Kitchen drawer ideas. Top 8 drawer cabinet designs for your kitchen

When you’re designing your kitchen cabinetry it is important to assess your storage needs and determine the types of units that will cover them best. The essential storage cabinets may include base and top cupboards as well as tall pantry cabinets and open shelves. Usually, a base row of units is equipped with kitchen cupboards with drawers. Sliding drawers offer more functionality than cabinets with doors since you don’t have to bend your back each time you need to get something from the rear.

When choosing kitchen drawer cabinets you will want them to keep your kitchen utensils and tools organized. You have to think through on number of drawers for each unit and their depth. Typically you may add from two deep drawers to four shallow ones to one cabinet. You will want them to enhance your kitchen aesthetic rather than put it down. And there are some lovely designs of kitchens with drawer base cabinets. In this Cut2Size blog, we offer you to evaluate your kitchen needs and explore what drawer cabinet ideas suit you best in terms of design, organization and usability. 

Types of kitchen cabinets drawers

To some, cabinets and drawers look exactly the same. But in reality, they perform totally different functions. Cabinets and drawers vary not just in function but also in style. There are types of kitchen drawers that are fit for certain purposes. In order to know the type of drawers that will fit best in your kitchen, you need to have initial knowledge of the types of drawers in the kitchen. Here are some of them.

1. Standard kitchen drawers

Standard kitchen drawers are the units you commonly see in standard-sized kitchens. They have standard sizes and dimensions. Standard kitchen drawers are also more affordable and easier to install compared to other types of drawers. If you are looking for a quick replacement of your drawer, you can get a standard one but make sure that the size and measurements are accurate.

2. Large kitchen drawers

Large kitchen drawers refer to drawers that take almost all of your base storage units. They are usually wide and are organized by several racks and partitions. Large drawers are used to store big kitchenware like cooking pots and pans, plates, bowls, and the like.

3. Corner kitchen drawers

Kitchen corner drawers are considered space-saving drawers. Instead of a cabinet with doors, installing a pull-out drawer on the corner of your cabinetry will help maximize your kitchen storage space. Moreover, it will be easier to access the corner storage by using a pull-out method. Because corner drawers can be pretty spacious, utilizing the space by installing corner drawers will give you extra space to store other kitchenware that is not used frequently.

4. Kitchen cabinets with drawers and doors

Kitchen drawers with doors, also called internal kitchen drawers are not so very popular. Many people even ask if there is such a thing. Yes, there is. The primary purpose of a kitchen drawer with cabinet doors is for aesthetic purposes. If you want your cabinetry to have doors to make the overall appearance coherent, but you also want the space to have drawers, you can do this trick. Things like this, however, are rare in stores, so you might need to have them custom-made.

5. Hidden drawers in the kitchen

Hidden drawers in the kitchen refer to a drawer within a drawer. It is quite similar to the kitchen cabinets with drawers and doors, but this time, it is not cabinet doors that are concealing the drawer but another drawer. This style is typical in contemporary and modern kitchens where the homeowner wants to have a few kitchen doors and drawers visible but more storage units.

6. Kitchen drawers on wheels

Kitchen drawers on wheels, as the name implies, are freestanding kitchen drawers that have wheels. These kinds of drawers are ideal in small kitchens where there is little to no space for other storage. You can also add a stand-alone kitchen drawer on wheels to make your kitchen more convenient while cooking. You can easily drag them anywhere whenever you decide to arrange the furniture.

7. Kitchen island with deep drawers

Another place where you can put a drawer is on your kitchen island. The space below your kitchen island counter is big so that you can utilize it for drawers. Large drawers are suited in these areas because of their convenient rectangular shape. You can use deep drawers to store cooking pots and pans and other kitchenware. 

8. Drawers under sink kitchen

Most people think that the space under the kitchen sink is only for cabinets. However, having drawers under the kitchen sink is actually a very strategic thing to do in your kitchen. Drawers are more efficient and easier to access compared to cabinets. If you prefer working fast and with less hassle, opting for drawers instead of cabinets under your kitchen sink is a good option.

