How to maximise benchtop space in a kitchen design

Kitchen benchtops should be saved for cooking, which is why it’s important to plan your kitchen renovation around the space you’ll need to prepare meals. Read how you can increase the space with alternative kitchen designs.

1. Renovate your kitchen around new habits

A common mistake in kitchen renovations is to redesign a kitchen around old habits – unsurprising, considering that many people spend 20 to 30 years in the same kitchen.

A kitchen designer can come up with fresh ideas, right down to the way you use your sink. A good designer will also help you think differently by addressing the pros, cons and relevance of change.

2. Avoid space-saving kitchen products

Clever kitchen products like magnetic spice racks, integrated spice holders and power stations can help limit kitchen benchtop clutter. However, it's probably better to accommodate these items in your overall kitchen design.
A magnetic knife board on the splashback will save space, for example, but is likely to get splattered and need cleaning after cooking.

3. The right kitchen cabinet styles are crucial

Design your kitchen cabinet styles to accommodate as much cutlery and crockery as possible. Jars and tins may look pretty on your kitchen benchtop, but it's better to use cupboard-door-mounted racks if you have a tight workspace. Remember: the taller your kitchen cabinets, the more storage you will have.

4. Plan the way you use kitchen items

Store kitchen items according to how often they're used rather than their shape and size. As a guide, keep frequently used items directly above or below bench height, less frequently used items above or below these, and infrequently used items in the highest and lowest levels of the kitchen.

5. Commercial kitchen storage planning

In a commercial kitchen, 'there's a place for everything and everything in its place'. Apply the same principle at home, with everything racked, stacked and put away within easy reach.
A good kitchen design will accommodate all your items - for example, a stationery drawer for phone books and pens. A top drawer with access to power is ideal for kitchen product chargers.

6. Get everything off the kitchen benchtop

A usable kitchen benchtop means everything off the bench! Phones, books, diaries, calendars, pens and nail clippers - they're just some of the items likely to take up precious kitchen benchtop space. Items like mixers, toasters, knife blocks, kettles and vegetable bowls should also have a home elsewhere.
Contact a kitchen designer to plan the space in your kitchen: