KBB Closeup: Valuable Feedback on Today’s Storage & Organization Needs
Years ago, a beautiful kitchen may have trumped function for most homeowners. These days, clients are paying much more attention to how these spaces really work for them since they have spent more time at home over the last few years. Aesthetics still plays a major part in clients’ goals for their new or renovated kitchens and baths, but they are realizing the importance of functional spaces. Storage and organization solutions play a huge part of this, as they will for years to come, and they play into the wellness movement by keeping spaces clutter – and therefore stress – free.
KBB recently surveyed our readers on this important topic, and most respondents said their clients have asked for more storage and organization solutions from 2021 to 2022 than in past years. Clients are also willing to pay more for these custom options than they have in the past.
“Once they understand the features and benefits of their options, they are willing to expand their budget to get the items they truly want,” said designer Michael Kaestner of Philadelphia-based Kaestner Designs.
Key Survey Takeaways
- A median of 60% of homeowners are asking for more storage and organization options for their kitchen and bath projects.
- Clients are willing to pay a median of 23% more to receive customized storage and organization options in their projects.
- Built-in trash/recycling is the top storage and organization choice in the kitchen
- Shower wall niches are the top storage and organization choice in the bathroom
- 80% of respondents say they specify their clients’ storage and organization needs during the onset/beginning of the project
- Functionality is the most important consideration when choosing kitchen and bath storage solutions for client.
Storage & Organization Needs in the Kitchen
Built-in trash/recycling storage topped our list of kitchen storage features (99%). Filling out the rest of the top five were undercabinet/in-cabinet lighting (58%), pullouts/blind corners/lifts at 56%, stand-alone pantries (51%) and drawer inserts/dividers at 50%.
Nicholas Vanderhovel, CMKBD, designer at Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio in Nashville, automatically includes built-in trash and recycling in his kitchens because he says this is no longer seen as an upgrade or an add-on but as a necessity for proper kitchen design. According to Kaestner, another top choice for his clients is a tiered cutlery divider for silverware, gadgets and odds and ends.
“Other” kitchen storage features our respondents wrote in included cleaning product/paper towel storage, composting options, double islands, drawer peg systems, hidden pantry doors, knife block drawers, pet-feeding stations, blind-corner pullouts and toe kick drawers.
Storage & Organization Needs in the Bathroom
Shower wall niches took the top spot for bathroom storage features at 58%, and filling out the rest of the top five are medicine cabinets/mirror storage (30%), drawer inserts/dividers at 24%, in-vanity drawer outlets at 17% and built-in hampers with 16%.
“I can’t remember the last bathroom I drew without a niche or multiple niches,” said Vanderhovel. “No need to take up shower real estate with shelves when we can utilize space that would have otherwise been unused.”
Other bathroom storage options respondents said clients are asking for include customization within the vanity for things like curling irons and hair dryers, linen storage, full-length cabinets and medicine cabinets, undercounter refrigeration for cosmetics and medicine and wall shelving.
Prep. Cook. Zoom. And Even Homework.
The past few years have clearly created a need for more cross-functional use of the kitchen. This means there are more meals cooked at home, and at the same time, the kitchen has been pressed into service as a study area, part-time home office and even – sometimes – as a ‘Zoom’ backdrop. So, we see serious kitchen function and appropriate work lighting being discussed earlier in projects as well as a focus on putting all the food storage and meal prep mess out of sight when not in use. Kitchens are busier spaces than they ever were, but homeowners want to have a clean, organized appearance when other activities occur in the space. This can be done by way of designing for more cabinet storage and organizational options, hidden spaces for trash, walk-in pantry units and increased use of drawers with organizational dividers. Indeed drawers with concealed undermount slides seem to make their way into almost every kitchen these days. Similar organization trends are occurring in bathrooms, with more emphasis on powering and safely storing portable electric devices such as hair dryers and curling irons.”
– Daryl Nauman, Häfele America Co. Account Manager – Kitchen & Bath
Decision-Making at the Project Onset
Most of our respondents (80%) said they specify storage and organization needs at the beginning of a kitchen or bath project. This is because function is becoming just as important – if not more important – than aesthetics. Vanderhovel says doing this up front shows preparedness and due diligence.
“When I interview my clients at the onset about the way they want their kitchen or bathroom to function and what can be improved, this helps me determine where the money will be best spent and where I could possibly pull back,” said designer Meredith Weiss, president of Commack, N.Y.-based Merri Interiors.
Kaestner also explains that some cabinet enhancements require electricity, which is something that needs to be figured out long before the electrician visits the site.
Organization Solutions for Today’s Kitchens
The way we use our kitchens has evolved greatly over the years. Whereas before it was simply a place to store and prepare food, today we spend much more time in the kitchen. With so many different activities occurring in this one area, it’s the center of life and family in the home. With these changes, we have a need for a greater level of comfort and emotional functionality from our kitchens. Living in a well-organized kitchen brings us a sense of well-being and peace. Innovation and technology have led to more functional storage and organizational solutions. The newest kitchen accessories to help make our lives easier, optimize space, increase storage capacity, offer flexibility for adjustments, ease cleaning and harmonize with the interior decor of the space. Pull-out and lift-up systems offer better reach and access to stored items. Spice racks and drawer organizers ensure that we have what we need at hand when we need it and keep clutter at bay. Waste and recycling centers and under-sink pull-outs help keep the kitchen clean. Lighting becomes as much a functional element as a decorative one. A tidy and clean kitchen is inviting, and the best benefit of having an organized kitchen is that we’ll actually want to cook.
– Christophe Lies, Director of Product Innovation at Richelieu
Most Important Considerations
As storage and organization solutions help make kitchens and baths easier to use, it’s not surprising that functionality trumped the list of most important things to consider when choosing those.
“I think everyone is looking for better function and ease,” said Weiss. “This helps them use their time better within the spaces, and when things are well organized and put away, they are more clutter free and clean visually.”
All factors ranked:
- Functionality
- Budget
- Number of people using the space
- How often the space is used
- Square footage of the space
- Product availability
“Other” considerations written in by the respondents included aesthetics, brand, finish and quality.
Author’s Note: These considerations are listed in order of importance. Note that “Functionality” is more than twice as important as the second choice, “Budget.” Aesthetics was cited frequently among “other” key considerations.
What’s Next in Storage & Organization
Our respondents had some great ideas with what they’d like to see coming down the pike. More compost options came up more than once, as did customized options like tilt-out bins for pet food, medicine and toy storage. They are also hoping to see more options for lockable medication and jewelry storage, in-drawer power solutions, stepstool storage, makeup organizers and improved wall storage behind the toilet. Weiss would love to see the backsplash space between the studs in the kitchen used for built-in items to store paper towels, cutlery or even a TV.
“Kitchen range hoods keep taking up more real estate, but typically the insert doesn’t use up the entire hood space,” said Vanderhovel. “I’d love a vertical lift system that could be pulled down out of the flanks of the hood and then glide seamlessly back up flush into that cavity so I can utilize the space for spices and oils.”
The need for specialized storage and organization solutions isn’t going away any time soon, and it will continue to be an area where we will see more innovation. Kaestner says that in light of the pandemic, people are seeking solutions to a myriad of home organization issues that have become their focus with the normalcy of working from home.
“With the level of investment in these projects and the fears that accompany those, clients need reassurance that you as their designer care about not just creating a pretty kitchen for your portfolio but a truly functional, well-designed kitchen crafted around their individual needs,” said Vanderhovel.
By Chelsie Butler
Top photo: Design by Meredith Weiss, Merri Interiors/Photo by Nicole Larson Photography