Pros

Cons

• Heat resistant
• Anti-bacterial
• Easy to maintain and clean
• Blends well with any décor
• Goes well with stainless steel sinks and appliances
• Reflects natural and artificial light in order to brighten kitchen

• Expensive
• Easy to scratch and dent
• Fingerprints and water spots make it look dirty
• Noisy
• Will dull knives if you cut directly on it

As you can see, there are both pros and cons to installing stainless steel countertops in your kitchen. In this post we will explore some of those pros and cons in more detail. All restaurant kitchens use stainless steel countertops because they are a good surface for cooks to work on. If you are interested in cooking, then stainless steel counters might be appropriate for your kitchen. They also look quite professional so you can give the impression that you are a serious cook if you want to. In terms of décor, stainless steel can go with any style of cabinets. It works well with wood as well as more modern materials. You can blend the countertops into customer stainless steel sinks or appliances as well. They are also a good way to make the kitchen seem brighter and larger because the stainless steel surface will reflect both natural and artificial light well.

One example of a positive of having stainless steel countertops is that stainless steel is considered heat resistant. It gets this label because you can put hot pots and pans on the surface without leaving marks behind not damaging the surface. Another positive is that stainless steel is an anti-bacterial surface because it is not porous. Since there are no crevices and hiding places for water or bacteria, the surface stays relatively clean. You do not need to use sealants to keep out bacteria or dirt. In fact all you need to keep your stainless steel counters clean is soapy water. Using harsh kitchen cleaners will mar the surface and leave behind stains.

The main disadvantage of stainless steel counter tops is the fact they are so expensive. You might pay anywhere from $75 to $150 per square foot for these countertops. There are definitely less expensive options, but the cost is on par with a good granite countertop. Another negative to stainless steel in the kitchen is the fact that it dents and scratches quite easily. Dropping something heavy on the counter is a sure way to leave a dent which cannot be repaired easily. Any time you drag something across the counter surface or accidently set a knife down incorrectly, you run the risk of leaving a scratch behind. Some people say that these scratches and dents add character, but I think that I only true after many of them are added over the entire surface. Until then, they are just blemishes.

Another negative is that it is very hard to eliminate water marks and fingerprints from stainless steel surfaces and their existence make the stainless steel counter look dirty even if it is not. In addition, working on a stainless steel surface can be quite noisy because every time you sit something down you make a loud clanking sound. Finally, some people like the fact that you can cut directly on the stainless steel surface, but if you do so your knives will become dull and useless. It is recommended that you use a cutting board.

Types of Stainless Steel Countertops

Whether you like the idea of stainless steel counter tops or not, there are several different types to choose from. Some of the stainless steel styles create more problems than others while some are easier to live with than others. For example, a mirror polished stainless steel counter will look terrible with even one fingerprint on it and it is almost impossible to keep it looking clean. By contrast, the brushed stainless steel will hide finger prints more and small scratches or dents often blend in better.

Other styles of stainless steel counter tops include quilted stainless steel or machine hammered pieces of stainless steel. The quilted counter tops have many small squares molded into the stainless steel. The surface is not smooth, but it is quite decorative. In fact, you actually see quilted stainless steel backsplashes far more often. The machine hammered stainless steel has small dimples hammered into the counter so that the surface you use has many small bumps. Again, the surface is not smooth, but is decorative. One negative that comes with these more decorative stainless steel counter top styles is the fact that they are harder to clean because there are many nooks and crevices for food and dirt to hide.

OXO Good Grips Products

OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler	OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set	OXO Good Grips Silicone Flexible Turner
OXO Good Grips POP Rectangle 1-1/2-Quart Storage Container	OXO Good Grips 10-Piece POP Container Set	OXO Good Grips POP Small Square 1/3-Quart Storage Container

Within the Good Grips brand name there are many different types of products and some of the most popular are pictured above. Most of the Good Grips OXO products are for the kitchen, but you will also find OXO products for the garden, the office, and for cleaning. The handles of almost all the Good Grips OXO products are made of a material called Santoprene. This processed rubber has a soft feel and can conform to an individual grip. It is also dishwasher safe and will not break down when exposed to most kitchen oils and oils of the hand. One of the most popular categories of OXO products is the food storage products. In June of 2011 they introduced a new line of food storage containers called the POP containers. These OXO POP Containers have an airtight seal that is created with the push of a button. However, the lids are easy to remove. This simple operation means that anyone can get into and reseal your food containers easily. They are also stackable and come in a wide variety of sizes so that you can maximize the storage space available to you.

OXO SteeL Product

OXO SteeL 6-Piece Kitchen Essentials Set	OXO SteeL 11-Piece Barware Set	OXO SteeL Salad Spinner
OXO SteeL Soap Squirting Palm Brush	OXO SteeL Magnetic All-Purpose Clips, 4 Pack	OXO SteeL Apple Divider

Stainless steel is an ideal material for kitchenware because it will not rust or corrode because of water or other food liquids. OXO stainless steel products in the SteeL line have a sleek design with accents of black on a mostly stainless steel tool. They have not only kitchen OXO products in this line, but also office supplies like the clips pictured above or cleaning supplies like the handheld brush pictured above. OXO SteeL products also include storage and organization products and serving products.

OXO Tot Products

OXO Tot Bottle Brush with Nipple Cleaner and Stand, Orange	OXO Tot Dishwasher Basket, Orange	OXO Tot Baby Food Mill, White/Green
OXO Tot 4-Piece Feeding Set, Green	OXO Tot Sippy Cup with Handles, Aqua, 7 Ounce	OXO Tot Sprout Chair, Green/Walnut

Parents are very particular about the products they let their children use and OXO products for tots are a great line that any parent would be thrilled to bring into their home. The OXO Tot products are easy to grip and made with bright color schemes to stimulate your child appropriately. OXO Tot products include a number of highchairs and bath toys in addition to eating utensils, cups, flatware, and baby food making equipment. Probably the most popular OXO products for children are the cleaning products. OXO makes a number of bottle cleaning products such as nipple brushes, drying racks, baskets for dishwasher use, etc. You can see many of the OXO Tot products above.

OXO Candela Products

OXO Candela Glow, Set of 4

OXO Candela Tooli, Set/2 Blue & Green

OXO Candela Zoom

OXO Candela products are lighting products that are safer for your home than traditional candles. The reason is that they are rechargeable LED lights rather than flame candles. The OXO Candela products can run for up to eight hours before needing to be recharged. They are portable, cordless, and give off a warm glow that simulates candle light well. OXO lighting products also include a number of nightlights that your children will enjoy. Tooli nightlights light up when they are removed from their charger base and they are safe for your children to move around with. They can take the nightlight with them to the bathroom or under the covers for some fun.

First, you want the materials of construction for the kitchen island to indicate that it is a piece of furniture rather than a butcher’s block. For example, the bottom of the kitchen island should be stained or painted to match other pieces of furniture in the kitchen or other rooms of the house. The kitchen island is often located in a part of the kitchen that opens out into another room so it is important that the façade that faces the other rooms in the house is as decorative as possible. In addition to the bottom, the counter top on the kitchen island can also help to contribute to its furniture qualities. Marble has a lot of color and texture and looks more like what you might find on the top of a piece of furniture than Formica or tile.

