Now that we have established the need for your new kitchen, it's time to talk about the possibilities for new design elements.

For instance, the sink base with two doors and the bottom of the cabinet that serves as the collection area for all your various cleaning products, sponges etc. You know the one that you can never find anything and is always a mess. Did you know that you can now have two drawers under your sink? That's correct. The top drawer is cleverly cutout in the center to allow room for the plumbing, giving you easy access to your soaps and sponges. The bottom is a full drawer lined with rubber matting and the cabinet itself is lined with waterproof aluminum as well, so there are no worries about problems caused by leaky faucets. There is also a stainless trashcan with a fixed lid that automatically covers the can when the drawer is closed.

Let's take a look at that corner cabinet. You are probably familiar with the "Lazy Susan" that goes round-and-round and only uses a little over half of the interior space of the cabinet. While this is a passable solution, there is a newer unit called the "Lemans," that lets you access the entire contents of the blind corner thanks to a slick pullout swivel shelf. This new hardware is smooth acting and can withstand up to 225 lbs. per shelf without effort. The "Lemans" brings your items out to you, away from the cabinet, so there's no more stooping down to look inside to get what you need.

It's all about easy access, functionality and great looks. One of my favorite storage units is the 30cm pullout pantry. This is a tall and very slim unit, about 11 ½ inches wide by 82 inches high. It normally comes with five adjustable wire shelves. The beauty of this cabinet is that you can store quite a bit of dry goods in a very small space. It is a pullout unit that easily opens with everything inside stacked vertically so you can see and reach it all. It also has a soft closing mechanism that shuts with ease for safety…and no slamming or clanging.

Another favorite of mine is a cook top base cabinet with two large drawers underneath for quick access to pots, pans, lids and skillets. This cabinet is always a winner because it stores all of these items in order. The lids can be sectioned off with interior dividers for easy identification. The pots and pans can be stacked or spread out. The drawer easily glides out and also has the soft closing system that carries up to 225 lbs. Think about how many times you stoop down to reach inside a cabinet to find your favorite frying pan and before you actually find it every single pot and pan is either on the floor or counter.

This is just a partial list of all of the new and exciting developments in Italian kitchen cabinetry that inspire Chelsea Fine Custom Kitchens' clients and add excitement and enthusiasm to every project.
As a kitchen designer, it's especially rewarding to look back at the "before" pictures of a project, knowing that our clients are enjoying their kitchens in a way they never thought was possible.