With a $50,000 budget, custom cabinets maximize a cooking kitchen’s potential—and gets organized

• Homeowners: A condo-dweller and her husband, in need of a more functional, storage-efficient kitchen, posted their kitchen remodeling project for a small space on Sweeten
• Where: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York
• Primary renovation: A rip-and-replace of the kitchen, which, after years of feeding the family of three, looked worn and felt ever more disorganized
• With: Sweeten general contractor
• Homeowner quote: “I asked to be matched to women- or Black-owned contracting companies only, and I liked that Sweeten offered that option.”

Written in partnership with homeowner Ina. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg.

Busy kitchen, big jumble

The main goal for our kitchen renovation was not only to brighten and modernize the look of the space, but to make it more efficient. We wanted to increase storage, for pots and pans, pantry supplies, and spices. After years of feeling like we had outgrown the kitchen, I wanted it to look and feel super organized.

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I purchased the condo in 2005, when I was single, through Brooklyn’s Bridge Street Development Corporation, which renovated brownstones in Bed-Stuy and sold them to first-time homebuyers at a cost below market value. The building was the first condominium project, and the building and units were gut renovated. Everything was beautifully done, brand new, and high quality.

My husband is a fantastic cook and uses the kitchen a lot. He and I got married in 2012, and he and his son, who was then 14, moved in. Later, when our son was in college, he moved back home for a period of time during the pandemic. The three of us prepared nine meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three people.

High-traffic hotspot

At that point, the kitchen cabinets couldn’t hold the amount of food we needed to sustain our family. The room configuration allowed only one upper cabinet in the corner for storing non-perishable food. One base cabinet held a jumble of pots and pans and another blind-corner base cabinet stored everything from cooking oils to the waffle maker to serving trays and plastic containers. There was so much stuff that we basically had to empty the whole cabinet to find one item.

Time to rethink and redo

After more than 17 years and much use, the kitchen’s cabinetry and appliances began to wear and look dated. The beige-tiled floors held onto the dirt and never looked clean. We decided to redo the kitchen with a rip-and-replace renovation. After hearing about Sweeten, we thought we would list the project there to find a contractor in the Brooklyn area.

Mindful choices, best results

Initially, I asked to be matched to women- or Black-owned contracting companies only, and I liked that Sweeten offered that option. I am a first-time renovator, so I also wanted to understand the process and what to expect. Sweeten was prompt to respond to emails and answer my questions. They also seemed to understand my other concerns, too, the biggest of which was hiring a contractor who did top-notch work. I wanted someone who could match the great quality of the original kitchen. They led me to the woman-owned company I ultimately chose.

I had no idea where to start, but our contractor was very helpful in sourcing materials. She recommended showrooms to look at prefabricated kitchen options and helped me explore materials that had the level of quality I sought. I appreciated working with her because I didn’t feel pressured to purchase cabinetry or hardware from one company. My contractor understood my vision; she was open to helping me reach it while staying within my budget—or trying to. 

"I had no idea where to start, but our Sweeten contractor was very helpful in sourcing materials."

Custom cabinets—worth the cost

I wanted dedicated places for items—pots and pans, baking supplies, spices and oils, as well as small appliances we don’t use everyday. I wanted open shelving, too, to showcase cookbooks and decorative items. As our Sweeten contractor and I talked, it became clear to her that I was looking for custom features. She recommended a local cabinet maker who I hired to design and build the cabinets. 

I am attracted to darker colors, and the south-facing kitchen window brings in a lot of natural light, so I wasn’t worried about the kitchen looking dark or small. I settled on walnut-stained base cabinets with white uppers, as I liked the contrast. Throughout the kitchen, I chose durable materials that would stand the test of time. I went with natural wood floors instead of tile. I like the look of marble but decided to go with more durable quartz for the countertops and backsplash.

Every inch put to work

We doubled the kitchen’s storage space by removing a soffit and adding a high row of cabinets that reach up to the ceiling. We built a pantry around the refrigerator. We installed drawers for pots and pans, and added a custom shelving system to the blind corner, providing organization to that cabinet space. We moved the dishwasher’s location from the right side to the left side of the sink.

I wasn’t prepared for living in the condo while it was undergoing renovation. We scheduled a vacation for the first two weeks, so we weren’t there for the demolition and the job’s initial phases. But when we returned, even though we were only renovating the kitchen, the entire space felt like a construction zone. The process took about four weeks.

Budget blown, but not disappointed

In the end, I spent about $20,000 more than I’d planned on the job because I chose to go with custom cabinets. The total cost was around $50,000. What about our finished kitchen made it worth that? Everything! It’s beautiful, and efficient because everything has a place. I actually enjoy cooking, cleaning and just being in the kitchen so much more now than I did before. I also have more time in the evenings to enjoy with my family.

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

Renovation Materials

• Rivers Edge white oak smooth solid flooring: Floor and Decor
• Custom kitchen cabinets: Starwood Cabinet
• Quartz countertops and backsplash in Calacatta Blanco, #LK5003: Hicksville Surfaces
• Low-Divide Double Bowl 33” Sink – RVH7419: Ruvati
• Faucet: Home Depot
• Refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove: Bosch
• Kela Brushed Brass cabinet hardware: CB2
• Lighting: Lamps Plus

The post A Small Kitchen Remodel in Bed-Stuy Doubles Its Storage appeared first on Sweeten.