A second trick that kitchen island designers use to make kitchen islands that look like kitchen furniture is to put the island up on legs rather than have the cabinetry go all the way to the floor like the other cabinets in the room. The simple act of putting the kitchen island on four decorative legs can go a long way toward making the island look like a piece of furniture.

The piece of furniture that many designers are trying to personify in the kitchen island is the kitchen table. To that end, many kitchen islands double as breakfast bars or eating counters. To facilitate this double use, the kitchen island may have two levels. The level that is closest to the other rooms in your house that can see the island and farthest away from the work triangle for the cook, is usually higher than the rest of the kitchen island. The higher surface on that part of the kitchen island hides the rest of the island work area so that the island resembles a table more than a work surface for someone preparing food or washing dishes.

Another piece of furniture that a kitchen island designer may be trying to go for is a sideboard or buffet. In order to make the kitchen island look like a piece of storage furniture, you will want to have storage areas on the side of the kitchen island facing the rest of the house. For example, you might install a wine rack or a small storage shelf area that is accessible by someone other than the cook who is working behind the kitchen island. The entire kitchen island might look like a wine rack if you set it up correctly. Most people will be distracted by the wine and will not notice that the island is actually a kitchen work space.

Kitchen islands that look like furniture are a great way to get some of the specialized storage and functionality in your kitchen that you have always desired. The point of making the kitchen island look like furniture is so the kitchen is a more inviting place where your guests are comfortable gathering. Gusts are much more likely to gather around a handsome kitchen table or buffet than a cutting board or sink.

In addition, copper kitchen accessories are beautiful right out of the box as well as for years to come. Over time the copper pot rack will start to change color and bring a completely different aesthetic look to your kitchen.

There are several different styles of copper hanging pot racks to choose from and some of my favorites are pictured below.

Old Dutch Dome Pot Rack, Copper	Old Dutch 30-by-20-Inch Rectangular Pot Rack, Copper	Enclume PR16BWG CP Premier 3-Foot Oval Ceiling Pot Rack, Copper
48 x 18 Oval Satin Copper Pot Rack w/16 Hooks	Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 33-Inch Bar-Style Wall-Mount Pot Rack, Polished Copper	Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Half-Circle Wall-Mount Pot Rack, Polished Copper

Ceiling Mounted Copper Pot Racks

Four of the pot racks pictured above are meant to be mounted to the ceiling, most likely over a kitchen island or above the stove. Typically the copper pot rack is attached to the ceiling by at least two brackets and then the actual rack hangs down from those brackets by chains or other copper pieces. The pots and pans hang from S hooks that hang on a grate that covers the entire copper pot rack. You can also use this grate level as an additional storage shelf.

If you have chosen a ceiling mounted copper pot rack then your next choice has to be what shape you want that pot rack to be. Your choices included oval shaped, rectangular shaped, or circular shaped. Rectangular or oval pots racks are best suited for hanging over a kitchen island where there is more real estate underneath. The circular copper hanging pot rack is better suited to hanging over a stove where there is less room due to the cabinets that extend out on either side.

The major difference between the two oval shaped copper handing pot racks pictured above is that one of them is copper and one is only copper plated. Copper plated pot racks are typically made of steel with a thin layer of copper on the outside. They have two advantages over solid copper hanging pot racks. First, they are more sturdy because copper is a soft metal and they are less expensive. Both types of hanging copper pot racks will age over time and get a nice patina that will help with the aesthetics of the room.

Wall Mounted Copper Pot Racks

Wall mounted copper pot racks like the two pictures above are still considered hanging pot racks because the pots and pans hang from them using S hooks just like with the ceiling mounted pot racks. There are some differences though. First, wall mounted copper pot racks typically hold a lot less than the ceiling mounted variety because there is less room to install the pot rack. Second, they require a wall with no cabinets which is hard to come by in a kitchen. Another difference is that the wall mounted hanging copper pot racks are not as efficient use of space. In order to be able to reach the pots and pans you store on the wall mounted hanging copper pot rack, you need to install it fairly far down on the wall since you will also be reaching in with your counter in the way. Then, you cannot store anything on the counter below because the pots will hang down too far. You may gain cabinet space, but you loose work surfaces on your counter tops.

There are two shapes for wall mounted copper pot racks you can choose. The first is a straight line and the second is a half circle. The circular variety will obscure more of your counter top, but you will be able to store more items and be able to reach them more easily.

Bunn STX Specialty 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer with Thermal Carafe	Bunn NHBX-B Contemporary 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer, Black	BUNN GRXB Original 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer, Black
BUNN BX-B Classic 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer, Black	BUNN BTX-B ThermoFresh 10-Cup Thermal-Carafe Home Coffee Brewer, Black	Bunn My Cafe Pourover Commercial-Grade Pod Brewer

The products pictured above are the home coffee brewing machines available from Bunn. Bunn coffee brewers have some unique properties that make them better than many other brands on the market. For example, all Bunn coffee brewing machines use a hot reservoir style brewing process. That means that the reservoir which can hold up to 50 ounce for the full size machines and 48 ounces for the single serving brewer, is heated up to 200 degrees and held there so that there is always hot water available for brewing. Other brewers start with the water at a very inconsistent temperature which can have bad results under several circumstances. If the water is too cold, the flavor will get left behind and you will get weak coffee. If the water is too hot, the coffee may be too bitter. Bunn coffee makers have a stainless steel reservoir with temperature control so you always get consistent results with every pot.

Another feature that makes Bunn coffee pots preferable to other brands is the sprayhead technology for dispersing water throughout the coffee grounds. In normal drip coffee makers the water drips through the grounds slowly and you do not get equal flavor extraction from all parts of the grounds. If some of the grounds in the center are over extracted then you get bitter tasting coffee. The sprayhead technology sprays water through the grounds quickly so that you get the proper turbulence for perfect flavor extraction.

Finally, Bunn coffee makers brew your coffee fast. As long as the reservoir is heated up you can brew ten cups of coffee in three minutes. With other coffee makers, they have to heat up the water as they go which can lead to long brewing times which leads to bitter coffee. You will have more flavorful coffee faster with a Bunn coffee maker.

Of the models shown above, the GRX, BX, and NHBX can be considered together because they are similar to each other. The only differences between the three models are in aesthetic appearances. All three of these Bunn coffee maker models have glass carafes and porcelain warming plates to keep the coffee warm once it is brewed. The NHBX and BX models are available with stainless steel accents while the GRX is not. The GRX model Bunn coffee maker is the most traditional looking model followed by the BX. The group is rounded out by the most contemporary looking model, the NHBX.

The other two full pot Bunn coffee machines are the STX and BTX models. These Bunn coffee machines have thermal stainless steel carafes that do not need warming plates and that are dishwasher safe. Again, the main difference between these two models is aesthetic. The STX is graphite black with silver and stainless steel accents while the BTX is plain black with only stainless steel accents.

