It’s true what they say – kitchens sell homes, as evidenced by the fact that the second we entered the kitchen of our current home while touring it in 2013, I turned to Ben and said, “I MUST HAVE THIS.” I was also 8 months pregnant with Lincoln at the time and we’d already sold our house, so we literally needed to have this, but coming from a once-orange kitchen with bathroom tiles for countertops, the tall cabinets, sleek appliances, and stone countertops of the new place gave me immediate goo-goo eyes.
While I do love our current kitchen, the thought of designing my dream kitchen from the ground up sends me into an emotional tailspin. Oh, the possibilities! Truly I couldn’t care less about having the biggest house with the fanciest finishes – but a tricked out kitchen? Yes, please!
When I think about my dream kitchen, I think design and convenience. Beautiful cabinetry, a big island, wide-plank wood floors, white stone, and fabulous hardware – plus functional features like the 5 must-haves I’m sharing below. This “Just 5 Things” post idea came from a reader and it was a blast to curate. I’ve already pitched 10 kitchen upgrade ideas to Ben as a result of my “research”, which will all undoubtedly be knocked into the atmosphere (?,) but ah, a girl can dream. ?
Tell me – have you ever had the chance to design your dream kitchen? What did you include? If not (hi! ??) what would you include in yours?
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1. Appliance Garage
Clutter in any area of the house drives me nuts, but clutter in the kitchen makes me insane. Probably because I spend so much time in there for my job – and who doesn’t like a zen, organized work space?
That said, I would adore cupboards at counter height set up as an appliance garage to hide any of the cough FIVE appliances currently residing on our counter: toaster, KitchenAid Mixer, Keurig, Nespresso, plus the air fryer Ben got me for our anniversary earlier this week (can’t wait to try that bad boy out.)
Isn’t this solution just so sleek?
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Here’s another fun option with a top sliding door. Must have for my dream kitchen – totally obsessed.
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2. Walk-In/Butler’s Pantry
Forget walk-in closets, I’m ALLÂ about the walk-in/butler’s pantry. CAN YOU EVEN with this space?!
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My dream kitchen would have a separate, walk-in pantry loaded with shelves, pull out shelves, and counter space for ALL THE STORAGE. I’ve seen some really cool pantries a couple stairs away from the main kitchen space, but have always liked the idea of tucking it behind a kitchen wall like the photo below.
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The only pantry we have in our kitchen is a skinny pull out shelf next to the fridge, so I use the cupboards in the laundry room for overflow and it’s really inconvenient. Our current kitchen layout would lend itself well to installing the kind of pantry in the photo above and below, so who knows, maybe someday my dream pantry could become a reality!
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3. Sliding Pull Out Drawers and Shelves
One thing I love about our current kitchen is that it’s loaded with pull out shelves making it really convenient to store and retrieve items in deep cabinets. Our garbage/recycling is even on a track and I don’t think I could ever go back.
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Another feature I’ve always wanted to include in my dream kitchen is drawers under the sink. How many bottles of cleaner, plastic bags, and dishwasher detergent boxes have you lost in the dark recesses of your under-sink cabinet?! Hate that space!
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4. Command Center
A command center is something we lack in our current kitchen and I’m desperate for a space like this. Probably because I have to use up a big corner of the kitchen to organize bills, etc, and it’s really unsightly (again, hate clutter!) We could use the office/guest room upstairs for that stuff but for me, if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. I have the memory of a goldfish.
I love the space in this dream kitchen below. From the traditional desk design that matches the rest of the kitchen cabinetry, to the cork board backsplash and shelving above (which I’d cover with doors in my dream kitchen,) it’s the perfect size and design.
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This command center is dreamy too. The chalk board backsplash +Â under cabinet lighting is a fun touch.
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5. Built-In Wine Refrigerator
No explanation needed for why I’d want to include a built-in wine refrigerator in my dream kitchen! That said, I love the location of this wine fridge – tucked into the end of the island vs taking up cabinet space in the main kitchen area.
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Just like the microwave, I am also obsessed with the idea of stashing the wine fridge in a walk in pantry. I don’t care if people SEE my wine, I just don’t want to have to go down to my spider-infested basement – where we currently keep our wine fridge – every time I want a glass.
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5 More Features I’d Love!
