1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization, New Edition E-Book

Joseph R. Provey

• Herausgeber: Creative Homeowner
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 236

Beschreibung

When you think of every item a kitchen stores, from utensils and glassware to cooking pots and slow cookers, the numbers easily climb to the hundreds. It can be a difficult task finding a rightful place for everything, while also maintaining an attractive, comfortable, and functional kitchen. Find over a thousand ideas for organizing and storing everything but the kitchen sink in this amazing book. 1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization is a comprehensive resource for professional organizers, homeowners, and designers looking for ways to organize and get more storage and functional space in the kitchen. Maintain access to frequently used items without cluttering the countertop, make better use of cabinet space, discover easy and efficient ways to recycle, and enjoy a better kitchen using the professional advice in this essential reference guide. With over 1,000 gorgeous color photographs and illustrations, this book provides helpful tips and everything you need to know about kitchen organization.

Leseprobe

Copyright © 2007, 2020 Creative Homeowner

This book may not be reproduced, either in part or in its entirety, in any form, by any means, without written permission from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts for purposes of radio, television, or published review. All rights, including the right of translation, are reserved. Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with manufacturer’s instructions for tools, equipment, and materials before beginning a project. Although all possible measures have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material presented, neither the author nor the publisher is liable in case of misinterpretation of directions, misapplication, or typographical error.

Creative Homeowner® is a registered trademark of New Design Originals Corporation.

1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization, New Edition

Editor: Colleen Dorsey

Technical Editor: David Schiff

Designer: John Hoch

Print ISBN 978-1-58011-844-6eISBN: 978-1-60765-741-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019948120

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Creative Homeowner®, www.creativehomeowner.com, is an imprint of New Design Originals Corporation and distributed exclusively in North America by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 800-457-9112, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, and in the United Kingdom by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the many kitchen designers, photographers, and kitchen-storage product manufacturers that made this book possible. Special thanks to Mary Jane Pappas, CID, ASID, of Pappas Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, for sharing her kitchen storage and organization wisdom. Thanks, also, to Kathie Robitz, the editor of 1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization, for her input and encouragement and for being a pleasure to work with, as always.

