Kitchens focus: Why prioritising pull-out storage will reap big rewards

Well-designed pull-out systems can deliver up to 50% more usable storage, and are fundamental in maximising space, improving accessibility and achieving a premium look – Sally Smith talks to the experts.

Homeowners who work closely with kitchen designers and carefully select their internal storage solutions – rather than defaulting to just more cupboards – will definitely achieve more with fewer cabinets, maximising the ergonomics and efficiency of the space without overcrowding the layout.

"Pull-out and swing-out storage has evolved far beyond basic wirework, with today’s solutions designed to maximise every millimetre of space while making everyday life effortlessly functional," explains Cassie Jones, Masterclass Kitchens' brand manager. "Full-height pull-out larders that bring the entire contents of a cabinet out in front of you and slimline 150mm spice pull-outs positioned neatly beside a hob, transform compact cabinetry into highly efficient, accessible storage," she adds.

Discussing storage solutions at the initial planning stages of a kitchen design allows designers to be more intentional with carcase sizes, cabinet widths and overall placement, ensuring each unit works harder.

Isabel James, category manager for furniture equipment at Häfele UK, agrees. "Internal storage should carry the same weight as appliances, worktops and lighting in early planning discussions," she says. "Just as those elements are selected around a customer’s lifestyle, storage should be considered in exactly the same way. By bringing storage into the conversation early, it can be positioned as an integral part of the design rather than an optional extra. It also gives you the opportunity to specify the right solutions in the right places from the outset, rather than trying to retrofit functionality later."

Pull-out storage encourages better organisation within the overall kitchen layout by providing structured, easy to see compartments that allow customers to maintain order with little effort.

Well-designed internal storage enhances both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of a kitchen. Stuart Dance, MD of InHouse Inspired Room Design, subsidiary of Schüller, adds: "It supports a modern, clutter-free look while adding a sense of quality and sophistication – features that can appeal to future buyers or renters and add to long term property value. Pull-out storage is particularly useful for awkward or pokey areas – such as corners, narrow gaps and deep cabinets – removing the need to reach, bend or rummage through cluttered shelves."

"Full-height larder units with pull-out storage trays offering 360° rotation to provide unrestricted access when all 4 sides are open, and completely visible to the user helping to streamline workflow and organisation in the kitchen. Our solutions provide a range of tiered storage for herbs and spices, cooking oils and sauces, baking trays, and chopping boards through to new areas reserved for light cooking that include extra counter space for small appliances, and even cleaning supplies or a hidden pull-out bin," says Matt Phillips, head of UK operations at Rotpunkt.

"There are over 300 decisions to make when planning a kitchen," adds Krystyna Threlfall, marketing manager at Blum UK. "That's why understanding how your customer lives, cooks and moves through their space needs to happen first. These small decisions can be the difference between a space that frustrates and one that performs. For example choosing full extension runners alone can increase the usable drawer space by up to 30 percent. Similarly, one wide drawer can have 15% more space than 2 smaller drawers taking up the same overall width."

Sophie Devonald, designer at Crown Imperial, is keen to point out that intentional internal storage maximising every centimetre of space ensuring easy access to everyday kitchen essentials is always the aim. "Full-height pull-out storage solutions are a perfect space saver for smaller schemes and create a dedicated organised zone close to the cooking action. Designed for busy modern lifestyles, concealed storage also helps achieve clutter free worksurfaces and a seamless kitchen feel," she says.

David Milner, product manager of PWS, believes discussing how people intend to use their kitchen is absolutely central to the initial planning. "Door colours and worktop materials are generally what people think of when considering a new kitchen, but tasks such as unpacking shopping, how meals are prepared, and unloading the dishwasher should be discussed at the outset of the planning stage," he says. "There are now so many pull-out solutions available for all cabinet widths and heights, consumers can always find their ideal kitchen design."

Karsten Bäumer, Häcker Küchen product marketing & PR, says: "Our storage solutions can be combined with any front, cabinet colour, or size. The technical components inside the cupboard have, for the most part, little impact on the external appearance. And for those who need a particularly large amount of storage space, we provide a cabinet depth of 61cm at no extra cost."