Creative Kitchen Storage Designs that Really Work

By Christina El Moussa

When Tarek and I get a new flip house, I always love designing the kitchen. I imagine our future buyers getting together, cooking, and hanging out as a family in this warm, open, and inviting room. Whenever I can, I like to come up with some creative and unique storage designs that will make our flips stand out from the comps in the area and that will help create the perfect kitchen for our buyers.

Built-In Shelving

You’ve probably heard me talk about adding built-in shelving to other rooms before. I love giving our buyers storage solutions before they even move in, and this is one of the best ways I know of to do that. For this reason, I try not to extend the cabinets to the ceiling. Instead, I leave room so the cabinet tops can be used as shelves for storage or display purposes.

I also like to build small shelves above the backsplash between the counter and the cabinets, and if we have an empty wall, I usually go for open shelves instead of an added cabinet. This gives buyers easily accessible space to display their fun and cool kitchen stuff or to get at the things that they use most without any hassle.

Storage Above the Range

I love the classic look of an old steel pot hanger above a large range, but this solution works just as well with a smaller range that’s flush with your counter against the wall. You can add a shelf and then install a hanger for utensils that your buyers use most when they’re cooking. This creates convenient storage, and it’s attractive, too.

A Pull-Out Spice Rack Next to the Fridge

I absolutely love this idea. Basically, you create a very slender pull-out shelf that fits in the space between the refrigerator and the counter. It’ll have a handle like a cabinet, and it’ll slide out on rollers like a drawer. When you pull it out, you’ll find a large spice rack with plenty of room for canned goods, as well. It’s a really easy addition that doesn’t cost much, and it’s unique and incredibly useful, too.

A “Hollow” Island

If you’re adding a new island, I’m a big fan of going with a “hollow” one that has shelves, cabinets, or drawers instead of one that only functions as additional counter space. This will give your buyers lots of room to store their cookbooks, extra pots and pans, and other utensils. It adds a bit of dimension to the room, too, which is always a good thing from a design point of view.

Add a Row of Pegs Along One Side of the Counter

A row of pegs just below the lip of the counter, along the short side, will add some uncategorized organization to the kitchen. If the family that buys your house has small children, this can be a great place for them to hang their coats and sweaters when they come in from playing outside. Or it can be used to hang colanders, cutting boards, and other sundries that they use often but don’t want to leave out on the counter.

There you go—five great tips for creative storage solutions that will work for almost any flip house. These won’t break your budget, and they will make your kitchen stand out from the comps. Have fun designing your kitchens and adding a little bit of useful flair, and your buyers will notice and appreciate it!

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