Contents

Introduction

PART 1:THE ESSENTIALS

CHAPTER 1

Finding Efficiency

Make the Most of Your Space

Think Size Before You Buy

Appliances that Store

Accessibility Is Key

Visibility Counts

Cabinet Construction

Method to Organization Madness

Connect Items to Activities

Be Ready to Compromise

Exceptions to the Rule

Subfolders for the Kitchen

CHAPTER 2

Cabinets and Accessories

Maximizing Cabinet Storage

More Wall-Cabinet Options

Base Cabinets

Drawer Options

Top-Drawer Drawers

Big Base Drawers

Pullout Trays

Pantry Cabinets

Corner Cabinets

Lazy Susan Options

Sink Cabinets

Kitchen Islands

Islands that Store

Island Details for a Custom Look

Buying Cabinets

Assessing Cabinet Quality

Places for Pots and Pans

Bakeware and Serving Pieces

Utensils, Tools, and Gadgets

Tableware Storage

Food Where You Can Find It

Small-Appliance Options

PART 2: BEYONDTHE CABINET

CHAPTER 3

Countertop and Under-Cabinet Storage

Know Your Options

More Counter Options

Build It In

Garage the Appliances

Setting Your Sink Straight

More Sink Storage Ideas

Sink Cleanup Tools

Drying Dishes

Essentials for Prepping and Cooking

Prep-Tool Placement

Cutting Boards

Cooking with Ease

Countertop Spice Strategies

Countertop Food Storage

Plates, Glasses, and Mugs

Wine Storage

Small Appliances

Music and Television

CHAPTER 4

Overhead and Vertical Spaces

Pot Racks

Rack Types and Materials

Hanging Tough

Choosing the Hooks

Where to Put the Lids

Ceiling-Hung Shelves and Cabinets

Walls, Windows, and Doors

Upper Reaches

CHAPTER 5

Getting Creative with Leftovers

Use Every Inch

Leftover Spaces

Broom Closets

Furniture that Stores

Movable Storage

Cleaning Supplies

Pet Supplies

Outdoor Cooking Supplies

By the Back Door

Laundry in the Kitchen

PART 3: SPECIALIZED STORAGE

CHAPTER 6

Cool and Cold Storage

Refrigerators and Freezers

Fridge and Freezer Styles

Refrigerator Configurations

Refrigerator Sizes

On the Inside

Features and Space Savers

Pantries

Refrigerated Wine Cellars

CHAPTER 7

Trash and Recyclables

Trash Can Basics

Finding a Home

Kinds of Cans

Pullouts for Trash

Down the Hatch

It’s in the Bag

A Recipe for Recycling

An Easy Way Out

Composting

CHAPTER 8

Kitchen Offices and Message Centers

Where to Put It

Office Duties

Desk Design

Selecting the Fixtures

When Space Is Tight

Selecting a Message Board

Message Centers

Resource Guide

Glossary

Credits

Whether you’re planning a complete kitchen remodeling or reorganizing the kitchen you already have, improving your storage and organization can save time, effort, and money every time you use it.

Introduction

When most of you think of good kitchen design, you probably think of fabulous appliances, gorgeous cabinetry, and beautiful floors and countertops. But they’re not the half of it—though they will collectively claim the lion’s share of your budget. Good kitchen design is about two far-less-glamorous ingredients: organization and storage.

Just consider the benefits: smart storage and organization can save you enormous amounts of time and effort every week. Whether you’re making a school lunch or preparing a dinner party, having what you need where you need it will speed up the task. Imagine: no more digging around in a jam-packed drawer for a knife to cut the sandwich or sorting through a pile of clippings for a favorite recipe.

A well-ordered kitchen, in which working is a pleasure, is also one where you’re more likely to spend time working. In wan era when many parents rely on fast food to feed their families, more meals at home can mean more nutritious, healthier diets—not to mention saving thousands of dollars a year on eating out.

Your Storage Style

No, the issue is not whether you prefer country to contemporary. Storage styles have to do with more fundamental preferences. Do you want a kitchen where, at day’s end, everything is stowed away in drawers or behind cabinet doors? Or do you find that functional items are a pleasure to look at and prefer to have everything in the open where you can admire them? Or perhaps you are somewhere in between? Sometimes such preferences are personal. Other times there are simple reasons. If, for example, you have an open floor plan and don’t want to see pots and pans while relaxing in the family room, an out-of-sight approach to storage may be your choice. On the other hand, if your hobby is cooking and you like your tools within easy reach, without having to open a door or drawer, open storage may be the answer. Julia Child famously kept her pots and pans hanging in the open on pegboard. Most homeowners prefer a bit of both, hiding some items in cabinets and putting others on open shelves, hooks, or racks. Nevertheless, think about the storage style that best suits you. The approach you choose will affect many of the design decisions that you’ll have to make during the course of your kitchen remodeling or reorganization.

Today’s open-plan kitchens feature islands that increase storage and counter space. But they rely on traditional elements, too, including cabinets, shelves, and baskets.

This kitchen, inspired by country kitchens of the past, makes good use of hooks, pegs, baskets, and narrow shelves.

Opposite Contemporary design subscribes to the belief that everyday objects should be beautiful—and visible. Glass cabinet door-and-drawer fronts, as well as backsplash railand-hook systems, do the trick.

Kitchen Evolution

Before the Industrial Revolution, the kitchen was a very different place. Centered on an open hearth, kitchenware was homemade or handcrafted by the town blacksmith and other local craftsmen. Families had relatively few kitchen implements. Storage was less of an issue than it is today—a few shelves could handle much of the typical kitchen’s contents. Many foods were stored outside the kitchen in larders, smokehouses, and root cellars. In the early nineteenth century, however, technological advances and mass production changed things. The iron range displaced the hearth. Cooking tools became less expensive and multiplied in number. The kitchen also had greater demands placed upon it. Iceboxes displaced root cellars and brought food storage into the house. Mass-produced jars and tins allowed for new methods of food preservation—and new demands for storage in the kitchen. The advent of modern cooking fuels (gas in 1860 and electricity by the end of the century) ushered in a new era in kitchen appliances. The evolution of the kitchen continues today. The average homeowner has hundreds of items that need a home. Cabinet systems have evolved to hold this trove and to keep it manageable. In addition, manufacturers have devised hundreds of ways to store the overflow on walls and ceilings, under cabinets, and in every empty corner imaginable. Appliance manufacturers, for example, offer their wares in every size and configuration, allowing you to put only what you use most where you need it most. Split fridges and freezers, for example, allow you to put the fridge where it’s handy, without gobbling up prime real estate with a less-used freezer. Many appliances can now perform multiple tricks, another space-conserving opportunity.

