Small kitchens require rational organization that sometimes involves utilizing practically every centimeter of available space. Especially when it comes to storing kitchen tools, various accessories, pots, dishes, etc. If there is a lot of this, and the kitchen is small, it is hard to imagine a room without upper cabinets. The situation looks a bit different when we have a large kitchen or few items to hide; then one can afford a kitchen without hanging cabinets. In other words, a kitchen without upper cabinets is not for everyone, but it can be super functional.
Kitchen Without Hanging Cabinets
Minimalism has also reached the kitchen. More and more people decide, for example, to arrange a kitchen without hanging upper cabinets. All essential kitchen devices and tools can be stored in cabinets under the countertop or in shelves set along a chosen wall. Often, instead of hanging upper cabinets, a floor-to-ceiling build is designed, creating an elegant, uniform surface that is easy to keep clean.
The lack of upper cabinets can give the interior a sense of lightness; one can also use this opportunity to showcase stylish decorations or uniquely finished walls. Instead of hanging cabinets on the wall, you can find beautiful kitchen wallpaper or tiles arranged in a fancy manner. You can decorate the entire wall or just a selected fragment, for example, above the worktop and in the sink area.
Where to Store Necessary Items in a Kitchen Without Upper Cabinets?
When arranging your kitchen, you can let your imagination run wild or bring to your home solutions spotted in interior magazines. The absence of hanging cabinets does not mean a lack of storage space. Indeed, it may require an appropriate amount of cabinets and drawers, but it is feasible. Upper cabinets can be effectively replaced, for example, with cargo cabinets, allowing you to reorganize even the most inaccessible space.
If you have designer kitchen accessories, you can use them as a somewhat exotic decoration in your living space. A colorful coffee maker or an uniquely designed kitchen robot placed on the countertop can become an unconventional decoration of the kitchen interior. Lower cabinets and drawers serve as great storage for plates and tableware, while cabinets equipped with pull-out shelves work perfectly as places for pots and pans.
Kitchen Without Upper Cabinets, or Emphasize Space
A small kitchen, where storage space is limited to built-in cabinets and drawers in the countertop and those standing on the ground, automatically becomes more spacious. The empty space can be used to display family photos, you can hang a board for writing important information, or decorate it using original wall tiles.
In a large kitchen, numerous drawers come in handy, which can be built not only into the countertop but also into a kitchen island. The absence of upper cabinets does not mean we have less space; on the contrary, it allows us to utilize the available space in an even more rational way, which is an excellent way to get rid of excess items in the kitchen.
What Instead of Upper Hanging Cabinets?
The kitchen countertop can be utilized as an excellent place to store daily used kitchen equipment. Kettle, toaster, mixer, coffee machine, or juice extractor. On the countertop, one can also place a container for storing bread, a butter dish, or a spice rack. Dishes, pots, cutlery, and groceries find their place in cabinets and drawers.
Instead of upper cabinets, various types of open shelves work perfectly. You can not only place containers with groceries on them but also use them as a great spot for potted plants. All you need is to choose suitable pots, and you can gain a beautiful decorative element. On the shelf, you can also set a collection of cookbooks or original kitchen gadgets.
By forgoing the upper cabinetry, you gain a piece of free wall that adds more space to the kitchen. The benefits do not end here with just visual effects; such a kitchen can simply become more comfortable, especially for shorter individuals who cannot conveniently reach upper cabinets. Necessary items located somewhere higher must be taken out while standing on a stool or even a small ladder. In the absence of upper cabinets, this problem disappears. However, another matter arises — it will be harder to hide sweets from curious children.