In most homes, the kitchen is in constant use. If yours is on the small side, keeping it organized is crucial to maintaining an enjoyable, efficient cook space. The key is to make sure that everything has a home and lives in a spot that is easily accessible. Since it’s not always possible to add extra square footage to your kitchen, you’ll have to get inventive with the space you do have. In order to inspire you to do just that, we’ve rounded up seven of the best kitchen storage solutions within Sweeten renovations that make use of every (and we mean every) nook and cranny.

Emily’s kitchen in downtown Brooklyn

Use the height of your ceilings to extend your cabinets and boost kitchen storage. The lower cabinets can be used for everyday items while those higher up can store items you reach for less frequently, like that fondue pot. You can even store non-kitchen stuff up there, like winter clothes or camping gear.

Giovanni’s kitchen in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

When you live in a studio apartment, closet space is scarce. Rather than adding a washer or dryer to a closet, and thereby losing precious real estate, tuck one or two laundry units under your kitchen peninsula. Now you can use some of that closet space for kitchen essentials—like pantry goods and servingware for special occasions.

Cybele’s kitchen in Park Slope, Brooklyn

A corner usually means the end of the line for a row of cabinets—that is, unless you go custom. Take advantage of an awkward corner spot with a custom-built cabinet, maximizing every available inch.

Upper West Side kitchen

There are pros and cons to having more than one window in the kitchen. More windows mean more natural light, which is a definite plus, but it can also mean limiting the number of upper cabinets you can fit in the space. Adding custom shelves to your exhaust hood is one smart way to make use of dead space. Another is building cabinets beneath the windows.

Ron’s kitchen on the Upper East Side

Like corner cabinets, custom drawers can take advantage of tight corners where cabinets or drawers placed side-by-side would ordinarily block one another when opened.

Claudia’s kitchen on the Upper East Side

If you have a few inches of space between your range and your cabinets, or in this case, your fridge, maximize your kitchen storage with a pull-out rack. It can be a handy spot for storing cutting boards, trays, spices—you name it.

Casey and Kumar’s kitchen in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

In a small kitchen, your work space can be fairly limited. A pull-out cutting board among cabinetry or placed below the countertop moves prep off the counter, making more room for the many other tasks that take place while cooking.

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If you’re working with limited square footage, appliances designed for small spaces will let you make the most of your kitchen.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post 7 Storage Solutions To Keep Your Small Kitchen Organized appeared first on Sweeten.

Laura and Matthew’s kitchen renovation in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

Cabinets typically represent a hefty chunk of your kitchen budget—hovering around 30%—so you want to choose carefully. The design you select not only sets the overall style of the room, but also helps to maintain its organization and order. So, how to get all the puzzle pieces—including pull-out shelves and kitchen islands—to fit scoring you the most storage and, hence, efficiency? Consider these factors:

Configurations that magnify storage

Base cabinets may vary by width and height, but you are still limited by how tall you want your countertop to be. Wall cabinets can go all the way to the ceiling, utilizing even the topmost inches for infrequently used bulk items like paper towels. Combine and arrange the units according to how you operate in your kitchen and what tools or features you use most often. Deep drawers for pots and pans should go near the stove. Shallower drawers for utensils belong with the prep area, along with maybe a pullout cabinet for trash or recycling, and dishes and glassware near the dishwasher—all to minimize steps. Islands are a great place to stow cookware; be sure to allow for clearance of doors and drawers that must be pulled out. You might want to put open shelves on the ends to make way for drawer space in the middle and to avoid doors that can jut out into traffic paths.

The advantage of stock versus semi-custom

Stock cabinets either come pre-made or require assembly. You can expect a good but limited range of sizes. Semi-custom units offer more choice of dimensions to provide a more exacting fit on your wall space. Semi-custom units typically change in 1-inch increments versus stock’s 3 inches, so there’s less risk of wasted space in a run of cabinets along a wall if you are willing to spend more. Of course, custom cabinets let you get the exact widths you want but expect to wait as much as 10 weeks for shipment versus five to six for semi-custom, and a week or longer for stock. You’ll also pay a heftier price for your one-of-a-kind choices. Read more on pre-fabricated and custom cabinets and how they compare to stock items.

Organize from the Inside Out

While planning the configuration of storage, think about internal organization, too. Drawers handle deep pieces like pasta pots and asparagus steamers, and you can access them with the pull of a knob. Alternatively, slide-out metal shelves will let you stow a variety of items in one super-size cabinet, but they can be less-space efficient insofar as they require you to first open a door, and then give up as much as 4 to 6 inches inside to allow for the shelves’ outer frame and rolling mechanism. Think carefully about what you want to put there and how often you need to get at it before making a decision.

Special features for versatility and efficiency

Inside your cabinets and drawers, you can add optional features that keep the contents tidy and super accessible, such as: organizational inserts for tools and knives; narrow pull out pantry shelves; slats for cookie pans and trays; and even a spring-loaded shelf that swings up and out to lift, say, a heavy mixer. And don’t let that dead space behind the corner cabinet go to waste. Many manufacturers offer Lazy Susans that spin around with the touch of a finger to access the contents on rear shelves. Look, too, for adjustable hooks to hang cookware vertically, so there’s no need to drag everything out to get to that one pesky pot. Some manufacturers offer lighting inside the cabinet box to help locate contents. If you haven’t specified internal organizing features when you ordered the cabinets, you can add them later with metal stacking shelves or hooks found at a home center.

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Interested in a deeper dive into the different types of kitchen cabinets: stock, pre-fabricated, custom, and high-end? Here’s an example of an Ikea kitchen and a custom kitchen.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Cabinet Ideas to Boost Your Kitchen Storage appeared first on Sweeten.