Purposes of drawers in the kitchen

To serve as storage is the main purpose of drawers in the kitchen. But to be more organized, you should know the many functions and purposes of drawers to make the most of your storage space. Here are some ideas for drawers in the kitchen.

1. Kitchen drawers for dishes

Drawers can be used to store dishes or to dry newly washed dishes. Most drawers are big enough for a dish rack to fit. This is where you can put your dishes and other utensils after washing them in your dishwasher.

To organize and protect bowls, cups, and mugs not only rack but also peg systems may be used in the drawer. If your drawer does not have any system, it can get easily disorganized and you might even struggle to find items you need when the contents of your drawer are a mess. The peg system for kitchen drawers helps to keep them neatly arranged. 

1. Pot and pan drawers in the kitchen

Large drawers that are located under the kitchen island or in corners can be used to store pots and pans. Large kitchenware is best stored in large drawers for convenience and easy access. While storing them in a cabinet is not a bad idea, it can be really inconvenient, especially if you have to stack them one after another. Putting them in drawers, on the other hand, will allow you to easily see them once you pull out the drawer.

1. Vegetable drawers for the kitchen

You can also use drawers to store vegetables, food, and other condiments. Vegetables do not always need to be stored in the refrigerator, room temperature in the drawer is suitable for most of them. You can also do this for other kinds of food you have in your pantry. Think about water bottles and canned food and drinks. You can store them in drawers to easily access them.

Retrofit drawers in kitchen cabinets

If you want to make your kitchen cabinetry more efficient and organized, you can convert kitchen cabinets to drawers. Kitchen drawers instead of cabinets are more preferred for storing large kitchen items like cooking pots, pans, bowls, and other food storage items. A kitchen without drawers is outdated. Having base kitchen cabinets with drawers only is way better than not having drawers at all.

You can have cabinets on the upper part of your cabinetry and save the base area for the bottom kitchen cabinets with drawers. Build custom kitchen drawers if you lack efficient storage spaces. Custom-made kitchen drawers are best for bigger kitchen spaces. For a small kitchen, on the other hand, you can buy pre-made kitchen drawers and retrofit your cabinet into multiple-drawer storage. 

Kitchen drawers vs cabinets

Is it best to have cupboards or drawers in the kitchen? You can have both drawers or cabinets in the kitchen. People often compare drawers vs cupboards in the kitchen. It is not a matter of which is best because kitchen drawers or cupboards serve a purpose. But if you are thinking of replacing kitchen cabinet drawers, or whether a kitchen drawer replacement is a good upgrade, this blog portion will help you out.

Kitchen cabinet drawer styles

Now, let’s talk about the aesthetics. drawers can be stylish or traditional. Because you can have them custom-made and you can easily find a variety of styles in stores, the choices are endless. But here are the two most popular kitchen drawer front styles for use by interior designers.

Shaker

Shaker drawers kitchen are common in both traditional and contemporary kitchens. What is great about kitchen shaker drawers is they blend naturally into whatever style. They are versatile, clean, and visually interesting. If you prefer modern but want to introduce a bit of traditional character, definitely go for shaker cabinets.

Modern

Modern kitchen drawers are one of the features of a modern kitchen. If you want to give your traditional kitchen a modern upgrade, installing inserts into kitchen drawers is the way to go. People who are living in small apartments prefer drawers over kitchen cabinets because of their easy mechanics and function. So, if you are thinking of a quick and affordable update to do in your kitchen, try to install a few more drawers and watch how your kitchen changes from old-fashioned to updated.

Handle position on kitchen drawers

The position of knobs on kitchen drawers would depend on the size of the drawer. The ideal cabinet knob location for normal drawers is typical with knobs aligned vertically, where they will be in the middle of the panel. Kitchen drawers with knobs are the common style that you would see in modern and contemporary kitchens. Knobs for kitchen drawers can be in any colour or style, depending on your kitchen’s interior style composition.

There are also kitchen drawers without handles. The mechanics of these types of drawers are so simple. You simply have to push them a little bit, and they will open. You don’t need to hold a handle or a knob to pull them open. These are called kitchen handleless drawers and are more common in minimalist kitchens.