Hidden kitchen cabinets
15 Ways to Design a “Hidden” Kitchen – VESTABUL SCHOOL OF DESIGN
As designers, we are all aware that the Kitchen has become part of the greatroom.
Also as designers, we are always looking for new ways to design this room to work in these open spaces.
The “Hidden” Kitchen is a trend that has been creeping into Kitchen design lately and in this post I would like to explore what that entails.
Read on to learn my 15 ways to get this look!
I describe the Hidden Kitchen as a kitchen space that blends in with the rest of the greatroom space.
It is a design approach that integrates the Kitchen in the room without having it stand out as a separate entity.
The Hidden Kitchen still needs to function for the basic need of food preparation, but in this case the lines should blur between the decor style in the greatroom.
The following are 15 ideas you as the Kitchen Designer could incorporate into your client’s Hidden Kitchen!
1. Eliminate the Upper Wall Cabinets
Wall cabinets typically scream Kitchen.
The removal of them allows you to get creative with all of this wall space.
It also helps the Kitchen blend into the rest of the room.
Keep in mind though, that you will need to replace the storage lost by removing this important Kitchen element.
Floating shelf blends into backsplash wall3 white shelves blend into white brick wall2. Install a Display Shelf
Open shelves are often found in other areas of the greatroom such as on either side of the fireplace.
You can echo this look by installing a single display shelf or two in the Kitchen area.
These shelves can be stained or painted and repeated in the rest of the space.
Another option is to integrate them into the wall treatment such as to cap a slab of stone or quartz in a backsplash or as part of a full slab wall installation.
Concealed door to pantryPantry door integrated into tongue & groove paneling3. Create a Hidden Pantry
The pantry or larder was a staple in Kitchens 100 years ago and they are making a big comeback in the Post-COVID Pandemic Kitchen
In the “Hidden” Kitchen they can be disguised to work with the look and feel you are creating for your client.
Hinging systems now available allow for the door to a large walk in pantry to blend into a framed wall, or within a bank of tall cabinet units.
Tall storage on back wallPaneled kitchen storage wallStorage exposed on paneled wall4. Incorporate a Row of Tall Cabinets
Instead of the standard base cabinet and wall cabinet Kitchen set up, install a row of tall cabinets for storage and built-in appliances.
This approach is similar to installing a full wall of paneling.
The wall will then blend into the background hiding all the kitchen function behind it.
Kitchen design with a full wall of tall elements and a large center island in front of it, makes for a great hidden kitchen layout.
Integrated refrigerator in with minimal hardwareCustom panels on built-in refrigeration5. Integrate Appliances with Panels
The large stainless steel refrigerator is hard to conceal in a hidden Kitchen.
A solution is to specify an integrated refrigerator and apply cabinet panels to it.
Installing it on a wall with tall cabinet units hides the refrigeration within the wall of tall cabinets.
To take the hidden theme even further, you could specify a refrigeration column that employs touch to open which allows it to be installed without a handle.
Large panels slide to conceal kitchenPanels slide to hide appliances when not in use6. Specify Sliding Doors
I first saw the installation of tall sliding doors at the EuroCucina design show in Milan several years ago.
They offer the perfect solution to hiding a Kitchen when not in use and exposing it when needed through the use of sliding panels.
Tall sliding doors offer the designer many opportunities to get creative with what is exposed when the Kitchen is hidden.
This would be a great solution to experiment with for the ultimate hidden Kitchen design.
Ceiling mount ventilation hoodDrywall vent hood cover blends in with back wall7. Hide the Hood
An extractor hood is essential in a greatroom Kitchen design because you do not want cooking odors, grease and steam floating around the space.
In the Hidden Kitchen, a design solution to “hide” the ventilation system is important.
Options include discreet ceiling mounted units or down draft systems.
You can also opt to integrate it into the background by matching it to your wall treatment.
Don’t eliminate the hood though, since as stated above, you want to extract all signs of cooking from the hidden Kitchen at the end of the greatroom.