Starbucks Coffee Bold Espresso Pods 24-pods

Perfect Pod Maker

The last Bunn coffee maker pictured above is the My Café personal brewing system. This coffee maker by Bunn makes single servings of coffee but it uses the same technologies as the full size coffee makers by Bunn. It has the heated water reservoir and the sprayhead system. Some of the features unique to this Bunn coffee brewing system are a tea brewing button which triggers a pulse brew that allows for steeping action and a better cup of tea. The My Café uses single serving coffee pods that are slightly different from Keurig K Cups. Instead of little cups, this coffee machine uses flat disk like pods. You can buy the pods with brand name coffee already in them like the Starbucks product listed above or you can buy empty filter pods and put your own coffee in them using a pod maker. One thing that makes the Bunn single serving coffee maker different from Keurig coffee makers is that you have more control over the strength of the coffee you brew. You can adjust the amount of water that is sent through the pod much more specifically.

Coffee People Kona Blend Island Style, Extra Bold K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50)	Timothy’s World Coffee, Colombian Decaffeinated Medium K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50)	Timothy’s World Coffee, Rainforest Extra Bold Espresso K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50)
Coffee People Organic K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50)	Diedrich French Roast, Dark K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50)	Gloria Jean’s Coffees,Butter Toffee K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50)

Keurig K cups are meant to be used with Keurig single cup coffee brewing systems. However, K cups has become synonymous with any single serving coffee brewing pod or device. Single cup brewing is the newest trend in coffee and is perfect for the hard core coffee drinker and casual dabbler alike. There are several advantages to brewing coffee one cup at a time and you can attribute many of them to K cups. First of all, you have access to an incredibly large variety of coffee blends and other hot beverages. You are no longer required to drink the same kind of coffee every day for a month because that is how long it takes to get through a canister of coffee. Another advantage would be the fact that there are no messy coffee grounds, filters, and coffee pots to clean up after. K cup coffee brewing is clean and easy. Next, brewing coffee with K cups is fast. You will no longer have to spend time grounding beans, preparing the coffee maker, and brewing an entire pot every time you want a cup of coffee. K cups can be ready with a cup in as little as thirty seconds if the machine is warmed up. Finally, K cups are a relatively inexpensive way to get your daily coffee fix when compared to chain coffee stores and convenience stores.

How Do K Cups Work?

The K cup has a paper filter that is welded inside and filled with coffee, tea, or whatever beverage making ingredient is needed. Then each cup is sealed airtight with a foil lid so the contents stay fresh. When the K cup is inserted into the Keurig coffee maker small holes are punctured in both the top and bottom of the K cup. The top hole punctured through the foil lid so that there is a direct line to the coffee. The bottom hole is positioned so that the hole does not puncture the filter paper and no coffee or tea ground can make it through to your cup. Pressurized hot water is pushed through the top hole, forced through the packed coffee, etc. and then the brewed beverage exits out the bottom hole and is dispensed into your mug.

K Cup Variety

There are over two hundred varieties of K cups available to the consumer so it is almost guaranteed that you will be able to find something that suits your taste buds. If you look on the Keurig website, they have the K cups arranged in a variety of ways so that you can find exactly what you are looking for. Not only are there K cups with coffee, but they also make tea K cups for those who want a little less potent of a hot beverage and hot chocolate K cups which are great for the kids. The first way that you can sort through the many varieties of K-cups is by brand. Keurig has agreements with many of the top coffee and tea companies so that you are sure to find your favorite brand available. Some examples might be Millstone, Folgers, and Twinings if you are into the classics or Wolfgang Puck, Emeril’s, or Newman’s Own Organics if you want something more trendy.

If you are not concerned with the particular brand and just want to make sure you get a great tasting cup of coffee or tea, then you can use the Keurig website to sort the available K cup flavors by caffeine level, roast, or blend. Keurig K-Cups come in decaf, half-calf, or regular strength in many different flavors. That means that you can use your K cups coffee maker to make your morning coffee with a caffeine fix and then a post dinner cup of the same coffee in the decaf version without wasting half a pot of coffee each time. Keurig also helps consumers by classifying their available K cup flavors into light, medium, or dark roasts. If you like a richer and more flavorful coffee then you should look into the darker roasts. Teas are not classified by roast but rather by blend. You can refine your search for a tea K cup by choosing black teas, green teas, white teas, etc.

K Cup Cleanliness

A second benefit to brewing your coffee with K cups is the cleanliness factor. When brewing a normal pot of coffee you dirty the coffee pot while with K cups you only dirty the cup you are going to drink the coffee out of so there are fewer dishes to wash when using K cups. In addition, regular coffee pots have filters with spent coffee grounds that you need to dispose of. If the filter tears or spills it is quite difficult to clean up, but you never have these problems with K cups because you just throw out the used K cup with no mess and no fuss.

K Cup Speed

Brewing coffee with K cups is much faster overall than brewing coffee the traditional way. If the machine is already heated up then you can have a cup of coffee in as little as thirty seconds. Even if you are starting with a cold machine, it only takes two to three minutes to brew the perfect cup of coffee. In addition to the fast brewing time, K cups have very little preparation and cleanup activities associated with them which also helps to save time. For example, you do not have to measure out coffee grounds and water for each cup. In fact, you can fill the water reservoir as little as once a week depending on your Keurig coffee maker model and how much coffee you drink. In terms of clean up, you do not have to clean the pot or clean out sued coffee grounds. Instead, you only have to throw out a K cup.

K Cup Complaints

There are two common complaints that consumers have when it comes to K cups. First, it can be inconvenient that you can only make coffee one cup at a time if you are entertaining. Sometimes it is more practical to be able to make an entire pot of coffee at once. However, even if you have to make one cup at a time for each guest, they will be able to pick a coffee flavor that they want rather than just having what everyone else is having.

Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter My K-Cup Reusable coffee filter – Use your own gourmet coffee in a reusable filter. Exclusive to the Keurig Home Brewing System.

Second, some people think that coffee made with K cups is not strong enough. If this is a problem for you then you should consider trying the darker roasts for stronger coffee taste. If that is not a good enough solution for you then you might consider buying the Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter. This is a reusable K cup where the user can fill the K cup with their own coffee grounds. This Keurig accessory is not compatible with every single Keurig coffee machine, but works with most of the higher end models.

Most Popular Keurig K Cup Brewers

Keurig B-40 B40 Elite Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System

Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System

Keurig B-70 B70 Platinum Single-Cup Home Brewing System

Keurig makes a wide variety of K cup coffee brewers or K cup coffee machines for you to choose from. The differences between the machines are things like the size of the water reservoir, the sizes of coffee cups you can brew, and the aesthetics of the machine. Some Keurig coffee makers will hold more water in the reservoir than others so that you could fill the reservoir as little as once a week. Some brewers have as little as two brew sizes and others have as many as four. Some K cup brewers are entirely black plastic while others have chrome accents or an LED display.

What is Countertop Transformations?

Countertop Transformations is a do it yourself countertop improvement product. It is an easy to use product that allows the average homeowner to transform their old laminate countertop into a beautiful granite-like countertop. You get the impressive look of new countertops at the fraction of the cost in only one weekend.

The number one advantage of this product is that it is easy to use. The simple application process is easy enough for even a novice home improvement person. The application process includes three easy steps and each part of the product has its own advantages. The base coat is a very strong adhesive that bonds tightly to the old countertops so that you do not have to worry about peeling like you do with other paint on products. While it is safer to wear some kind of face protection, the product does not have much of an odor so it is pleasant to work with. The middle layer of decorative color chips has the advantage that it comes in a variety of colors so that you can choose a look that will fit with whatever your kitchen style is. The third layer of Countertop Transformations is a unique topcoat that resists yellowing and is quite durable. It can withstand normal food stains and any non abrasive cleaning product. The topcoat is reinforced with an antimicrobial to keep your kitchen safe and clean.

How Do You Use Countertop Transformations?

1. The first step when transforming you countertops with Countertop Transformations is to clean and sand your existing laminate countertop. The Countertop Transformations kit will come with diamond embedded sanding tool that you can use to rough up your old countertop. Basically, you want to sand away all of the shininess from your old countertop. The surface should be rough and dull when you are finished. Next, you need to carefully clean the countertop surface so that it is free of debris, dust, etc. Any of these things left behind will prevent the adhesive base coat from sticking to the countertop correctly and might cause your new countertop to peel up away from the base. As part of the cleaning, you should also tape off around the countertop and backsplash to prevent any base coat getting on your walls or cabinets. It is also a good idea to tarp off your lower cabinets so that you do not get any of the decorative ships in the cabinets.
2. The second step is to apply the adhesive base coat. This step must be done quickly because the base coat will start to dry almost immediately and it must remain wet for the application of the decorative chips. The Countertop Transformations kit also comes with a wetting agent which you can spray on top of the base coat to keep it wet for slightly longer. If you have a lot of countertop to transform then you might want to apply the base coat in small sections so that you can move on to step three for each section before it dries.
3. Before the adhesive base coat dries you will sprinkle the applied area with decorative chips using the included decorative chip dispenser. You want to completely cover the base coat with chips. You should not be able to see any of the basecoat once the chips are applied. Do not worry about having too many chips in any specific area because you can always sand down and remove any excess chips later. The only thing you want to be careful of is to make sure that you do not run out of chips before your countertop transformation is complete.
4. The fourth step is to wait. You must let the adhesive base coat and chips dry for at least twelve hours without disturbing them at all. Most homeowner chose to wait these twelve hours over night so as not to be tempted to touch the drying chips and adhesive. This step is extremely important. No matter how tempted you are, wait at least twelve hours, preferably more.
5. After the adhesive is completely set, you can brush away any excess chips from the countertop surface using a soft brush and dust pan. Next you can use the decorative chip scraper included in your Countertop Transformation tool kit to knock down any chips that are sticking up. Be careful not to scrape too hard because you might gouge the surface or scrap away the chips entirely. Once the excess chips are removed, you sand the chips surface so that you have a smooth and polished surface for the application of the protective top coat.
6. The last step is to apply the protective top coat. Using a two inch brush for the backsplash and hard to reach areas and a six inch roller for the majority of the countertop, you can apply the top coat in even strokes. Always make sure to run your brush or roller in the same direction to finish so that the top coat looks evenly applied. You must let the entire set up dry for at least forty eight hours before you can start to use the countertops lightly. The product will not be completely cured and available for normal use for five to seven days.

Frequently Asked Questions about Countertop Transformations

• • You may be wondering if the Countertop Transformations coating will cover up any existing dents or scratches. Small scratches and stains will be covered up, but major scratches, dents, or chips must be repaired with a two part epoxy putty first. You apply the putty and wait for it to dry before sanding it down smooth with the rest of the countertop.
• • Some homeowners want to know if you can use Countertop Transformations on any surfaces other than laminate. The truth is that you can use this countertop product with surfaces such as hardwood or metal. The key is to prepare the surface properly. You still want to sand the surface with the included diamond embedded sanding tool to make sure that you have a rough and glossy free surface to work with. However, before you sand the entire countertop, you should test the adhesion of the basecoat on a small section just to make sure before continuing.
• • Other homeowners may be wondering how long Countertop Transformations will last. If you care for the surface properly, meaning that you avoid letting stains set in and you clean with a wet cloth and on abrasive cleaners regularly then the product should last for years.
• • If or when the existing coating of Countertop Transformations wear out or needs to be replaced, you can apply a second coating over top of the first one. Just as with any surface, you will need to sand down the existing Countertop Transformations coating with the diamond embedded sander before applying a new basecoat.
• • Many beginners worry about making a mistake and how they will correct it. The most common mistake is to find an area that is bare after the decorative chips and base coat have dried. If this happens to you, wet a sponge and then dip that sponge in the base coat. Apply the sponge o the bare area and then immediately cover with more decorative chips. Allow the new chips to dry and then sand down that area so that it is eve with the rest of the chip level.

Cabinet Organization Products

You kitchen cabinets will probably need more organizational help than most parts of your kitchen because they are large cavernous spaces that invite clutter and disorganization. One common problem that many homeowners have is that things get lost in the back of their cabinets. It is easy enough to see the things stored in the front, but the back of base cabinets especially tend to be dark and hard to reach so it is easy o lose things back there. The solution is pull out shelves. Pull out shelves are an excellent organization product for the kitchen because they make it possible to see all the contents of any cabinet. Therefore, it is harder to stuff things into the back and forget them. Pull out shelves come in two varieties. The first type is flat shelves that pull straight out. The second type is pull out shelves that pull out and then tilt down for easier access.

Another common cabinet storage problem is loose lids for pots, pans, and plastic containers. If you store each lid with the item it corresponds with, it makes it much harder to stack pots and pans and you end up using your cabinet storage space inefficiently. A better solution is to use plastic or canvas storage containers to hold all of the lids. That way, you do not have large numbers of lids floating around the cabinets and getting lost and you can still stack your pots and pans.

Helper Shelf Cabinet Organizer – Expandable, Heavy Duty

Stacking, however, is not always a great solution to your storage problems. Sometimes, it is not a good idea to stack. For example, you can stack plates of the same size together, but it is not a good idea to stack two different sized plates on top of one another because you have to remove the smaller plates entirely any time you want a larger plate. In addition, stacking cups and glasses can be dangerous because they are much more likely to break or fall over. The solution is a cabinet organization product known as free standing stackable shelves. These shelves are usually made of wire and they are placed on a cabinet shelf in such a way that you double the amount of shelves you have available. That way, you can store the larger plates on the normal cabinet shelf and the smaller plates on the stackable shelf above. You use the same amount of space, but you have much easier access to your china. Cup racks that are installed on the underside of the upper shelf are also a good organization product for kitchen cabinets. You can hang the cups from the hooks and they are much safer than they would be if you stack them on a shelf.

CHROME UNDER SHELF CUP HOLDER (HOLDS UP TO 12 CUPS!) Our under shelf chrome steel cup holder neatly organizes cups saving you precious cupboard, countertop and cabinet space. Just slide onto any existing shelf: no tools required. Holds up to 12 cups. Made of chrome finish steel, each measures: 10 7/8″ x 7″ x 2 3/8″

Another common cabinet storage problem is wasted head space above spices and food stores. Canned goods and spice bottles are not items that are easily stackable because it would be very inconvenient to try and look through your inventory. The organization product solution is spice racks and can racks. Spice racks are multi-level storage devices for spice containers. Some are installed over the cabinet door and others are installed on the cabinet shelves. Spice racks for kitchen cabinets allow you to use all the vertical space available for storage and keep your spices organized so that it is easy to find what you need when you need it. Can racks are a way to take advantage of vertical storage space without stacking your canned goods. The racks are usually two or three levels high and the cans are stored on their sides. As you remove the can in the front of each level, the cans behind fall forward to fill the empty space. The only down side to this organization product for canned goods is that it is difficult to see what cans you have stored in the back when it is full. They work great if you store several cans of the same item.

Organize It All 1866 Soup Can Rack Organize It All 1866 Soup Can RackOrganize It All 1866 Soup Can Rack Features:; Constructed of heavy metal wiring with chrome fini; Fits nicely into any kitchen cabinet; Fits most soup cans or other type of canned foods; 15.75 x 2.5 x 18.25″

One last cabinet storage problem that you might encounter comes up most often if you have a large corner base cabinet. Corner cabinets often are very deep and the door is small. Therefore, it is difficult to reach very far into the cabinet and almost impossible to reach the back. You do not want to waste all that valuable storage space, so your kitchen organization product that gives you the solution is a lazy Susan. Lazy Susans are round shelves that turn three hundred and sixty degrees around a center pole. They allow you to fill a large corner cabinet all the way to the back but have easy access to all the things stored in there by turning the lazy Susan. One advantage of a lazy Susan is that you can install a many shelves as you like around the center pole. That means that you can put three or four of them in a cabinet that you have decided will be your pantry, or one or two if you are using the cabinet for storage of larger items.

KV PPN28S-W Lazy Susan Pie Cut Door Mounted 2 Polymer Shelves 28″ (Set) White Our shelves are the strongest on the market and our horizontal, vertical and rotational adjustment features will save you time and money.

Drawer Organization Products

After your kitchen cabinets, the drawers in your cabinetry scheme are the next most important kitchen storage solution. Therefore, it is important that you keep the drawers just as organized as the cabinets. Similarly, you basically want to purchase drawer organization products to fill needs that arise and the solve storage problems. The most common drawer storage problem is disorganization when it comes to loose cutlery and loose kitchen utensils. It is impossible to know how many of each utensil you have available or to even find what you are looking for if everything is just thrown into a drawer with no organization. Even if you organize your utensils and cutlery into groups, the motion of opening and closing the drawer will soon mess up your efforts. The solution is a kitchen organization product known as a silverware tray or cutlery tray. Silverware trays provide compartments that are the right size and shape for the different kinds of silverware as well as some extra compartments for other kitchen utensils. There are also utensil trays that are made up of different sized compartments that you can use to organize any kind of utensils, not just cutlery. One feature that makes some cutlery trays better than others are no slip grips on the bottom of the tray so that they stay stationary when you open and close the drawer.

Lipper Beechwood Expandable Flatware/Cutlery Tray Deeper all wood expandable flatware/cutlery tray. 12-7/8″w x 18″d x 2-5/8″h, expands to 23″w

Another drawer storage problem that you may encounter is difficulty keeping things stacked in a deep drawer. Some people have drawers that are two or three feet deep and they use them for storing pots and pans or dishes. Just like with the silverware and utensils, the motion of opening and closing a drawer will disrupt any stacks you may make and cause your items to be spilled and messy. A solution is a drawer organization product known as peg drawer organizer. This product consists of a peg board that you fit into the bottom of the drawer and then wooden pegs that you place into the appropriate holes so that you have clear areas for stacking different kinds of dishes or cooking tools.

Rev-A-Shelf 4DPS-3021 Medium Drawer Peg System with 12 pegs – Wood – Maple-Natural Rev-A-Shelf 4DPS-3021 Medium Drawer Peg System with 12 pegs – Wood – Maple-NaturalRev-A-Shelf 4DPS-3021 Medium Drawer Peg System with 12 pegs – Wood – Maple-Natural Features:; for 30″ and 33″ cabinets; Trim to fit; Physical Specifications; Width: (inches) 0 / 30.250; Depth: (inches) 6.625; Height: (inches) 0 / 21.250; Weight: (lbs) 7.00; Materials: Wood – Maple; Color/Finish: Natural

Countertop Organization Products

No matter how many kitchen organization products you buy for your cabinet sand drawers, you are going to have to store some things in your kitchen on your counter top. Therefore, there are kitchen organization products for the countertop as well. Some are designed to allow easy dispensing of items that you use every day or at least quite often. Other are designed to keep things out of sight or fresh. No matter what your counter top organization needs are, there are kitchen organizational products that can help.

Anchor Home Collection 4-Piece Ceramic Canister Set with Clamp Top Lid and a Wood Spoon, Black The Anchor Home Collection adds style to your kitchen or pantry decor while providing functional, easy to use, handy food storage. This round ceramic canister has a round ceramic clamp-top lid.

One common counter top organization product for the kitchen is a set of canisters. Canisters usually come in a set of four. The canisters are different sizes and have an air tight lid so that you can store perishable items in them like flour, sugar, pasta, cereal, coffee, etc. They are a great organization product because they take the storage of large and potentially messy items out of your cabinets and put it in decorative canisters. Some homeowners use clear canisters so that the food items themselves can be decorative elements. Other homeowners store nonperishable but frequently used items like tea bags, candy, or office supplies like pencils, pens and scissors. The interior decorator usually uses the opportunity of this kitchen organization product to perpetuate whatever theme you are going for in the kitchen. For example, if your kitchen has a fruit theme then your canisters might have pictures of different kinds of fruit on them or maybe they will be in the shape of different fruits.

Olde Thompson 16-Jar Orbit Spice Rack 16 Jar Revolving Orbit Spice Rack from Olde Thompson is filled with 16 of your favorite spices

The purpose of most countertop organization products is to provide a neat place for items that you use frequently or every day. It looks cluttered when these items are just sitting out loosely. While you may have a large spice rack in your cabinets for the more exotic spices in your collection, you should probably have a small spice rack to keep near the stove with essential spices that you use often. Spice racks for kitchen counters come in two varieties. Either they are flat units that sit against the wall or they are circular lazy Susan type racks that spin around to reveal four sides of spice storage. The lazy Susan variety is a more efficient use of space.

Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Rotating Utensil Holder Find all your necessary kitchen tools with a quick spin of the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Rotating Utensil Holder. The smooth rotating Holder makes tools easy to access. With a 5.5 inch diameter, the Utensil Holder holds over 15 large-handled tools, everything you need for preparing your favorite meals. A contoured bottom keeps tools upright, even when the Holder is not full. Non-slip feet guarantee the Holder won’t tip over when removing tools. For added convenience, you can use the three storage compartments to sort your tools by usage. Made of stainless steel, dishwasher safe.

Along the same line of thinking, you may wish to have certain kitchen utensils out on the counter for easy access because you use them frequently. If that is the case in your circumstance, then you should look into a utensil holder organization product. Utensil holders are open canisters that you store kitchen utensils in. Typically, you want to choose a utensil holder that matches the utensils. For example, if your utensils are all made of wood then you should have a wooden utensil holder. This item should also be stored next to the stove where you do most of your cooking and serving.