In this book, you’ll find out how to use every cubic inch of space for storage, from up near the ceiling to behind the toe kick panel— and everywhere in between.

What This Book Will Deliver

1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization has been created to help you design a kitchen that’s right for you. Part 1, “The Essentials,” covers the two things that are fundamental to optimal storage: organizational wisdom and cabinets. In Chapter 1, “Finding Efficiency,” you’ll learn how to make decisions about how to increase your available storage. You’ll also learn how to go about deciding where to put things for maximum efficiency. Chapter 2, “Cabinets and Accessories,” will explain the many choices you have when buying cabinets. It will also show you how to outfit new or existing cabinets to suit your needs.

Part 2, “Beyond the Cabinet,” discusses the storage options that are “outside the box.” Chapter 3, “Countertop and Under-Cabinet Storage,” for example, is loaded with ideas for how to use the valuable kitchen real estate that lies between your countertop and wall cabinets. In Chapter 4, “Overhead and Vertical Spaces,” you are encouraged to look around for useful storage opportunities that are often neglected. They include walls, windows, doors, ceilings, and even appliance fronts. Chapter 5, “Getting Creative with Leftovers,” suggests ways to use leftover nooks and crannies for useful storage just when you thought you’d run out of space. The chapter deals with all those necessities that need a home but are often simply stashed in a corner. What’s the best place for cleaning supplies, step stools, pet food, tool kits, and the fire extinguisher? You’ll find the answers.

Want to get serious about organization? Find a spot for a kitchen command center for the business of everyday life. You’ll discover how.

Buying kitchen cabinets ranks high in remodeling expenses. See Chapter 2, “Cabinets and Accessories,” for guidance on getting the most for your dollar.

Part 3, “Specialized Storage,” covers everything from where to store food so it lasts to where to keep the pen for writing your shopping list. In Chapter 6, “Cool and Cold Storage,” this book fills you in on how to use your refrigerator and freezer more effectively, as well as what new and exciting units to consider when you remodel. It also lets you know the proper way to store your finest wines. Chapter 7, “Trash and Recyclables,” gets down and dirty, describing the best ways to stow garbage, recyclables, and compost. Chapter 8, “Kitchen Offices and Message Centers,” offers ideas for incorporating a desk, files, electronics, and a message center into your kitchen plan—and tips on how to keep them orderly.

PART 1

The Essentials

CHAPTER 1

Finding Efficiency

Before delving into the guidelines for creating a well-organized kitchen with lots of sensible storage solutions, it’s important to be clear about the difference between storage and organization. The former has to do with better use of space, accessibility, and clever hardware. The latter has more to do with how to group items and where to put them.

An efficient kitchen has storage for everything and locates that storage where you’ll need it when engaged in kitchen activities.

You may design a kitchen so that every single utensil, pot, or box of cereal is stored without wasting a single cubic inch. But that doesn’t necessarily mean your kitchen will be well organized or an efficient place to work. To perform all of the daily tasks that take place there, quickly and easily, everything will need to be optimally stored in places that result in optimal organization. A bag of flour may be optimally stored in a clear, airtight container on a shelf that’s clearly lit and within easy reach, but if that shelf is on the other side of the kitchen from where you do your baking, it’s not optimally organized. Now move the flour container to a shelf over the counter where you bake. It may still be in a less than optimal place if you bake infrequently or if some other item that you use every day would be better stored there.

There is often no right answer for everyone. Too much depends on the size of your kitchen, the people it serves, and your cooking habits. Notice, however, we didn’t say that optimal organization depends on your budget. A low-budget kitchen remodeling can be a dream in terms of efficiency. Conversely, there are many high-end kitchens that are a nightmare to work in. In this chapter, we spell out the rules of optimal storage and organization.

