How to Incorporate Hidden Appliances Into Your Kitchen

What would life be like without your Vitamix, coffee maker or dishwasher? Those appliances are often a part of our daily routines, and being without them isn’t an appealing thought.

But what would life be like if those items weren’t cluttering up your kitchen? Now that’s appealing.

White Cottage Kitchen in Milford, CT

With some careful planning and clever tricks, you can conceal a number of kitchen appliances, from your food processor to your refrigerator. As you consider a kitchen renovation, don’t feel constrained by the things you think you need to have front and center. Instead, think about what you need, what you would like to see, and what you would like to have easily accessible, yet hidden.

Need some help brainstorming? You might want to consider:

• Hiding a refrigerator or dishwasher behind cabinet panels.

• Selecting a cooktop and oven cabinets instead of a range.

• Adding small, strategically placed cabinets and drawers to conceal blenders, coffee makers and devices such as phones and tablets.

• Building small appliances, like warming drawers, into your kitchen island so they are mostly hidden from view.

The benefit of hidden appliances is a clean, streamlined look and clutter-free countertops. These gorgeous kitchens make the case for concealment.

Stunning Transitional Kitchen in Westport, CT

What looks like a set of counter-level cabinets is actually an appliance garage, perfect for hiding a Kitchen Aid mixer and other small appliances.

Stunning Transitional Kitchen in Westport, CT

This drawer has outlets and USB ports built into the back so that electronics can be fully charged, close at hand, and not piled on the countertop.

Attention coffee connoisseurs: this coffee station hides behind closed doors, but is always nearby whenever you need a caffeine fix.

Traditional Farmhouse Kitchen in Madison, CT

It feels like something’s missing from this kitchen-- but it’s not. The refrigerator is hidden behind a cabinet panel on the left of this photo.

Traditional Farmhouse Kitchen in Madison, CT

This steam oven is tucked into the island to make it slightly less noticeable and to keep the rest of the kitchen streamlined.

See that big lower cabinet to the right of the sink? It’s not a cabinet -- it’s a dishwasher.

If clutter drives you crazy, or you crave a more efficient kitchen, consider what you can hide in order to achieve the form and the function you want.

The Secret to a Streamlined Kitchen is Hiding in Plain Sight. For more kitchen inspiration and helpful tips, visit our Facebook page.