- Cabinet lighting. We currently have under and over cabinet lighting and the ambience it creates at night is totally dreamy.
- Farmhouse sink. Timeless and functional – got to have it in my dream kitchen!
- Hands free faucet. A must!
- Pot filler. Would love to hear from people who have one – love it or hate it? I would love the convenience but what if there’s an issue with the pipes? Do you have to bust open the wall?
- Waterfall edge. Adore this look.
What are your must-haves for your dream kitchen?Â
5 Dream Kitchen Must Haves - Dadne 09.07.2019
[…] Original Source […]
Kim 03.20.2019
The walk-in butler’s kitchen pantry is beautiful. The wine fridge in the walk-in makes it even better! Thank you for these ideas!
Joyceann 01.11.2019
We’re in the process of building our forever home and so we have the sink and stove top in the island, so I’m facing my family and guess most of the time.
Angie B 09.16.2018
For the pot filler…. I found this out recently, if you live in the northern states, ie Minnesota, you should not have your pot filler on an exterior wall. There is a substantial risk for freezing pipes. My dream kitchen has to be redesigned……
Michele 04.30.2018
We are getting ready to build a house soon. I agree with you that a butler ‘s pantry is a must! Our builder masks the door so it blends in with all the other cabinets. The lights automatically go on and off as you open and close the passageway doors. He builds them so that you can store all your appliances in the butler ‘s pantry, or even use them in there! I can’t wait!
I loved your questions about the plumbing from the pot filler. I never thought about that.
I love the look of the farmhouse sinks, but they’re so deep I worry about back and neck issues if I’m doing a lot of dishes. Do you know of types of those sinks that might help with that problem or hacks that help?
Great post! Thank you!
Laurie 02.02.2018
We love our Ihuman sensor garbage. One of the best things ever. You put anything over the sensor and it opens by itself. If you hover it stays open.
12 Kitchen Upgrades (You Can't Live Without) 01.03.2018
[…] source: iowagirleats.com […]
Deb 09.24.2017
These ideas are great but you are missing my favorite. Two dishwashers are an absolute must!
Terri 06.28.2020
Yes, 2 dishwashers.
With 2 dishwashers you can use one for dirty dishes. Then when they’re clean just use them out of the dishwasher (no dish storage needed!) and use the other dishwasher for dirty dishes. Just go between the two and you don’t need dish storage. Just take what you need out of the clean dishwasher when you need it.
Friday Fitness & Favorites Week 12 04.21.2017
[…] For Anyone – this woman has worn the same outfit for a year straight!  | Dream Kitchen Must Haves […]
Valerie Szczotka 04.17.2017
Our house was only 5-6 years old but the kitchen was horrible (dark, poorly designed, and ugly). In the late 80s, we completely gutted the kitchen and used a kitchen designer to build in great functionality (layout and flow) and well-made cabinets – money well-spent. The designer had other great suggestions:
1. “Tall dish storage cabinet”: from floor to ceiling, the cabinet is the same depth as typical upper cabinets (meaning 12-inches deep). This way, our dinner plates can rest on the shelf about the level as our waist. He said, you should not have your heaviest dishes on shelves above your heart. And when the shelves are lower, the children can help themselves, plus they can help set the table, and unload the dishwasher, and they won’t be climbing up cabinets to reach glasses, bowls, etc.
2. Second sink. Our main sink is for dishes primarily and the second sink is mainly for cleaning/prepping vegetables. BTW, the second sink can be various sizes but I would suggest it be larger than a “bar sink.” Note: make sure both of your garbage disposals are strong ones (3/4 HP or more) – in fact, our veggie sink needed to be the stronger of the two – if they both were not equally strong.
3. We installed drawers wherever we could (under counter) we have 15 to 20. We have 2 sections where we had cabinet doors with rollout drawers but seriously, the doors just get in the way. Kristin – note the pictures in your #3 wish item. The drawers are so fast to get in/out of; and they are deeper than ‘drawers with doors’. Makes it easier to stack pots & pans; kitchen towels, mixing bowels, baking dishes, etc., that won’t shift and move when opening and closing the drawers.
4. Trash compactor – still great. We only have to empty it once a week. We recycle and do some composting. The compactors seem to be going out of fashion but I don’t know why – we still love ours.
5. Last year we updated the kitchen with all new appliances, new counter tops, flooring (gorgeous ceramic tiles that look like wood-yeah baby!), and fresh coat of paint. We used to have an electric stove and oven/convection oven. Get this, for the new stove/oven … it’s a “duel fuel” stove. It comes with gas stove top and an electric oven/convection oven below (chefs say it’s the best of both). The oven can include a “glide” shelf that easily slides out and can be pulled out further than most oven racks which makes it easier to load/unload (and they are very sturdy). The window is as large as the inside of the oven. Also some of the new ovens have a “thermometer probe” – insert one end into your meat … let’s say a turkey then insert the other end into a port inside the oven. The oven will display the temperature on the control panel so at-a-glance, you can check the bird’s temperature!!
The super quiet dishwasher is great to have since the kitchen is open to the family room – and wonderful when we are entertaining.
6. We added self closing hinges to the upper kitchen cabinets. Very nice.
Still on my wish list: a great walk-in butler pantry but that’s one thing I have to live without in this house (no space). However, I have pantry space in the garage.
Friday Favorites | A Tasty Life 04.14.2017
[…] List: Â 5 Dream Kitchen Must Haves. Â When thinking of a new house, the kitchen is a top priority because of all the time we spend in […]
Amanda 04.11.2017
I can’t wait for you to use your Air Fryer (and blog about it)!! We love to put a whole chicken in there!!! It’s AMAZING and only takes 1 hour to cook!!! Score!! There’s a FB group out there with a ton of recipe ideas!!
Kristin 04.12.2017
Ummm – amazing!! Definitely going to be trying that!!
Alison 04.10.2017
Oh my goodness, what I wouldn’t give to design my very own kitchen! I’ve told my husband time and time again that I don’t care if we move into a house that needs renovation as long as the bones are there to make it beautiful and functional! My dream kitchen would definitely be open to the living room/family room, have wide plank wood floors, white cabinets, an island, DOUBLE OVENS, a gas range, tons and tons of storage, a farmhouse sink, under cabinet lighting, the appliance garage, a walk in pantry with all the shelves and drawers, and while I do so love Carrera marble, I know the upkeep is huge, so definitely a granite or quartz of some kind. And I adore the idea of a bright white kitchen with pops of color here and there! I could seriously go on and on, I just love thinking about my ideal cooking and baking space where our family and friends can gather!
Kim B 04.10.2017
We just moved to a new home with a beautiful kitchen and it has a pot filler! Is it possible to be in love with a pot filler?? LOL It really is awesome…use it all the time…a must have when designing a dream kitchen!
Carrie 04.10.2017
Walk-in pantry is a must! We’re moving and while we are upgrading a lot in our new kitchen, the size of the pantry is much smaller than what we have now. My husband’s dream — and he says it’s not asking much — is a wine cellar hidden underneath the large kitchen island, like a secret entrance and staircase! I’m not even sure where he got this idea (probably reddit) because I can’t even find an example on google, lol.
Rebecca Blanks 10.29.2019
I’ve seen this on Pinterest!
Lara 04.09.2017
Ugh – no command center. The hubs cannot stop himself from dropping stuff on our little peninsula now – would be worse with a desk, computer, etc.
My dream kitchen would have a microwave drawer, where the dished pop in from the top. Would be so much easier to clean than the over-the-range version I have now. And…would love an upgraded dishwasher with a third “tray” at the top for washing cutlery and serving stuff (tongs, etc.) flat instead of crammed into a little basket.
Lecy | A Simpler Grace 04.08.2017
Oh my goodness… I’m all dreamy-eyed over here. So much storage and YES to that butler’s pantry!
JennP 04.08.2017
Your “must haves” that I gravitated most towards were all storage related, because despite having a large kitchen, we just don’t have super functional cabinet space. The Butler’s pantry and appliance garage were my faves! I could take or leave a pot filler. I guess I’d enjoy it if it were already in a kitchen, but I’ve never found filling a pot with my regular faucet to me that much of a hassle.
Allison Frederick 04.08.2017
YES! I am currently storing kitchen appliances in a bathroom closet, so an appliance garage sounds fabulous. Also the stack of papers constantly accruing on my kitchen counters tells me that we need a command center.
Emily S 04.08.2017
Agreed to the sliding drawers! My tupperware drawer was a disaster and constantly a mess until we installed some DIY sliding drawers.