Whether you’ve just moved in to a new home or are in the midst of a renovation, planning how to organize the storage in your kitchen takes some thought. The size of the drawer or cabinet, proximity to the stove or dishwasher, and ease of access are all factors you should think about when deciding which cabinet your glasses should go in, where to store your cookie sheets, and so on.
To help us nail down the absolute best and most efficient layout for a kitchen, we turned to custom cabinetry pros (and bros) Tyler and Justin Sachs, the brains behind New Jersey-based Stonington Cabinetry and Designs. Clients come to them with a blank slate, and Tyler and Justin work to design a highly functional (and incredibly beautiful) kitchen from scratch.
With years of experience—and dozens of custom kitchens under their belts—we knew they’d have some ingenious tips. As Tyler explains it, “custom kitchens should be planned from the inside out. Focus first on the function, and then let the form follow.” After all, kitchens “should be created to make cooking more enjoyable and efficient, so you can spend more time hanging out with our family and friends!”
Whether you’re designing your dream kitchen from scratch or are just trying to make an awkward rental kitchen more efficient, the Sachs brothers’ tips are useful for anyone. Scroll down for five of Tyler and Justin’s best tips for optimizing your kitchen’s layout and storage organization like a pro.