Polder Jumbo Paper Towel Holder, Stainless Steel This Polder Jumbo Paper Towel Holder has a wonderful elegant look that will shine on any kitchen countertop! A great gift idea for anyone on your list!

I do not think I have ever been in a kitchen that did not have paper towels. Some people like to leave the roll of paper towels free so that they can pick it up and take it wherever they need them. This plan, however might lead to knocking over the paper towels and risking the roll unraveling across your kitchen floor. A solution to this possible organizational problem is another common kitchen organization tool – the paper towel holder. Paper towel holders typically include a circular base with a pole sticking up out of the middle. At the top of the pole is an end piece that screws off, leaving enough room to slip the roll of paper towels onto the pole. Then, after you replace the end piece, the roll stays in place and unrolls freely around that pole.

Clear Acrylic Plastic Cookbook Holders Protect your cookbooks from splatters and splashes, with our clear Acrylic Plastic Cook Book Holders. By holding your cook books upright, our cook book holders makes it easier to read your favorite recipes. Clear Acrylic Plastic Cook Book Hol

While not every kitchen will have this next classification or kitchen organization products, they are quite helpful if you are a chef or baker. Recipe organization and cook book organization are important to the serious cook or baker. It is easy for small recipe cards or cut out magazine recipes to get lost if you do not have a central place to store them. Recipe organizers like boxes for index cards or binders as well as cook books should be easily accessible. A good kitchen organization product is a set of book ends to put on either side of your collection of cookbooks. You can then put your recipe box on top of the cook books. Another helpful organization product for cooks is a cookbook stand. A cookbook stand helps to keep your cookbooks clean and makes them easy to read while you are standing next to the counter. That means that you can be a more efficient and clean cook.

Prime Pacific Stainless Steel Bread Box, Brushed Prime Pacific brushed stainless steel bread box. 16 1/2″ long, 6 3/4″ high, and 10″ deep. Includes swing down door.

If you are not lucky enough to have bread storage in your cabinetry, then you might consider a countertop bread box as another organization product you must have. Bread needs to be kept in a cool, dark, and dry place in order to stay good for as long as possible. Bread that is left out on a counter will get stale or mold much faster than bread stored in a bread box. A countertop bread box is a good investment not only because it will keep your bread good, but also because it is more attractive then several opened bread bags sitting out on the counter.

Henckels 20-Slot Super Knife Storage Block Dull cutlery is dangerous cutlery. One of the easiest ways to maintain sharp edges on your fine cutlery is to store the knives in a block. An added benefit is that your knives are conveniently ready and waiting for the next time you need to carve a roast

Knife storage is another issue that you must handle with countertop organization products because it can be dangerous to store knives in drawers. People might reach into the drawer and get cut if they are not paying attention. There are two ways to organize your knife collection on the kitchen countertop including knife blocks and magnetic knife storage strips. Knife blocks are large wooden blocks that either have slots where you insert the entire blade so that only the handles stick out in an upward direction or long slits that you rest the blade in so that the non cutting side of each blade is visible and the handles stick out toward you. Magnetic knife storage strips are magnetic strips that you install on the wall above your counter that the knives hang on for easy access. If you have small children then I would recommend a block where the blade is completely hidden because the knives are harder to get out and there is less of a chance of an accident happening.

Cabinet Storage Solutions

Most homeowners assume that their kitchen cabinets alone will be enough storage for the kitchen. The truth is that an empty cabinet is a disaster in terms of a kitchen storage solution because homeowners tend to just put whatever fits into whatever cabinet in order to get everything out of sight. It is a much better solution to install some specialty cabinets and some kitchen cabinet organizational products to help with kitchen storage.

The first storage solution is specialty cabinets. Some examples of specialty cabinets include trash cabinets, message centers, utility cabinets, appliance garages, and pantries. Trash cans and recycling bins can be unsightly messes in your kitchen, not to mention sources of odor. One solution is a trash can or recycling bin cabinet. These cabinets are one of two varieties. One type has a cabinet door that reveals a trash can on a wire pull out rack. You can either reach in to toss things in the trash, or pull the trash can out for easy access when it is time to change the bag. The other variety is actually a drawer that has space for small trash cans to be dropped into wire racks. The drawer goes from the counter top to the floor so it looks like a cabinet at first. Trash can cabinets are great for storing this usually unpleasant part of your kitchen décor out of sight.

A message center cabinet is a great storage idea if your kitchen is like mine and acts like the command center for your family. A message center storage cabinet is usually located at eye level or above the counter. You can put a cork board on the inside of the kitchen cabinet door for posting reminders, schedules, or invitations that you need to keep handy. Inside the cabinet, you can install a small cubby organizer with sections for different types of documents, mail, and office supplies. You can also store stationary, thank you notes, and note pads for taking messages and making shopping lists. Some homeowners even put their phone and answering machine in this storage cabinet in order to eliminate clutter on the counter top.

A utility cabinet is a fantastic kitchen storage solution because you need to have a place to store your brooms, mop, dust pan, etc. that is out of sight, but still conveniently handy. A utility cabinet is installed at the end of a cabinet run on the end so that you have to look at the side of the other cabinets to see the front of the utility cabinet. They are usually only a few inches deep so they do not take up much room, but they do the job of getting necessary cleaning tools out of sight.

An appliance garage is a cabinet that starts at counter level and is the perfect place to store small kitchen appliances that you want easy access to. For example, some homeowners keep can openers, blenders, toasters, or coffee pots in the appliance garage because they are items that you might use as often as daily. These cabinets are unique because most kitchen cabinetry above the counter is mounted on the wall so that there is a space between the counter and the bottom of the cabinet. An appliance garage will eliminate some of your counter space, but it will help in terms of storage.

The pantry cabinet is an essential kitchen storage tool because it is really the only way to store food products in an efficient manner. The shallow shelves that are close together mean that there is little wasted space and it is easy to stay organized because you are forced to group items together in small groups rather than two large ones. If you are not lucky enough to have a pantry cabinet built in to your existing kitchen storage cabinets, then you should purchase a free standing pantry cabinet to help with kitchen storage.

Specialty kitchen cabinets are not the only way to help with kitchen cabinet storage. You can also purchase kitchen organization products to help. The products to help with cabinet storage can be broken into two categories; cabinet pull out shelves and cabinet organizers. Cabinet pull out shelves are helpful storage solutions because they allow you to stay more organized. If you can pull out each shelf to see what is stored in the back and to have easy access to items in the back then you will have less mishaps where stacks of pots and pans topple over when you are trying to get something out. Some pull out shelves are simple in that they are the exact dimensions of the cabinet and there are multiple pull out shelves per cabinet. Others are more unique in that pulling out the bottom shelf causes the upper shelves to move out as well and the shelves are tiered when they are pulled out. This is very aesthetically pleasing, but it prevents you from using the full amount of space available to you for storage.