Kitchen cabinets with no decorative hardwareTouch to open kitchen cabinets8. Avoid Door or Drawer Hardware
While there are only a handful of refrigerators that offer touch to open operation, it is much easier to get cabinetry with touch to open functionality.
To help hide the Kitchen, avoid installing decorative hardware on the cabinetry.
Options for this include special hardware that when pushed will pop the door or drawer open, or you could opt for a cabinet design with a channel.
There is even electronic systems that with the lightest touch will open and close cabinet doors and drawers.
If hardware is a must, match it to the cabinet door style so that it disappears into the background.
Concrete finish on cabinets match floorWood grain cabinets blend with floor9. Match the Cabinetry to the Floor
A trick of the eye you may want to employ for your hidden Kitchen design is to match the cabinetry to the floor of the greatroom.
A neutral color scheme for both these elements will give the affect of blending the two.
If the Kitchen is located at the end of the space, having the cabinets stained to match the floor and installed with the grain continuing vertically up the cabinet doors can make the Kitchen disappear.
This technique works best with slab style wood veneer styled Kitchen cabinet doors.
Echoing this treatment on the walls in other areas of the space will pull the whole look together.
Rustic table instead of a kitchen islandKitchen island resembles table10. Include a Table instead of an Island
A Kitchen island is the most asked for element in a Kitchen design by homeowners.
Most people however do not know that the Kitchen Island evolved from the harvest table placed in the middle of the room.
To integrate your dining and Kitchen areas, consider including a table instead of a standard island to meld these two areas together.
The table as Kitchen island need not be the traditional country harvest table.
Experiment with ultra modern or industrial design to craft one that works in your client’s hidden Kitchen.
Rustic unfitted kitchenFurniture pieces produce kitchen11. Incorporate Freestanding Furniture Pieces
A concept called the Unfitted Kitchen, can work well to “hide” the Kitchen in a greatroom.
The Unfitted Kitchen consists of a variety of furniture pieces acting as individual work zones within the space.
For example a hutch for dishes, an armoire as a pantry, an arched hearth for a cooking zone or a dresser for pots & pans storage.
It is easy to see how this approach could work in a room that included furniture pieces for other activities in the space.
12. Keep Sinks & Faucets Streamline
With the abundant choice in sinks and faucets on the market, it is easy to “hide” these elements within your Kitchen design.
A black sink in a black quartz countertop or a white faucet against a white large format tile backsplash can do the trick.
When specifying the sinks and faucets in the room think about how you could blend them into the background.
Also, keep with simple designs like a single large sink undermounted or integrated into the countertop, with a slim line single hole goose neck faucet.
Little details like this will have them “disappearing” in your hidden Kitchen design.
Chandelier as focal point in kitchen spaceWall scones on wall with no wall cabinets in kitchen13. Install Show stopping Lighting
Decorative lighting has become a feature in interior design.
By choosing show stopping lighting throughout the greatroom, including in the Kitchen, you will meld the spaces together.
Overhead lighting is usually the first place to start, but take your lighting one step further and install wall scones in the Kitchen area.
Those large walls where the upper wall cabinets have been removed is the perfect place to install a couple of decorative wall scones.
Table lamp at end of kitchen counterTable lamp on end of island counter14. Include Table Lamps
With the lack of wall cabinets, it can be difficult to get task lighting on to the countertops.
The perfect solution in a Hidden Kitchen is to place table lamps on the counters or island top.
They will product an unexpected element in the Kitchen and offer great mood lighting for the overall space.
Large plants accessory kitchen areaLiving plant wall in kitchen space15. Add Some Greenery
And finally, add some greenery.
By this I mean some statement plants!
Don’t be afraid to accessorize with a large potted plant or dwarf tree in the Kitchen space.
Placing plants on those display shelves works well too.
Hopefully this look at the Hidden Kitchen will inspire you to look at how you could integrate the Kitchen more into your client’s greatroom design.
As always, I would love to hear you thoughts on this subject.
You can leave me a comment below.
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Jan Rutgers B.Sc. H.Ec.Jan Rutgers has been designing kitchens and products for over 25 years and is a recipient of Kitchen & Bath Design News’ Top Innovators in 2020 for the Kitchen & Bath Industry. She has designed more than 1000 kitchens learning valuable skills with each one! Her experience in Kitchen Design, Millwork Manufacturing and Product Development has led her to create VESTABUL SCHOOL OF DESIGN where she educates and mentors people passionate about the Kitchen Design Industry.
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8 Strangely Satisfying Hidden Kitchen Compartments
Wouldn’t it be nice to walk into your kitchen and know that each one of your supplies and cooking tools was hidden neatly away in its own individual space? You, too, can live the dream with just a few alterations, and many of them are DIYs you can tackle on your own weekend warrior time. From clandestine underground wine cellars to locked and loaded pop-out spice racks, browse through our gallery below for 8 secret kitchen compartments that will make you feel strangely satisfied.
Concealed Creativity
Imagine being able to flip a switch to reveal your own personal spiral wine cellar right beneath your kitchen floor? The dream can be a reality with the expertise of UK-based Spiral Floors. Just be sure no one falls in after having a few glasses!
Can your backsplash do this? These function tiles by Arnout Visser, Erik Jan Kwakkel and Peter van der Jagt for Droog are the perfect place to stash valuable spices or guilty pleasures.
We’re not sure if Batman ever cooks, but if he does, we imagine this is how he arranges his spices. Designed by Creative Woodworking, these handy spice racks are concealed behind ornamental cabinet columns and pop out superhero style.
Throw in some Wheels
Extra counter space is a feature that any homeowner would want to have, but it’s not always possible in a smaller kitchen. That’s why we love this slide-out workstation and cutting board (seen at Better Homes and Gardens). It can be pulled out when you need an extra surface for prepping a big meal but tucks in neatly when not in use.
If you’’ve always wished you could put that awkward space between your fridge and the wall to good use, here’s an awesome idea from Classy Clutter. All it takes is a few boards and some casters to create a handy slide-out pantry. Check out the DIY here.
Maximize Kitchen Storage
Have you ever looked at those faux drawer panels on your kitchen cabinets and thought, “What a waste”? Our House on the Corner has, and they’ve come up with a smart tutorial on how to turn those useless embellishments into functional compartments.
Cabinet toekicks hide valuable space that can be used to store everything from canned goods to extra cutlery. Just check out these examples from Michael Anschel or try your hand at building some out with this DIY from Ikeahackers.
Spotted over at Viralnova, this smart solution keeps cleaning tools right within arm’s reach and utilizes what might otherwise be wasted cabinet space.
Who knows – you might be so chuffed with these secret compartments that you might want to let the whole world know about them.
Yuka Yoneda is a reporter, cheese fanatic and self-proclaimed JeDIY master from Queens, New York. She is the founder of Clossette.com and an editor at sustainable design website Inhabitat.com. Yuka also writes for Edible Magazine and Ecouterre.com, and has written for The Daily Green and The New York Times.Next Post
Invisibles: 7 kitchens that play hide-and-seek
Editor's Note: this is archive material under the heading "most popular".
First published 2017, updated 2019
Are people ashamed of their kitchens? Or mess on them? What other reasons can make the customer hide the kitchen set? There are more and more projects of simulated kitchens with invisible doors and transformable objects. Moreover, the stove and sink are most often hidden. We asked the architects why they do it. nine0007
Liebke Projects
1. Preserve the ambiance and create a space for communication
A married couple with a teenage daughter lives in a Victorian house built in the early 20th century in the suburbs of Sydney. They approached designers Simone Castagna and Darren Genner at Studio Minosa to transform the kitchen into a social space. It was necessary to preserve the style, but at the same time hide the functional purpose of the kitchen.
Liebke Projects
Where did they hide the kitchen: “The old kitchen was too small, so we had to move it to the central room.
We decided to hide all the appliances and utensils so that order always reigned here,” says one of the designers. “There is little cooking here, but the customers wanted the whole family to regularly gather in the kitchen.”
Liebke Projects
In the photo: kitchen panels behind which appliances are hidden - Liebke Projects; kitchen cabinets equipped with Blum 9 Servo Drive automatic opening system0006
Details: The centerpiece of the kitchen is a marble island with a wooden top. This is where the family and their guests gather. “All kitchen appliances and utensils are hidden behind panels reminiscent of wall decoration in houses during the reconstruction of Haussmann. The door behind the refrigerator and freezer will close automatically if left open. Since we are talking about a closed kitchen, we installed an internal ventilation system,” says the designer.
Elodie Bonnet ARCHITECTE
2.
Equip a studio for students
The children of the owner of a large apartment in the center of Bordeaux have grown up and left the family nest. Therefore, the owner set up a studio here to rent to students. “The owner wanted an unusual studio that would appeal to young people. It was necessary to place everything you needed on 20 square meters: a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a work area,” says Elodie Bonnet, the architect of the project.
Elodie Bonnet ARCHITECTE
Where did they hide the kitchen: The architect proposed to build a multifunctional red wall opposite the window. “My idea was to make a block inside the apartment that would perform different functions. With it, the space looks bigger and neater,” says Elodie. nine0007
A door to the bathroom was built into a partition measuring 2.65x2.30 m on the left, a kitchen was made in the center, and a pantry with a boiler was placed on the right.
Elodie Bonnet ARCHITECTE
Details: The architect slightly lowered the red block from the ceiling so that the latter would not appear lower. The doors were located at different levels of the wall: “I didn’t want the structure to have a pronounced center. And so that it was perceived as a whole, I tried to hide all the details.
The kitchen cabinets have been painted yellow on the inside to reflect the light and contrast with the red on the outside. nine0007
Elodie Bonnet ARCHITECTE
A multifunctional structure made from plywood in a local workshop. Folding tabletop (lower doors) and canopy (upper doors) are held on hydraulic cylinders. It took 11,150 euros to make the structure.
Fables de Murs
3. Keep as much light and space as possible, add an element of h e expectations
The owners of a 30 square meter Parisian apartment did not want to litter the living space with kitchen appliances.
They asked designer Laetitia Viallone from Fables de Murs to design a separate bedroom and let as much natural light into the apartment as possible. nine0007
Fables de Murs
Where did they hide the kitchen: “We had to resort to a modular system,” says the designer. - Between the sleeping area and the entrance to the apartment, where direct light did not penetrate, a block of 4 sq.m. was designed. It has a built in kitchen and a bathroom with a washing machine. The minimalist block has become the center of the apartment, but when it's closed, guests can't guess what's lurking inside."
Fables de Murs
Details: The kitchen has been narrowed down to 120 centimetres. Wardrobes bought from IKEA. The frame of the block was made of drywall and wood. The doors that hide the kitchen are made to fit closet doors made of fibreboard with hinges on the sides. nine0007
To organize a full-fledged living room, it was necessary to hide all the appliances.
Laetitia Viallon says: “We used cabinets from IKEA, one of which had a built-in sink and stove. And kept all the original cabinet doors to completely hide the kitchen.” The production of a black structure for the kitchen cost 1500 euros. The cost of all equipment, including kitchen utensils, is 5,000 euros.
Olivier Chabaud Architecte - Paris & Luberon
4. Play with space
The owner of a mansion in the Parisian suburbs specializes in the import and export of antiques. “The large living room of 100 square meters, combined with the kitchen and dining room, was supposed to become a showroom and reception space,” explains Olivier Chabot, the author of the project.
Olivier Chabaud Architecte - Paris & Luberon
Where to hide the kitchen: When a room is used as a showroom, the kitchen should be hidden from visitors and the focus should be on the collection of antiques. Here the kitchen is hidden behind beautiful wooden doors.
