Modular kitchens are highly organized kitchen layouts that utilize components that are designed and constructed in modules or units. Modular kitchens are a popular trend in modern kitchen design because they are affordable and efficient in space usage. It also takes some of the stress out of planning one of the most important rooms of the house by presenting you with beautiful options for any style.

What are Modular Kitchens?

Modular kitchens are built with pre-made standardized units, or modules. These units come in multiple sizes so that they can be fitted into unique spaces. The key elements of a modular kitchen include cabinets, countertops, appliances, and storage units that are designed to fit together seamlessly. Modular kitchen design is an extremely cost-efficient way to build a kitchen because the units are made in bulk. 

What are the Differences Between Modular and Non Modular Kitchens?

There are modular, semi-modular, and custom-built kitchens. First, consider modular kitchens. These use units that are built in the factory and brought finished to the kitchen.

Semi-modular kitchens feature cabinet units built off-site. However, the designs use parts unique to each kitchen.

They have custom-built cabinets made on-site with unique designs.

Modular Kitchen Cabinets

The most common materials used to make modular kitchen cabinets are plywood, engineered wood like MDF and HDF, particleboard, metal, and wood.

The materials have pros and cons. For example, solid wood is long-lasting but expensive. Meanwhile, plywood and MDF are cheaper but less durable.

There are four things to consider when planning a modular kitchen design.

1. Layout optimization (L-shaped, U-shaped)
2. Appliance placement
3. Cabinet materials and style
4. Additional accessories
5. Under-cabinet lighting

Modular Kitchen Design Types 

There are so many design styles that are possible in modular kitchens. Now, let’s consider modular kitchen design photos. You will see how much variety is possible. Also, you might be inspired to use modular kitchen cabinets to reflect your style. 

Contemporary Modular Kitchen

First, from Michael Woodall comes this contemporary kitchen design. The colors of deep gray and white contrast with the warm wood counter on the island. The kitchen uses flat paneled cabinets. Plus, there is no open shelving which minimizes clutter and maximizes storage.

Finally, consider the lighting. The vertical rod pendant lights add task light over the island. You’ll notice recessed lighting above the sink and mood lighting above the cabinets. They bring out the clean simple kitchen style. 

Minimalist Modular Kitchen

Next, consider this minimalist-style kitchen in London designed by the Do South Shop. Notice the modular shelves and cabinets. They are adjustable as needed to hold what you have. There is open shelving for accessible tools.

There are closed cabinets for tools and clutter. The light wood color balances the black accents throughout the room. While this design style is edited it’s not spare.

Eclectic Modular Kitchen

This kitchen is from Logan Killen Interiors and uses light gray-blue base cabinets. Although the cabinets are modular, the kitchen feels unique. Design elements include the mirror above the sink and the antique light fixture.

The butcher block countertops and Shaker-style cabinet fronts complement the kitchen’s design. 

Mid-Century Modern Modular Kitchen

From Cucine Lube, the kitchen offers a mid-century modern style with a refined wood finish and sleek cabinet doors. Also, the gray walls, ring light fixture, and bar stools highlight the mid-century style. Copper splashes provide a contrast to the dark-toned room. 

Rustic Modular Kitchen

Rustic style is not one that you think of as a modular kitchen option. However, DWFI Interiors creates a rustic kitchen using pre-built cabinets. The look is enhanced by the wood-paneled walls and ceiling beams. The brick backsplash and utensil bar above the range add to the kitchen’s practicality and rustic style. 

Industrial Style Modular Kitchen

This kitchen features elements of industrial style. This includes exposed metals, spare styling, concrete, and open shelving. The island from Aster fits well, providing counter space and storage. Also, the wood walls with open shelving add warmth and color.

Traditional Modular Kitchen

Consider this traditional-style kitchen design from Rencraft Ltd. The kitchen features two-toned basic cabinets. The design also showcases a deep gray island and soft white on the back wall cabinets for contrast.

The wood tones of the seating and plants add texture to the room. Task lighting over the island works well for reading and prep work. The undermount lighting removes dark corners.

Farmhouse Modular Kitchen

Notice the farmhouse kitchen from devolkitchens. Custom options are mixed with the dark blue cabinets. The open shelves, wooden table, beam ceiling, and stone floor complete the look. Plus, the antique gray-wash wicker chair and brass pendant lights add a unique charm. Finally, to create a similar style, consider using base cabinets. You can also customize the top with or without open shelving. 

Modern Rustic Modular Kitchen

From David Giral Photography comes this picture of a modern rustic kitchen. The white and wood-paneled cabinets are simple and clean.  Likewise, the chrome and black bar stools and the straight-lined kitchen island extend the modern style.

