Kitchen appliance cupboard ideas

Have you noticed that the kitchen appliance cupboard is getting larger and more sophisticated?  Even kitchens that have the benefit of a Butler's Pantry, may still have an appliance cupboard within easy reach.  As there are now quite a few different styles, and some fabulous inspiration is available for their design, I thought it was a good opportunity to have a run down on what's available.

My favourite Kitchen Appliance Cupboard Ideas

The Pocket Door

Pocket doors are my favourite choice for any cupboard that you need to remain open while you use it.  They are great for TV cabinets, walk in wardrobes, and of course our focus today, kitchen appliance cupboards. They must be well made though so that they seamlessly slide back into the cabinet.  If they stick, your doors will be damaged in no time.

I love them as they work perfectly when you need access to the cupboard to make toast, coffee etc. but then you can close away appliances and keep your kitchen looking sleek and tidy.

As these doors will remain open for significant periods, it's very important to consider how you treat the interior.  It's a good idea to continue the stone benchtop, and it can look really effective to also continue your splashback into here.  This is a practical point too if you are using any machines that could make a mess.

Using a timber veneer or timber look melamine, rather than plain white, is also very effective as this elevates the look.

Carefully consider the design to make the best use of the space.  The slimline pull out drawer in the cupboard below is perfect for holding coffee pods, sugar etc.

Pocket doors work equally as well on a slimline cabinet and work effectively to hide larger and more unsightly kitchen equipment.

The bi-fold door for an appliance cupboard

If pocket doors are not able to be built into your kitchen cabinetry, then bi-fold doors are the next best option.  Often if you have a hand painted kitchen, it can be too difficult to achieve a pocket door without damaging the paintwork.  In fact, you often see bi-fold doors on classic, painted Shaker kitchens and they certainly do suit the look.

Bi-fold doors work really well too, particularly if you have a larger appliance cupboard.  You must consider the space available around the area though as you don't want the open doors to impede the workflow in the space.

A decent sized appliance cupboard can also be a great place to hide the microwave.

These bi-fold doors below work well as the appliance cupboard is set back from the edge of the bench.  Therefore once the bi-fold doors are open, they don't stick out from the line of the kitchen.

If you don't have a lot of space, but would still like a bi-fold door cupboard, then just use one door that folds back towards a wall.  The pull out shelf in the kitchen above, is a great design idea.

Bi-fold doors really do suit a traditional style kitchen and look perfect with these Shaker door profiles and classic marble benchtop.

Including downlights in this task area is important too.

Bi-fold doors also work well for kitchens that are built to look freestanding.  The cupboard in the kitchen above is an appliance cabinet on steroids.  With the inclusion of built-in MIele appliances and display shelving for recipe books, this one really does tick all the boxes.

Small appliance cupboard

If you do have lots of bench space or a walk in pantry, you may decide you only need a small appliance cupboard for a toaster and kettle.  The layout below works well in this instance and the cupboard above it can hold coffee cups etc.

A final point about appliance cupboards: don't forget to include power points if you plan to use the kitchen appliances in situ.  I hope you have enjoyed my run-down on kitchen appliance cupboard ideas.  I would love to hear your comments below.

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