Make the Most of Your Space

What do the catch phrases “maximize your space,” “avoid wasting space,” and “saving space” really mean? They all boil down to getting more from the storage space you have (or plan to have in the case of remodeling or new construction). To do this, you may need to use all of the available space in your kitchen, whether it’s up by the ceiling, on the floor of a closet, or buried deep in a corner cabinet. The soffits above your wall cabinets, for example, can be fitted with small cabinets or shelves for less-used items, such as a collection of flower vases or a fondue pot. Put rolling tubs on the floor under shelves in a closet or walk-in pantry and store paper goods and cleaning supplies inside. Use clever hardware to pivot and pull your way to the deepest recesses of any cabinet.

Sometimes the “wasted” space is right before your eyes. Open any kitchen cabinet and observe how much of it is actually used for storage and how much is empty. In other words, is there a big void above your collection of soup cans? Often, you’ll find you can add 30 to 50 percent more storage to a cabinet simply by optimizing the placement of shelves. Get into the habit of thinking in terms of cubic inches/volume when planning storage. Otherwise, you’re likely to waste much of your prime storage space.

When buying cabinets for a remodeling or when upgrading existing cabinets, make full use of today’s improved hardware and smart organizational features.

Specialty storage solutions make the most of your cabinet space, allowing access to high shelves and providing room for everything from recyclables to root vegetables.

SMARTtip

Pare Down

Get rid of what you don’t use. Do the lobster pot or second waffle iron you got as a wedding present need to be stored in the kitchen? Do you ever plan on using that big pressure cooker? In many kitchens, as much as half the available space is gobbled up by dishware and cookware that is used rarely or not at all. Unnecessary duplication can also cause kitchen crowding. You may need two or even three saucepans, but you don’t need five. And do you really need to have three dozen mugs? Keep only the ones you prefer to use, and donate the rest to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

A corner space is one that is typically difficult to use because of limited access. This angled shelves-and-drawer detail is just one solution offered by cabinet manufacturers.

Pullout bins and shelves, along with improved lazy Susans, bring stored items into view—and make them more accessible, too.

Think Size Before You Buy

Don’t buy bigger than you need. Careful selection of coffee makers, toasters, and wine racks can make the difference between ample and inadequate counter space. Similarly, bulky food packaging— especially when it comes to snack foods—can contribute to an overcrowded cabinet or refrigerator. When possible, avoid buying individual-size packages because the packaging-to-contents ratio is high.

Downsizing large appliances can make an even bigger difference when it comes to getting the most from the space you have. Many manufacturers, inspired by trends in Europe, offer compact ranges, fridges, freezers, ovens, and dishwashers. Multipurpose appliances offer space-conserving opportunities as well. Smart refrigerators are available with touch screens that help keep you organized and entertained. (See “Smart Fridges,” page 200.) A convection microwave oven cooks in either mode, making a dedicated microwave redundant in many cases. An over-the-range microwave, combined with a range hood, is another space-conserving combo. There are even under-counter combination washer/dryers.

Split refrigeration allows you to use prime kitchen space more efficiently. Put the fridge near all the action and put the less-frequented freezer on the outskirts. Use the free space you’ve created for items you need for meal preparation.

Compact and multipurpose countertop appliances, such as this combination processor-blendermixer, can save space, too.

SMARTtip

Save Money and Space

Buy nonperishable items and paper goods in bulk, but store only enough for a week or two in the kitchen. Put the rest on utility shelves in a basement, garage, or storage room. When you run low in the kitchen, replenish.

Dishwashers come in many sizes, including this compact 18-inch (45cm) unit. Buy the size that fits your needs, and you’ll conserve space and energy.

Cooktops, such as this compact five-burner unit, offer another way to put storage where you need it. Think how nice it would be to have your pots and pans organized in deep drawers right where you need them.

Appliances that Store

Refrigerators, walk-in pantries, and refrigerated wine cellars were made for storage. It may not be as evident, however, that other appliances present storage opportunities. Your range probably has a storage drawer at the bottom or along the side. It’s usually big enough for keeping broiling and roasting pans. Look above the range, too. Some range hoods include built-in warming shelves and racks that keep needed utensils close at hand. Having two dishwashers has also gained favor in one- or two-person households. Put the plates, bowls, glasses, and flatware you use daily in one of the dishwashers; run a load; take the items out as you need them; and put them in the other dishwasher when they’re dirty again. The dual dishwashers do double-duty: washing and storing.

