The Best Condiment Storage Ideas for Your Kitchen Designs

People have been using their kitchens much more than usual during the COVID-19 shut down. They have also been visiting the grocery store less often, meaning they are stocking up on food stuffs.

These new habits may entail different types of food products being purchased, or the doubling up on frequently used items.

The COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly change the cooking and storage habits of many homeowners. As a kitchen designer you will need to be thinking of ways to improve the storage capacity and function in your kitchen designs to address client’s changing needs.

Condiments such as spices, sauces, vinegars and oils are enhancements that cooks can experiment with and are items homeowners can easily add to their grocery shopping list.

Having an abundance of condiments on hand will add interest and variety to home cooked meals.

Once in the kitchen, the storage of condiments should be placed in a convenient location and allow individual items to be easily seen.

Here are 10 of the Best Condiment Storage Ideas to inspire your next Kitchen Design

1. Upper Drawer Storage

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The top drawer in a cabinet is a great place to store frequently used condiments. By installing an angled drawer insert the cook is able to see the labels of their spices easily allowing them to grab the one they need. Drawer dividers and specialized containers fitted inside the drawer is also a great solution. When space is at a premium in the kitchen consider installing an extra rollout in the top of a drawer for added storage.

2. Deep Drawer Storage

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The second drawer or the deeper drawer in a bank of drawers are ideal for larger condiments. Large spice containers, oils and vinegars need the height of a tall drawer to accommodate them. Include angled dividers or open drawer sides to allow the cook to identify easily what they have on hand. A stainless steel drawer box with dividers is perfect for bottles of liquids since cleanup is a snap on this surface.

3. Base Cabinet Condiment Pullouts

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Condiment pullouts are available in a variety of widths, with one to fit your client’s needs. Installing a condiment pullout behind a filler piece utilizes the space and offers easy access to small condiments and spices. A pullout 9″ wide is ideal for oil and vinegar bottles and a wide 18″ pullout will accommodate cooks with a lot of condiments to store. All of these accessories come with adjustable shelves to customize the space even more.

4. Upper Cabinet Condiment Pullouts

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Many manufactures offer 12″ deep upper condiment pullouts. These units work well for taller cooks. They are available in filler widths of 3″ to 4″ up to 12″ and 15″ wide units. There are also metal inserts available that are installed behind a door and can be pulled out when needed. Specifying these units near the cooking zone will allow the cook to grab a spice easily to finish off a dish.

5. Counter Height Condiment Pullouts

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A great Universal Design option is to install a condiment pullout in an upper unit brought down to the countertop. This strategy works well when a cooking hearth is designed around the range or cooktop. There are many options for the designer to include this type of unit in a kitchen design and brings optimal functionality to the space.

6. Condiment Storage in Pantries

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Condiments can also be specified for tall pantry units. The filler sized condiment pullout is an accessory that can accommodate multiple condiments in your kitchen design. With it taking up only 3″ to 4″ if is a great use of space. Specifying a wider pullout pantry will allow a few shelves in the pantry to be dedicated to condiments or a rollout shelf or two in a pantry can be put into service as condiment storage.

7. Cabinet Door Shelves

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Condiments, especially spices store well on shelves attached to a cabinet door. They are available as both wire shelf and wood shelf units. Most of these accessories have been designed for upper cabinets but there are units available for base cabinets and tall pantry cabinets. Do note that when these accessories are specified, the shelving inside the cabinet needs to be cut back to accommodate the door mounted spice rack.

8. Apothecary Drawers

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Including apothecary drawers in your design is a unique way of storing condiments in a kitchen. These small little drawers are perfect for packages of loose spices. Designing the cabinetry so that the drawers are friction fit will allow your homeowner to remove the drawers to access the contents. If you choose drawer tracks for these drawers, don’t install them too high and ensure the client can see into the drawer.

9. Open Shelves

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Open shelves have become very popular in kitchen design and are a solution for condiment storage. There are many options such as wood floating shelves, metal shelving systems and shelving units for hanging rail systems. With so many options, choose an open shelf solution that works best with the decor of your client’s kitchen.

10. Backsplash Niches

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Installing a niche in the kitchen backsplash is a great idea for storage of frequently used condiments. This also gives you the opportunity to make the niche a focal point with a contrasting tile. You can plan your niche to highlight a specific tile design or you could go with a unique niche shape. Most designers will plan the niche directly behind the cooktop or range, but consider installing one on a side wall for easy access.

As you can see there are many options available for condiment storage in kitchen design. Discuss the possibilities with your client to come up with the solution that will work best for them.

By giving your clients solutions to storing these items they will be more apt to add additional flavorings to their meals and produce outstanding meals in their new kitchen!

Presenting unique storage solutions to your clients is key to success as a kitchen designer. VESTABUL SCHOOL OF DESIGN offers a variety of courses with great tips you can implement in your kitchen designs. Check out our ICON and CORNERSTONE courses for more information.