As new modern kitchen design themes like open floor plans, exposed walls and greater emphasis on islands have become more popular in recent years, some may be wondering what happens to cabinets for storage space as a result. With more and more homeowners converting kitchens into areas that are for more than just cooking, and also serve as social and gathering areas among other potential purposes, do cabinets still have a major place in the kitchen?
At AWA Kitchen Cabinets, we’re here to tell you that the answer remains a resounding yes. We stock a wide range of kitchen cabinets, from base cabinet options to versatile utility cabinets, plus one style that’s extremely important for any open floor plan or island design: Wall cabinets. Let’s look at why most designers recommend keeping wall cabinets as part of your design even if you’re going for an island theme, plus the benefits they provide.
Storage and Aesthetics
You may not have thought much about it before, but your lower wall cabinets in the kitchen hide a number of items and elements you’d likely rather not be seen by guests. While we tend to think of storage in cabinets as reserved for cooking materials like pots and pans, there are actually several other possible considerations as well.
Namely, we’re talking about home components like pipes, water hoses, wiring or various cables that may run through the room. Lower wall cabinets are often primary storage areas for these components, which you certainly don’t want to expose in the kitchen for both aesthetic and safety reasons.
Temperature Concerns
Many don’t consider this as even a related area to cabinets, but they can provide significant value when it comes to insulation and temperature control within the kitchen. Especially in older homes that might have cracks or other temperature issues with main walls, extreme outdoor temperatures may seep in and impact the kitchen. If you have quality lower wall cabinets, however, they can make a big difference in indoor temperature and keep your heating and cooling bills down each month.
Multi-Purpose Benefits
On top of this, lower wall cabinets and countertops above them are a perfect combination for multi-purpose use, particularly when multiple people are attempting to use the kitchen at once. While island designs are great for aesthetics and space, they can become inconvenient when two or more people are trying to prep food, cook and perform other duties in the area all at the same time. The best possible combination here involves both island space and other countertops with lower wall cabinets underneath them, allowing for multiple cooking and work spaces.
For more on why wall cabinets remain vital pieces of modern kitchen designs, or to learn about any of our kitchen cabinets, speak to the staff at AWA Kitchen Cabinets today.