Kitchen Drawers Vs Cabinets – Best Planning Choices

Did you get a new house and are planning the kitchen layout? Are you renovating your pre-existing kitchen? Either way, storage is a big part of the kitchen layout and interior plan. One of the biggest problems homeowners face is choosing between kitchen drawers and kitchen cabinets. Don’t worry if you are also stuck in this dilemma because we have the answer to your question!

The crucial factor between choosing either drawers or cabinets is space. If you want extra storage in your kitchen to keep large pots, tall glasses, and other kitchenware, get kitchen cabinets. However, if you lack space, drawers can stack on one another to maximize the available capacity. Cost is another crucial factor as drawers can make a larger dent in your wallet than cabinets. 

There is a lot more to cover for this topic. While cabinets are spacious, it might not be the best way to utilize space. On the other hand, drawers can use every inch but lack the room to store large items. Though, that is not to mention how costly one is over the other. If you would like a rundown of both, keep reading ahead.

Collage of kitchen drawers and cabinets, Kitchen Drawers Vs Cabinets - Best Planning Choices

What Do You Store In Kitchen Drawers?

Drawers are one of the best addition to any kitchen. You can access one by pulling them. Additionally, they utilize more space than a cabinet can. 

But what do you store in kitchen drawers? They can hold most items in similar sizes like spices, kitchen utensils, plates, and more. The only downside of a drawer is that it can not store large pots. But, some drawers do have the space to hold smaller ones. If you are feeling ambitious, you can also customize kitchen drawers to keep a cutting board area.

Opened kitchen drawer for smart solution for kitchen storage and organizing

What Are Deep Kitchen Drawers Used for?

Deep kitchen drawers are a must for people who have tons of utensils. These deep drawers can hold everything that a conventional size drawer cannot. It includes deep pots and long utensils. So, instead of storing them in an upper or lower cabinet, you can keep them in a drawer where they are easy to access.

Are Kitchen Drawers More Expensive Than Cabinets?

Male hand pulling and opening drawer on white wooden cabinet

Drawers are more expensive than cabinets. The reason behind this is that drawers require more expensive hardware to function. Cheap hardware often makes the drawers squeaky and unable to open and close. 

Furthermore, the drawers’ design is more complex than that of cabinets. Because of the complexity of its design, drawers take more labor to produce. The work that goes into making one reflects in the cost of it.  

How To Organize Kitchen Drawers?

Drawers are easy to access but also prone to get cluttered. You can prevent that from happening by following an organization plan. Here are some tips that might help you declutter your kitchen drawers.

Group the Drawer Content

Grouping the drawer content can help you organize them better. For example, tableware should be in one drawer, plates and bowls in the other, etc.

Use Drawer Organizers

Drawer organizers are an additional help for organization. Simply closing a drawer without an organizer can disorganize the entire area. In situations like these, a drawer organizer keeps the content in its correct spot and prevents clutter. 

Click here to see this drawer organizer on Amazon.

How To Organize Deep Kitchen Drawers?

Organizing a deep kitchen drawer is a little bit different than organizing shallow drawers. So, here are some additional tips to help in situations where you have deeper kitchen drawers.

Stack Similar Items

Have you got multiple muffin mold pans or ceramic plates? Stack them on top of each other. This simple trick organizes the drawer and makes it easier for you to reach the content. Just by looking at the drawer, you will know which plate or pan is where. This means you would not have to take everything out of the drawer to get one thing.

Organize Vertically

Organizing your drawer content with a rack is also a great way to prevent clutter. This method saves space and is perfect if you do not have similar items to do the stack organizing method. It helps in utilizing the areas that a deep kitchen drawer can not make use of. 

Click here to see this organizer on Amazon.

How Many Cabinets Are In An Average Kitchen?

Usually, an average 10-foot by 10-foot kitchen has 12 cabinets. However, this value does not indicate the number of cabinets you should have. The ideal number of kitchen cabinets depends on many factors, such as the storage requirements and kitchen size.

How Much Do Kitchen Cabinets Cost On Average?

The price of kitchen cabinets varies from brand to brand. You can get one for as cheap as $200 and as expensive as $1,500 per cabinet box. This means the total cost of getting 12 cabinets would be at least $2,400.

Are Upper Kitchen Cabinets Necessary?

No, upper kitchen cabinets are not necessary. One reason why homeowners get upper kitchen cabinets is for storing their plates, glasses, and mugs. These are the type of cookware and serving ware that usually do not fit in the kitchen drawers.

However, no matter how much storage upper kitchen cabinets offer, they take a lot of wall space and make a kitchen look smaller than it is.

If you wonder whether you should get upper kitchen cabinets or not, there are two questions to ask yourself. How big is your kitchen? Additionally, would you benefit from extra storage space? 

Kitchen Size

As we said earlier, upper kitchen cabinets make the kitchen look smaller, which is why we often vote against them. However, getting cabinets over drawers depends on your situation. If you have a large kitchen and love the look of upper kitchen cabinets, there’s no harm in getting them.

Available Storage

Usually, people who live all by themselves do not have to worry about tons of kitchen utensils. Yes, you might have multiple plates and tableware, but the overall kitchenware is not much. This means you will not need that much storage anyway. In this case, upper kitchen cabinets are not a necessity.

However, if you have multiple family members or love to collect kitchenware, you might need all the extra storage upper kitchen cabinets have to offer.

How To Design A Kitchen Without Upper Kitchen Cabinets?

So, you decided against getting upper kitchen cabinets and have no idea how to design your kitchen now? Well, we have a few ideas which you can consider. 

Tile the Wall

No one likes a kitchen with plain walls because it looks unfinished. Since you will not be using the wall for cabinets, you can easily style the wall as you wish. There are numerous tiles options available. You can get anything from natural stone, ceramic, or porcelain tiles. If you are under a tight budget, there are affordable tiles options available as well.

Lastly, if you want to get the look of tiles but do not want to spend on tile installation costs, you can get peel-off self-adhesive tiles. 

Click here to see these self-adhesive tiles on Amazon.

Open Shelves

Another easy way to fill up the wall is by installing open shelving. If you still want storage space, open shelves offer aesthetic appeal and utility. They are a great alternative if you do not like the look of cabinets. 

Click here to see these open shelves on Amazon.

Light Fixtures

Last but not least are light fixtures. Adding a few sconces above your lower kitchen cabinets can boost the overall decor. 

Final Takeaway

Whether you are a new homeowner or renovating your old kitchen, choosing between kitchen drawers and kitchen cabinets can be difficult. An easy way to decide is to think about what you prefer more, storage or accessibility? Other factors are also essential to determine what is a better choice for you.

Before you go, do you have other cabinet or drawer concerns? Do you want to find out the depth of a kitchen cabinet? For more information, check out our post here. 

Do you need ways to restore a kitchen cabinet? We can offer some guidance. If you would like to find out more, check out our post here. Until next time!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *