Considering an island for your kitchen? If so, follow this quick guide to make sure you get the most value out of the space.

What Accessories Maximize the Use and Utility of Space?

One of the keys to getting the most value out of an island for your kitchen is to make sure you design it with the right cabinet accessories, some of which will be detailed below.

• Cutlery/Combination drawers (or cutlery tray inserts): Arguably the most valuable of all accessories for kitchen cabinets, these specialized cutlery drawers (or cutlery tray inserts) will help keep your cutlery organized, visible, and uncluttered, making it easier for you to put cutlery away and take inventory before you have guests over.
• Knife block inserts: One of the more specialized types of drawer inserts we sell, knife block inserts are among the most valuable we sell because they not only improve safety in the kitchen but protect the knives themselves. For one, no longer will you have to store knives loose in a drawer (or take up precious counterspace with a cutting block); but the insert will also protect the knives themselves by shielding both the cutting edge and the point. Your knives won’t get damaged, and will stay sharper for longer.

• Wood cookware organizers: It’s too easy to stack cookware on top of itself in a deep drawer, and that is one way to do it. But it is disorganized and, worst of all, when you stack cookware you risk damaging the finishes of the cooking surface. With a wood cookware organizer, your kitchen will be better organized and your cookware will be better protected, too. Our tip? Get some of those felt spacers and place them between your pots and pans to help protect them against scratches, too.
• Deep tiered drawers: Deep tiered drawers are just what they sound like; deep drawers with a tiered design that helps keep everything well organized. They can be used for utensils, cooking tools, cookware, and other kitchen tools, odds, and ends. The deep design is better for larger tools and small appliances, and the tiered structure helps keep everything organized so you can find what you need when you need it.
• K-cup drawer inserts: Sort of a specialized kitchen drawer organizer, but a highly valuable one if your home has a Keurig or other coffee machine that brews via the use of K-cups. These inserts help keep your K-cups stored and uncluttered; keep your machine right above or next to the drawer and improve your processes in the kitchen!
• Cut-out cutting board drawers: Honestly, there are lots of ways to store cutting boards. They can simply be stacked or lined up, but that’s a bit tenuous. A cut-out cutting board drawer is much better as it will keep the mall organized in one place, so you know where to look when you need one.

• Food storage container organizers: An unfortunate truth about kitchen organization is that keeping food storage containers not only well organized, but within easy reach of compatible lids is very difficult. If you’re reading this and have never misplaced a tupperware lid, consider us impressed. Either way, our food storage container organizers keep everything properly organized and easy to manage. This alone makes including one of these organizers in an island well worth it!
• Base pullouts: Base pullouts are highly versatile kitchen cabinet accessories that can be used to organize a wide range of essentials, such as cookware, mugs, plates, dishes, food containers, small spice bottles, and other cooking and baking essentials, like oil, extracts, and dry goods like flour and sugar.
• Sink base door storage: If your island has a sink (and some do) than a sink base door storage organizer, which will make it easier to keep cleaning essentials and other similar goods organized, is a great accessory to work into the design. They’re great for sponge and scrubber storage, as well as for keeping garbage bags close at hand, among dishwasher detergent, bottles of soap, and other cleaners.
• Grocery bag holders: Lots of homeowners keep those shopping bags that they accumulate from trips to the grocery store. And why wouldn’t you, since they’re easily reusable and have tons of uses, as small garbage bags, for packing small meals, and for so much else. The one thing though: they’re hard to keep organized without making a whole lot of clutter. But not with a dedicated grocery bag holder which will both keep them well-organized and even dispense them.
• Waste container pull-outs: One other great accessory for your kitchen island is a waste container pull out, which will keep your trash can and recycling bin concealed conveniently until needed. Don’t waste precious floor space on a waste receptacle that is unsightly and unsanitary; keep it stored efficiently with one of our specially designed pullouts.

Work with Our Designers to Create the Perfect, Customized Cabinet Kitchen Island

This short post only explores some of the useful accessories for an island in your kitchen. There are many others that could deliver a lot of value, especially considering your unique needs. For more information or to see what other custom cabinet accessories we provide, please see the previous link.

You should also get in touch with us directly if you want to learn more about our capabilities, or to get started designing a custom cabinet layout for your kitchen today. Contact us to let us know what your vision looks like and we’ll get started bringing it to life!