An appliance’s main function is to do its job, but some have built-in storage, too. This coffeemaker has a warming drawer that keeps cups where you need them.

SMARTtip

Space-Saving Containers

When space is tight, use stackable square or rectangular containers on counters and shelves and in the fridge because they take up less space than round ones and are easier to keep organized than plastic bags. Seek out containers that nest or collapse when not in use. Use rectangular baskets and other containers to store small items on shelves. They store compactly, and you can quickly pull them down to the countertop, where it’s a lot easier to find what you’re looking for.

Collapsible silicone colanders can help you conserve storage space—and are a colorful change from stainless steel. Where space is tight, consider similar space-saving products, including collapsible measuring cups.

SMARTtip

Jettison Bulky Packaging

Upon buying space-gobbling items, such as family-size bags of chips, repackage them in appropriate containers or bags. They’ll consume less space and stay fresher. In the case of frozen meats, you’ll be able to defrost just what you need and no more. Caution: observe strict sanitary practices when repacking meats and poultry to keep from introducing bacteria as you handle them.

The range shown here includes pullouts and drawers to keep cookware handy. Some range hoods, washers, dryers, and barbecue grills also offer storage.

Accessibility Is Key

Just as important as using all available space is making sure that what you store is easily accessible. Your storage solutions may be sized correctly and located exactly in the work area where you’ll need them, but if they’re hard to get to, they will not qualify as optimal. There are several simple rules for avoiding such problems.

Always put items back in their proper place. Otherwise, you’ll spend half your time searching for the right tool or ingredient. This is especially important when two or more cooks will be sharing the same kitchen.

Avoid piles. If your serving dishes are under your dinner plates, which are in turn under your dessert plates, you’re going to have a problem. Ditto for your cutting board collection. Either you must perform the precarious feat of pulling out the plate you want from under the others, or you have to lift half the stack and lay it aside while you grab the one you want. Instead, add shelves or use racks so that each grouping of dishes or boards is separate and easy to access. Vertical racks can work, too, but they will generally take up a bit more space because you need dividers to keep the items upright.

Heavy items, if not stored on the countertop, are best stored between waist and eye level. Avoid storing heavy pots or fragile items where you have to stretch to reach them. Drop a cast-iron cooking pot, and your kitchen floor could be damaged. Or, worse, you could drop something on yourself.

Utensils that fit drawer organizers like pieces in a puzzle leave no excuses for putting the pizza cutter in the wrong drawer.

Horizontal cabinet doors that open upward allow you to access or reload contents without the doors getting in your way—and with little danger you’ll ever bump your head on them!

Vertical storage beats piles, especially overhead. You only have to be able to reach the bottom corner of a cookie sheet to pull it down.

SMARTtip

Storage Strategies

Tiers allow you to see what’s in store behind the first row. You can buy tiered shelf inserts at many home-goods stores, or you can build them for little or no cost. (See page 59.)

Elongated, clear containers like these make good use of cabinet space and allow you to see what you have. Always choose food containers that have airtight lids.

Helper shelves make it easy to reach the dinner plates without having to remove the dessert plates first. Many models are available, or you can build your own. (See page 57.)

When loading a cabinet, put the tallest items toward the back, as shown in this section view. That way, you can see smaller items up front, but the taller items remain visible.

Visibility Counts

Try not to store items where you can’t see them, such as behind rows of canned, boxed, or bagged goods. Putting larger items toward the back of a shelf and smaller items up front will help. Tiered inserts are sometimes a good solution, too. They allow you to view all of the contents on a shelf or in a cabinet. Because the tiers raise each successive row of goods from front to back, there’s no need to pull out every soup can to grab the one you want. (See the illustration on page 25.) Another solution is to store dry goods, such as flour, beans, and rice, in long, deep, clear containers. (See the illustration on page 25.) The contents will be visible, and you can minimize or eliminate having to put some items where they can’t be seen. If clear containers are not available, use labels so you know the contents without having to pull it off the shelf. Remember, visibility is a great memory prompter. If you can’t see it, you may forget you have it.