Cabinet organizers are extremely helpful when it comes to kitchen storage because you can always fit more stuff in an organized space than in a disorganized one. Some examples of cabinet organizers that I find most helpful are free standing stackable shelves, cup racks, spice racks, and over the door storage tools. Stackable shelves are great because they essentially double the number of shelves that you have available in each cabinet. You can store things on the bottom shelf and then on the top of the stackable shelf rather than stacking different kinds of items on top of each other. These shelves work especially well in cabinets where you are storing dish ware or china. Cups racks are organizational tools that are installed on the bottom side of cabinet shelves so that you can hang cups in the head space over whatever other dishes you are storing in a particular cabinet.

Helper Shelf Cabinet Organizer – Expandable, Heavy Duty

Spice racks for kitchen cabinets come in all shapes and sizes, but they are essential for storing your collection of cooking spices. The most common varieties are tiered shelves and over the door spice racks. Both of these storage solutions can be used in the larger sense as well. You can have larger tiered shelves for storing canned goods or glasses and there can be over the door storage baskets for food products or for cleaning products under the sink. The only thing you have to look out for with over the door storage solutions is that you have enough empty shelf space in the front of the cabinet to accommodate the hanging baskets.

Drawer Storage Solutions

Rev-A-Shelf BDC-200-11 Bread Drawer Kit – Polymer-White Rev-A-Shelf BDC-200-11 Bread Drawer Kit – Polymer-WhiteRev-A-Shelf BDC-200-11 Bread Drawer Kit – Polymer-White Features:; No Instruction Sheet Available; Physical Specifications; Width: (inches) 11.625 / 16.750; Depth: (inches) 0 / 21.750; Height: (inches) 0.375; Weight: (lbs) 3.00; Materials: Polymer; Color/Finish: White; Minimum Cabinet Opening; Width: (inches) 11.625; Typical Cabinet: DB-21

Next to the kitchen cabinets, the drawers in your kitchen are the next best place for kitchen storage. Just like with kitchen cabinets, you can have specialty storage drawers or regular drawer with organizational tools to help with storage. There are not as many specialty kitchen drawers, but there are a few. The first I would like to discuss is a bread basket drawer. In order for bread to last as long as possible, you need to store it in a cool, dry and preferably dark place. Bread drawers are typically lined with a metal box of some kind that has a lid. That way, when you open the drawer, you still have to open another lid in order to access the bread. The extra lining and lid keeps the bread dry and not exposed to light through other drawers and cabinets.

Another popular specialty drawer is a chopping block. This is not actually a drawer at all, but instead when you pull the drawer handle, a chopping block pulls out. This helps with kitchen storage in that you do not need to find a separate place to store your chopping block. And a third specialty storage drawer is a pet food drawer. These drawers are deep drawers that you can fit a large amount of pet food in along with a scoop. Rather than have a separate plastic container taking up floor space or cabinet space for your pet food, you can have a drawer dedicated to the purpose.

Drawer organizers are basically storage tools that subdivide the drawer into sections that help the drawer space stay organized. One of the most common drawer organizers is a cutlery organizer. These are trays made of either plastic, metal, or wood, that have subdivisions in the shape of different pieces of cutlery so that you can store your silverware in an organized fashion. Utensil organizers and specialty organizers for other small items you might keep in a drawer like office supplies are also popular. One specialty storage tool for drawers is a knife tray. These wooden blocks have slits in them where you place a blade so that knives are stored in a safe way and out of sight.

Food Storage Solutions

The most important food storage solution was briefly touched on in the cabinet storage solutions section and that is a pantry cabinet. Dry foods and canned goods need to be stored in the kitchen so that the chef has easy access to these important ingredients. However, storing them in traditional cabinets is a waste of space because the shelves are usually so far apart. In addition, it is difficult to see all the food you have available in a deep kitchen cabinet unless the cabinet has pull out shelves. Pantry cabinets have shallow shelves that are close together so both of these problems are solved. Nevertheless, not every kitchen has a pantry, so you might need to find additional food storage solutions for your kitchen.

Organize It All 1866 Soup Can Rack Organize It All 1866 Soup Can RackOrganize It All 1866 Soup Can Rack Features:; Constructed of heavy metal wiring with chrome fini; Fits nicely into any kitchen cabinet; Fits most soup cans or other type of canned foods; 15.75 x 2.5 x 18.25″

One possible solution is a can rack. These racks sit in regular cabinets and they are designed so that subsequent canned goods will roll to the front when the canned good in front of them is dispensed. It works similarly to the way fridge packs of soda work. These are great organizational tools because they can have multiple levels so that you take advantage of vertical space. However, you cannot always see what is behind the front can so they only work well if you are storing multiple cans of the same thing.

Another food storage option is plastic bins. If you buy your foods in bulk, then you can empty a small portion of cereal or rice into a plastic quart size container which fits comfortably in your kitchen cabinet. The bulk food can be stored in the garage or in breakfast nook storage areas until it is needed. Another helpful food storage hint is to store like items in larger stackable containers. For example, you might store baking ingredients like baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, etc. in a plastic bin together. The clear plastic bin is visible when you open the cabinet and it is easy to find the item you need quickly. By stacking the bins, you take advantage of the vertical space as well.

Pot Racks and Wines Racks

Solid Red Oak Pot n Pan Rack – Natural (Natural) (3.5″H x 33″W x 20″D) This spectacular Pot n Pan Rack is crafted from solid Red Oak. The beams are 1/2″ birch. Each rack is screwed together and glued for maximum strength, and of course, each is hand sanded and finished in two coats of urethane. Twelve brass pot and utensil hooks are included with each rack — the hooks are large enough to accomodate oversize handles. All hardware is included to suspend your rack from an eight foot ceiling. Simply attach the chain, install the ceiling hooks into joists, and it’s ready to rock. This Oak Pot n Pan Rack measures 20″ x 33″. Available in a Natural Finish, or in a Dark Cherry Finish. Assembly level/degree of difficulty: Easy. Made in America

Kitchen storage can be greatly improved with the addition of an over head pot rack and a built in wine rack. Pot racks typically are installed over your kitchen island because it is the one area of the kitchen that does not have cabinets installed up high. By taking the pots out of the cabinets and drawers, you free up a lot of space for other items that need to be stored like small kitchen appliances or food. Pot racks are not only helpful in terms of storage, but they can also be decorative. For example, copper hanging pot racks add a nice copper accent and can tie in with other copper kitchen accessories. In addition, it is always easy to find what you need because everything is right in front of you at eye level.

Built in wine racks can be on the end of your kitchen island, at the end of a cabinetry run, or built into the cabinetry. By taking wine storage off the counter and out of small floor stand or counter top wine racks, you free up valuable counter space. Like the pot rack, a built in wine rack can be decorative as well. The inside of each compartment can be painted or stained a variety of stylish ways.

Breakfast Nook Storage

As I mentioned above, breakfast nook storage is available in some kitchens. If you have a corner breakfast nook set with an L-shaped bench or any breakfast nook bench with storage, then you can use that chest like storage space for a variety of kitchen items that are sometimes hard to find storage for. For example, some homeowners use breakfast nooks with storage for large food containers. Still others use the space to store small kitchen appliances that they do not use very often or kitchen linens. There is not sense taking up valuable cabinet storage with the pasta maker that you use once a year. Table linens for your breakfast nook and kitchen linens also need to be stored nearby and the breakfast nook chest storage is perfect for these bulky items.