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Olivier Chabaud Architecte - Paris & Luberon
In the photo: the doors fold like an accordion using the Hawa Folding Concepta system
Details: The frame of the kitchen is made of ordinary lacquered MDF boards, the black countertop is made of granite (it was brought from Zimbabwe) ), massive doors - oak. The doors can be fully extended - when folded, they occupy only 13 cm on each side of the kitchen.
JAN RÖSLER ARCHITEKTEN
5. Save as much space as possible
Berlin apartment is only 28 sq.m. The couple who live here almost never cook at home. However, the owners needed a small kitchen area.
JAN RÖSLER ARCHITEKTEN
Where the kitchen is hidden: “In order to save as much living space as possible, we opted for simulated furniture,” says architect Jan Rösler. — To cook, you need to open the kitchen.
But most of the time it is closed and looks like a chest of drawers with flowers and books on it.” nine0007
JAN RÖSLER ARCHITEKTEN
Details: The kitchen is equipped with a lid that hides the stove and sink. The refrigerator and shelves with dishes are located in the floor cabinet: they are always accessible, even if the lid is closed. Cabinets without handles can store dishes, food and kitchen utensils.
JAN RÖSLER ARCHITEKTEN
Compact kitchen made of laminate panels. The same ones were used to decorate other elements in the apartment, including the bedroom. The budget for the design and production of the kitchen, including white goods, amounted to 5,000 euros. nine0007
LA.M Studio
6. Keep the charm of a small Parisian apartment
The owner of an attic apartment in the center of Paris approached designer Leony Alma Mason from LA.M Studio with a request to make an invisible kitchen.
LA.M Studio
Where did they hide the kitchen: “We built it into a special furniture block in the living room. So we saved space and hid the equipment. With the help of the central doors, you can easily hide the mess if guests unexpectedly come, ”explains the designer. nine0007
LA.M Studio
Details: The white front of the kitchen is almost invisible. The central door looks like a black decorative window and contrasts with the white color that dominates the design of the apartment. Doors made of lacquered MDF panels move apart in different directions. The kitchen is equipped with built-in appliances.
ND Architecture d'Intérieur
7. Make room in tiny apartment
In a resort town near Nice, a couple combined two studios to create a larger apartment. The total area of the space is only 20 sq.
m. One room serves as a bedroom, the second unites the kitchen, living room and dining room. nine0007
Nicolas Duchateau, an interior designer, suggested hiding the kitchen behind massive doors. “Customers could not even imagine that a kitchen, a bar counter and a cinema hall could fit in one space. Our solution saves space, so everything fits,” says the designer.
ND Architecture d'Intérieur
Where did they hide the kitchen: The kitchen is a 120x70 cm block and includes everything you need: stove, sink, refrigerator and microwave (in the top cabinet). On the side is a triangular food storage cabinet - its shape helps save space. On the right is an additional storage system 40 centimeters deep. nine0007
Details: The whole unit is made of lacquered MDF boards. The central doors completely retract into side niches 10 cm deep. The cost of the kitchen, including the bar counter, was 5,000 euros.
In the photo: invisible kitchen in a Munich apartment, designed by Aigner Architecture
What are the advantages of invisible kitchens
Hidden kitchen (hidden stove, sink and household appliances) helps free up precious space and make it more interesting. It is especially good for small apartments, such as studios, in which the kitchen is combined with the living room. nine0007
But invisible kitchens are also suitable for large apartments. Firstly, in spacious studios that combine the kitchen with the living room, the choice of such a model will allow you to hide the appliances. At the same time, more free space can be used even for public events, such as chamber exhibitions or concert meetings, where the presence of a kitchen is simply inappropriate.
Secondly, a modern kitchen can be harmoniously integrated into any interior, including historical style.
Thirdly, all projects have a healthy dose of humor from architects and apartment owners who decide to play hide-and-seek with their kitchen.