Good lighting also makes it easier to see what you need. To do so with a cabinet, illumination must be able to reach inside the cabinet. Ideally, it should come from several angles so that items are not in shadow. Nor should your body cast a shadow in the area where you’re searching. (See the illustrations on this page for optimal placement of lights along a run of cabinets.) For countertops, consider under-cabinet lighting. Then, whether you’re using the under-cabinet space for chopping vegetables or reading a recipe, you’ll have good visibility. Lighting base cabinets with shelves is more difficult. One solution is to build in lighting. Connect it to a door switch so it automatically comes on when you open the cabinet door. Another is to install pullout shelves or to install base cabinets with deep drawers. With either approach, your ceiling lighting should be adequate.

Lighting counters and cabinets takes some thought. This illustration shows one way to do it. Lights inside cabinets are another solution.

SMARTtip

Lighten Up

It’s fine to go with dark cabinet exteriors if that’s your preferred look, but you may want to use light colors for cabinet interiors and for shelves. As light from ceiling fixtures strikes the light-colored surfaces, it will reflect onto the items you store there, making them easier to see—and find. Alternately, use pullouts, which enable you to move stored items into the light.

This well-lit kitchen includes downlights in the ceiling, uplighting over cabinets, fixtures over cabinet openings, lighting inside and under cabinets, and even a light strip along the floor beneath the pantry cabinets.

Here’s the same kitchen with many of the lights turned off.

These fixtures, which are mounted to the cabinet tops, throw light inside when the doors are open, without interfering with the door swing.

These fixtures cast plenty of light along the countertop—an area that would otherwise be partially shaded by the cabinets or the cook.

In-cabinet lighting is meant to display contents stored behind glass doors. Glass shelves enhance the visual effect.

Under-cabinet lighting is also available with energy-saving fluorescent fixtures. LED lights have also become very popular for this purpose.

To See or Not to See

Deciding whether you want be able to see your stored items or not is often a compromise between aesthetics and functionality. Some people like to showcase items, but that’s not important to everyone. Others prefer a less-cluttered look and allow the cabinetry to be the dominant element. If you want to have your cake and eat it, too, check out these solutions.

Roll-down shutters, when open, provide complete access to serving bowls, pitchers, and other stored items whenever they’re needed.

When the shutters are closed, the contents are hidden and protected from dust and grease. These stainless-steel shutters are easy to wipe clean using a mild detergent.

Translucent doors offer an interesting alternative to clear glass when you’re not sure you’re willing to keep contents in full view.

The textured glass camouflages the cabinet’s contents, but still allows you to see what’s inside.

Cabinet Construction

Differences in cabinet construction and hinges affect storage convenience as well. Framed cabinets have rails and stiles that reduce the cabinet opening by about 1 inch (2.5cm) in width and height. This slightly reduces access and can limit the size of storage baskets and bins that you may want to use to organize small items. Frames also obstruct your vision, especially of items at the back of a shelf. Besides being more accessible, frameless cabinets have a sleeker look with doors that completely cover the cabinet front. Sliding doors are another sleek option.

Today, cabinets of all types most often have cup hinges, which are sometimes called European-style hinges. The cup of these hinges fits into a shallow round recess drilled into the door and the inside of the cabinet. These are easier to install than traditional mortised leaf hinges and have adjustment screws so doors can be aligned after installation or realigned if they sag. The best cup hinges allow the door to open 180 degrees, but some stop at 120 degrees or even 90 degrees.

The best cup hinges allow doors to swing open 180 degrees. This provides full access to contents without interference from doors.

Framed Cabinet

Frameless Cabinet

Sliding-Door Cabinet

Framed cabinets have rails and stiles that stiffen construction but slightly reduce the cabinet opening. Frameless cabinets rely on simple box construction, sometimes with knockdown (KD) joint fasteners. With stiles eliminated, access to contents is easier. Sliding-door cabinets eliminate the nuisance of swinging doors, but only one side of the cabinet can be open at a time.

Framed versus Frameless

Framed cabinets typically reveal rails and stiles, even with doors and drawers closed, as shown here.

Frameless cabinets present far fewer lines to the viewer because doors and drawers reveal little, if anything, when closed.