shelf in an island cabinet easily moves the mixer to countertop height. An outlet inside the cabinet eliminates messing with the cord. A deep pullout drawer below corrals other small appliances into one central location.

Would a smidge of extra work space and storage be helpful to you? Here two rollout carts -- tucked underneath the island to stay out-of-sight yet easily accessible -- maximize the kitchen's storage and prep space. The carts are equipped with a laminate top to provide an additional work space and extra-deep drawers to accommodate trash and recycling containers in one and dry goods in the other.

Store even more in your cabinets by outfitting with organizational inserts and accessories. Here layers of adjustable door racks, shelves, and pullout racks allow the pantry to pack in twice as much stuff and find anything easily.

Having a home office or message center in the kitchen can be extremely helpful. However, without sufficient storage, the area can easily be overtaken by clutter. Here a deep upper cabinet conceals a television and keeps books, documents, and office supplies organized and off the counter. A four-cubby desk organizer mounted beneath the upper cabinet functions as a mini mailbox for each family member.

In this kitchen, an open space at the end of a run of cabinets accommodates a rolling cart that's perfect to pull out when entertaining or when additional work space is needed. The stylish cart -- which is a stock piece with trimmed-down legs -- has a wine rack below and is topped with a handy cutting board.

If you have the space in your kitchen, put in a window seat for additional seating and storage. Store special-occasion linens, glassware, flatware, serving pieces, and more in the seat's drawers.

Carve out space to store spices. Here an elevated eating bar at the end of the island creates a small spice niche. The niche keeps spices close to the cooktop but hidden from guests dining a few feet away.

Maximize your kitchen's storage potential with floor-to-ceiling cabinets. Here a wall of cabinets with frosted-glass doors creates an open, modern look while concealing any bits of clutter. Inside the cabinets, each shelf has a U-shape cutout in the middle. The design makes it easy to see and reach both deep and shallow kitchen items.

Bulky, unsightly appliances are a thing of the past. These drawers -- covered with green cabinet panels that match the rest of the kitchen -- conceal the refrigerator and freezer's identity while maintaining a seamless look in the kitchen. The drawers -- located near the cooktop and island -- provide easy access and deep storage for produce and dairy products.

Don't keep your trash and recycling containers out in the open. These pullout receptacle bins -- hidden behind a cabinet face -- are located between the range and sink to make food prep and cleanup convenient. Choosing double bins also makes it easy to keep food waste and recyclables separate.