And at the same time with those guests who are lucky enough to be at their home. nine0007
Ultimately, invisible kitchens are just another design trick. “If, upon entering a room, you can guess what is hidden from your view, then this is a failure for the designer,” says Laetitia Viallon from Fables de Murs. — The success of the solution lies in making the kitchen completely invisible. The effect of surprise is important here.”
YOUR TURN…
Do you think this design solution can take root in Russia? Or maybe you have invisible interiors at home? Post photos in the comments. nine0006
Handleless kitchen - is it worth the investment?
Kitchens without handles are loved mainly for their conciseness - nothing disturbs the appearance of the facades. But what about in terms of usability, installation and price? We arrange an analysis of this trend according to the main parameters.
Design: is suitable for minimalist and modern style, as well as kitchens in the style of the Scandinavian countries and modern Italian neoclassic.
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All smooth matt and glossy fronts, dark and light stone or wood look fronts look good without handles.
Not suitable: for fronts with panels, classic and retro kitchens
Functionality
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The "tip-on" or "push-to-open" system opens the doors and pulls out the drawers by pressing. You can do this with your fingers, the back of your hand (when your hands are dirty or busy), or even just your knee.
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Mortise handles (armholes that are made directly into the fronts) and Gola profiles that are screwed to the top edge of the front are long and comfortable. No need to grope for the handle - just pull the profile in any convenient place (this can be done automatically without looking).
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Clothes, apron or towel edges do not snag or tear on handles.
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The cleanliness of such a headset is easier to care for: we somehow wipe the facades every day or every other day - at least lightly walk over them with a damp cloth, because splashes fly during cooking.
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But rubbing overhead handles to a shine is already a topic for general cleaning. So aggressive kitchen dirt accumulates over time on the handles themselves and around them. So it turns out that a kitchen without handles requires less care.
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Handleless set is safer (especially in small kitchens) - less risk of bumping (families with children especially appreciate this).
Important: kitchens with pull handles may be inconvenient for girls who are used to wearing long nails. To be sure of your choice, visit the Kitchen Factory showroom and test different types of opening. nine0007
Reliability
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Mortise handles or Gola profiles do not break, do not unscrew and last 10-15 years longer than usual. In addition, the situation is excluded here when the handle will spoil the facade over time (a well-known problem of kitchens of the zero years).
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Push-to-open systems open and close doors and drawers silently, so the hinges last longer and you'll be less tired from extraneous sounds.
Price
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Gola profiles and pull handles are inexpensive and have little effect on the final price of the kitchen
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Mortise handles (when recesses are made in the facades that you can pull), as well as push-to-open systems increase the price by 3-9% depending on the complexity of the execution and the manufacturer of the fittings (the most reliable are European Blum and Hettich ).
What to look for?
In most cases it is better to combine different types of opening in the kitchen. nine0007
Topmost, third row of cabinets
Always opens upwards with gas lifts. It is not recommended to put handles in any form here. Opening, such a door rises to the ceiling. The handle will hit the ceiling and leave marks, and if the ceiling is stretched, the canvas will instantly tear.
Therefore, if you have a kitchen up to the ceiling, be sure to order the top row with a push-to-open mechanism.
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Middle row of cabinets
He doesn't need handles either. If you make the facades a few millimeters longer, it will be convenient to open the cabinets simply by the edge. It is also the most economical option.
If desired, medium cabinets can also be equipped with push-opening or designed to open upwards with folding - convenient for high storage systems.
Important: If you release the middle row of cabinets from the handles, and leave the bottom row with handles, the kitchen will not lose functionality, but it will look more concise and neat. nine0014 This option is suitable for those who do not want to spend money on expensive European systems for opening the lower rows, but also do not like to overload the interior.
Drawers, built-in refrigerator and base cabinets
A combination of systems can be used here. Make drawers open by pressing (it is easy to get to the contents even if your hands are busy), but handles are required for a dishwasher and a built-in refrigerator.
