by Jan Rutgers
When most of us think about Kitchen Design, the first thing that comes to mind is the aesthetic look of the room.
What is the color on the cabinet doors? What does the backsplash look like? What is the pattern on the countertop? What type of floors were installed?
All of these things contribute to the overall look of the Kitchen, but the Professional Kitchen Designer should also pay attention to how the interior of the Kitchen looks.
Let me explain.
When I was studying fashion design, one of my professors had us model our garments inside out to prove to her that our pieces looked as good on the inside as the outside.
She was teaching us what quality looked like, and this has help guide my designs since I began practicing Kitchen Design.
And quality is one of the #1 things consumers are looking for when purchasing a new Kitchen.
When evaluating quality from the inside out, the Kitchen Designer needs to focus on what the interiors of the cabinetry will look like.
Who wants to open a cabinet door and see a hot mess?
The best way to get a quality look with your interiors is with cabinet accessories.
The world of Kitchen cabinet accessories is expanding every year and it is easy for the Kitchen Designer to get a bit overwhelmed.
The best strategy for making the inside of your client’s Kitchen cabinets look as good as the outside, is to coordinate the accessories.
White Accessories
With many cabinet lines featuring white melamine interiors, a great way to start to make your cabinet interiors look great is with white accessories.
White plastic drawer inserts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are perfect for making the inside of your Kitchens look as good as the outside.
These inserts are so economical that you could include one in every upper drawer in your client’s design.
Continue with white by specifying all the other cabinet accessories in a white finish.
For your corners, choose white revolving trays to continue the theme.
Even a detail such as specifying the recycle bins and trash cans in white will make a difference.
When completed, the coordination of all the accessories will elevate your Kitchen design.
Silver Grey Accessories
The same way Kitchen Designers are combining two different finishes in their Kitchen designs, cabinet interiors can follow this trend.
An easy way to get this look is to choose a contrasting color for your cabinet accessories.
A combination that works well is white interiors with silver grey accessories.
With more and more accessories being offered, this is becoming easier to do.
Once you have selected the functional accessories for your design, ensure you coordinate the finishes.
There is no excuse for a mixture of mismatched accessory finishes in your Kitchen designs.
Silver grey accessories with a matching cabinet interior is a very sophisticated look.
If you work with a manufacturer that provides melamine interior options, I highly recommend you look at a medium toned grey.
When paired with medium toned grey accessories you will immediately elevate the interior look of your Kitchens.
Light Wood Accessories
The same way you might choose to include grey accessories in cabinets with white interiors, consider specifying light wood accessories in your white interiors.
This approach can give a high-end look to your Kitchen designs and is the perfect way to tie in wood floating shelves in a classic white Kitchen!
Of course if your client’s kitchen includes a birch plywood interior, you will want to specify coordinating wood interior accessories.
Nothing cheapens the look of this upscale interior than a mishmash of different materials used for the functional accessories.
Dark Wood Accessories
An emerging interior accessory finish is walnut.
Walnut is the perfect accent for any upscale Kitchen design, no matter what interior finish you specify.
Metal Accessories
When the European manufactures entered the North American Kitchen cabinet accessory market, they introduced metal accessories.
There are multiple options available to meet all your functional needs.
The key to getting a coordinated look with metal accessories is to choose matching metals.
There are subtle differences in metals with names such as polished chrome, brushed chrome, aluminum, anodized, etc.
To get the quality look you are after, ensure you match up your metals!
Most Kitchen Designers infuse their designs with function and by coordinating your accessories into collections, you will have your Kitchens looking as great on the inside as they do on the outside.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on coordinating accessories for your Kitchen Designs.
It is something you already do? Is it something you now plan to do?
Let me know in the comments below.
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Jan Rutgers has been designing kitchens and products for over 25 years and is a recipient of Kitchen & Bath Design News’ Top Innovators in 2020 for the Kitchen & Bath Industry. She has designed more than 1000 kitchens learning valuable skills with each one! Her experience in Kitchen Design, Millwork Manufacturing and Product Development has led her to create VESTABUL SCHOOL OF DESIGN where she educates and mentors people passionate about the Kitchen Design Industry.
