Add these storage options to your kitchen because once you miss them it’ll never be worth the cost to add them later.
Here are 5 storage spots to consider.
1. Use the Space Around Your Vent Hood
Depending on the size of your hood and the style, your cabinet company may be able to add cabinet doors so you’ll have access inside the hood for storage or even future maintenance.
I wouldn't expect to fit pots and pans up there, but it could be a great spot for items you don't use every day.
The important part is planning the storage around the actual ductwork, not trying to squeeze the duct around your cabinets.
I'd also make sure you aren't blocking anything that needs to remain accessible for maintenance.
2. Hide a Folding Table Inside Your Island
This is one of those kitchen upgrades most people probably don't even know exists.
You can actually build a hidden compartment into your island to store a folding table.
When you need extra seating for a family gathering, holiday dinner, or party, you pull the table out. When you're finished, it goes right back into the island.
I love this idea because most people don't need an extra table sitting out all year.
If your island is large enough, I'd ask your cabinet company whether there's space to incorporate a dedicated storage compartment.
3. Don't Waste the Ends of Your Island
The ends of a kitchen island are often covered with decorative panels.
They look nice, but I'd rather see if I could make that space useful.
Depending on your island layout, you could add shallow shelves for cookbooks, a small cabinet for extra kitchen supplies, or even a built-in feeding station for your dog.
I've seen some really clever island designs that incorporate dog bowls into the end cabinetry instead of leaving them sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor.
4. Take Your Cabinets All the Way to the Ceiling
If I were building a new kitchen, I'd seriously consider extending the upper cabinets all the way to the ceiling.
That empty space above standard cabinets usually ends up collecting dust or becoming a place to display things you eventually get tired of cleaning.
I'd rather turn it into storage.
You can use the upper sections for holiday dishes, serving trays, extra glassware, and other things you only need a few times a year.
5. Add Shallow Cabinets to the Back of Your Island
If you have seating on one side of your kitchen island, don't automatically assume that entire side needs to be a blank panel.
You may be able to add shallow cabinets underneath the countertop overhang.
These are great for storing things you don't need to access constantly, like serving platters, seasonal dishes, extra napkins, or party supplies.
I'd use doors without bulky handles so they don't interfere with the seating area.
Just be careful about how much cabinet depth you add. You still want enough knee room for people sitting at the island, and you don't want to interfere with the countertop's required support.
Your cabinet company can help you figure out how much storage you can add without making the seating uncomfortable.
Plan Your Kitchen Storage Before Ordering Cabinets
The frustrating thing about these upgrades is that most aren't particularly complicated when you're designing the kitchen.
But once the cabinets, countertops, and finishes are installed, adding them could mean tearing apart something you just paid to have built.
Think about where you’ll be covering up space that could actually be used for storage.
And if you're building a new home, this is exactly why I created the Ultimate Home Building Checklist. It helps you catch hundreds of little upgrades and design decisions before construction gets too far along, so you don't end up wishing you'd done something differently after moving in.