China Dinnerware Storage – Deluxe Quilted Microfiber (Light Gray) (12″H x 12.25″W x 6″D) Protect your dishes in this set of 4 plate storage containers. Any type of dish, from the finest China to seasonal dishes can benefit by the use of these protective storage bags. The quilted Microfiber fabric is sturdy and soft, ideal for china storage. Included in this set are 12″ Dinner Plate Case, 9.5″ Salad Plate Case, 8″ Dessert Plate Case and a 7″ Saucer Case. Each case comes with 8 cushioned dividers. Save your dishes from nicks and scratches with these protective cases! Hand washable with a mild detergent. These storage sets do not unzip all the way around, however they do unzip approximately 3/4 of the way and the fact that these cases are soft and pliable makes it easy to insert china. Assembly level/degree of difficulty: No Assembly Required.

One other possibility is storage for your fine china. You do not use your fine china every day, so most of the time you want it stored away. You can buy a set of canvas quilted fine china storage containers that will fit nicely in the breakfast nook storage area. These quilted bags are sized for various types of china like dinner plates, bowls, dessert plates, etc. They have canvas dividers to place between each piece of china and they zip closed so that the china is not exposed to dust or light which might contribute to its deterioration.

Door Mounted Spice Racks

By far the most popular kind of spice rack for a kitchen cabinet is a door mounted spice rack. There are several characteristics of the kitchen door mounted spice rack that can vary from rack to rack. First, you need to decide whether you want an over the door spice rack or one that is mounted to the door with screws or nails. The over the door spice racks will be visible at the top of the kitchen cabinet when the doors are closed, but they are easy to install and move around. If you choose to go with a crew or nail mounted spice rack, then you need to be careful that the mounting screws are not too long and do not penetrate the kitchen door.

The next characteristic that you need to think about is the dimensions of the spice rack. Of course, the width and height cannot be larger than those of the kitchen cabinet door, but it is also important to consider the depth. You will need to make sure that there is room for the door to close when the spice rack is fully loaded. Generally, the spice rack shelves are installed such that they fall in between the shelves of your kitchen cabinet. In this case, you only need to make sure that you leave enough clearance on the front of the kitchen cabinet shelves. To make sure that your spice rack shelves will fit this way, it is an important feature for the shelves to be adjustable and moveable. You need to be able to move adjustable spice rack shelves in order to avoid kitchen cabinet shelves.

In addition to dimensions and style, you might also wish to consider the material of construction for your spice rack. Spice racks come in all different materials and you should choose one that compliments your kitchen cabinets as well as possible. If you cabinets are wood, then a wooden spice rack is a good choice and you should try to pick a similar stain if possible. Other common materials for door mounted spice racks are acrylic, metal, plastic, steel, and wire.

Tiered Spice Racks

A tiered spice rack is sort of like a mini shelf for spices. Instead of attaching to the back side of your kitchen cabinet door, these spice racks for kitchen cabinets go into the cabinet. Most tiered spice racks have a sturdy back and a front guard that is robust enough so that you can move the rack around as if it was a caddy. A spice caddy is handy in case you want to take spices to another part of the kitchen where you are working. Since it is safe to move tiered spice racks around, you can store several of them in a cabinet with the ends facing out. This means that you cannot see what is on each spice rack at a glance, but you can pull each one out to find what you need. Tiered spice racks can be made of a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, or metal. The material that you choose depends on the décor in the rest of your kitchen and your cabinets. For example, if you have oak cabinets, then oak spice racks would be a nice compliment.

Spice Cabinets

A dedicated spice cabinet is a great solution for the homeowner who is in the process of remodeling their kitchen or replacing their kitchen cabinets. In these examples, the home owner has the chance to make room for a thin pull-out spice organizer. The front of this organizer will lay flush with the rest of the cabinetry and have a face that matches the other cabinets. When you pull on the handle of the spice cabinet organizer, instead of having a door that opens on a hinge, the entire cabinet pulls out to reveal your spices. If you are not remodeling your cabinets or your kitchen, then you can approximate this effect with some cabinet or kitchen organization products. You can install a slide-out organizer in the exiting cabinet that will extend out the same way the spice storage cabinet does, but within an existing cabinet framework. This solution is similar to the tiered spice racks discussed above, however the slide-out organizer will not be portable.

Stepped Cabinet Organizers for Spices

A stepped cabinet organizer is just what it sounds like. There is a grouping of steps that fit into your cabinet and the spices will sit on each shelf like people standing on a set of risers for a chorus concert. There is one major advantage to this type of spice storage and one major disadvantage as well. The major advantage is that the steps help you take care of using the vertical space that is available to you inside a cabinet. Often, spices stored on the cabinet shelf without an organizer mean that there is several inches of head space that go completely unused. In addition, many of the stair step cabinet shelf organizers are expandable in width so that you can make them fit the exact dimensions of your kitchen cabinets.

Madesmart 3.6 by 9.6 by 14-1/2 to 25-3/4 Inch Expandable Shelf Organizer Madesmart Expandable Shelf Organizer

The major disadvantage is that there is no mechanism for keeping the spice containers in their proper place. If you happen to hit a lower jar while you are reaching for a jar on the top shelf, you might knock it over and cause a cascade of falling spice containers. It is very easy to mess up the organization with no barrier slot to keep each spice container in its place. One possible solution for this problem is to put the smallest or shortest jars in the front and the tallest ones in the back so that the chances of hitting jars in the front when going for or removing jars in the back is minimized.

Spice Stack Drawers

3-Drawer Spice Organizer for Full Size Spice Bottles (White) (8.5″H x 11″W x 10.75″D) This pull down spice rack stores and organizes 27 full-size (up to 5.5″ tall) or 54 half-size spice bottles in your kitchen cabinet. Three spice drawers pull out and lower to resting position to display spices in full view for easy location and reach. This compact spice storage rack saves valuable counter/cabinet space; multiple units can be stacked for cooks with a large spice collection. This spice organizer rack includes 96 (48 printed, 48 blank) outside drawer labels to help you stay organized and always find spices fast. Rubber feet hold unit securely in place. Spices not included. Durable ABS plastic is easy to clean with damp cloth. View “Other Info” tab for additional images. Assembly level/degree of difficulty: No Assembly Required. Made in America

One of my favorite spice storage ideas is a system called spice stack drawers. These spice racks for kitchen cabinets have many benefits that make them a fantastic kitchen organizational product. These units are usually made with three drawers that pull out and then lower to a resting position at an angle so that you can see the spices stored on each shelf easily. The shelves are stackable so that if you have room in your cabinet and a large spice collection, then you can stack several on top of one another and have room for more spice storage. The product shown above has room for 27 full sized spice containers or 54 half sized containers. Each unit comes with labels to put on the outside of each drawer so that you know exactly what spices are stored in each drawer and you can find what you need quickly. The spice stack drawers are usually made of a durable plastic that can withstand lots of use without failing or falling apart.