In addition, the antler light fixture over the island adds a rustic contrast. If you like this style, begin with cabinets that have straight lines. Next, add rustic pieces with leather and wood to accentuate the style.   

IKEA Modular Kitchen  

The most famous of all Scandinavian kitchen designers is IKEA. The Bodbyn doors shown are painted soft white with a raised panel door. Options for glass fronts with a six-light window are available.

The designer uses black and butcher block counters for different prep surfaces. Next, notice the two-toned gray paneled walls which bring the white and black colors together. IKEA provides free in-store kitchen design advice. Further, they provide in-home consultation for $50.

Small Modular Kitchens  

This small kitchen from Arclinea offers a modern design in a historic setting. The small galley kitchen uses two sections of white cabinet units. Although the kitchen is small, it has plenty of storage. In addition to the base cabinets, it has open shelving with a minimal style. Also, the cabinet wall offers more storage space. 

Modular Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets 

Cabinets can be included in outdoor areas. These outdoor kitchens can extend your entertainment space. Plus, they add to the enjoyment of your home. However, outdoor cabinets are outside, so you need to consider the weather conditions before choosing your cabinet material.

Experts recommend stainless steel as it is weatherproof and will not rust or warp. Also, consider adding wood elements to the cabinets. Wood adds charm and color. You need to use stain or paint to create a barrier against moisture. Wood will not be as long-lasting as metal.  

A cheaper way to add appliances to your outdoor kitchen is to buy a modular outdoor kitchen kit. These kits include a grill, refrigerator, sink, and bar area. One option for this is the Weber Modular Outdoor Kitchen.

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A Hoosier cabinet is a type of cabinet popular in the early 1920s, particularly in the United States. Hoosier cabinets featured both work and storage space together. Today, this cabinet type still combines the aesthetics of cabinetry, countertops, and storage. This freestanding unit is an American classic that is worth preserving.

History of the Hoosier Cabinet

The Hoosier cabinet was created at the turn of the 20th century, when kitchens were being planned for greater convenience and efficiency. They were manufactured by several companies, the most well-known of which was the Hoosier Manufacturing Company of New Castle, Indiana. This was how the Hoosier cabinet developed its name.

Hoosier cabinets contained a combination of workspace and storage space in one unit. Most cabinets featured an assortment of flour bins, sugar bins, spice racks, and pull-out cutting boards. Additionally, they featured many kitchen work tools, like rolling pins and built-in sifters, that were designed to streamline kitchen tasks. Some models even featured built-in ironing boards. As cooking and kitchen tasks shifted in the mid-20th century, the popularity of the Hoosier cabinet began to decline.

Hoosier Cabinet vs. Hutch

Although hutches are the closest modern equivalent of Hoosier cabinets, they serve slightly different purposes due to a few important distinctions.

The purpose of Hoosier cabinets was to serve as integrated workstations. They had a wide range of accessories that made cooking and cleaning easier. They first appeared in the 1920s and remained popular until the 1930s, when their popularity began to wane. Hoosier cabinets have a consistent design style due to their narrow design window.

Hutches are small pieces of furniture that have low cabinets or drawers on the bottom and open shelves or glass fronted doors on top. The primary function of a hutch is to display and store kitchen ware such as glasses, dishes, and other decorative items. Hutches, while versatile and capable of displaying a wide range of products, are not intended to be all-inclusive workstations. You can use hutches throughout the home in dining rooms, living rooms, and kitchens. Hutches come in a variety of styles, ranging from traditional to modern, because they are not limited to a single design period.

Elements of a Vintage Hoosier Cabinet

Vintage Hoosier cabinets are antiques. When you find one, there are elements that authentic Hoosier cabinets have that make them unique. Here are a few ways you can tell if a Hoosier cabinet is authentic or a reproduction piece.

• Setup – Original Hoosier cabinets have three areas. A deep lower cabinet, workspace, and shallow upper cabinets. Some antique Hoosiers have wooden countertops. Authentic Hoosier cabinets also have porcelain or enamel counters.
• Drawers – Traditional Hoosier cabinets featured drawers lined with tin. They were made to store bread. If the drawers are lined with tin, the cabinet is likely an authentic Hoosier.
• Flour Bin – Most Hoosier cabinets had a flour bin and sifter in the left upper cabinet. Many authentic Hoosier cabinets no longer have the flour sifter because they are delicate. One with the original flour bin and sifter is valuable.
• Measurements And Charts – The original Hoosier cabinets had charts on their doors. They would include measurements, conversions, and a place to write down what you need. Some even had recipes.
• Stamp – Older cabinets and furniture had date stamps. There should be a stamp with the manufacturer’s name and date. If it’s pre-1940, it is authentic.
• Ask An Appraiser – You can ask an official appraiser if your Hoosier cabinet is real. You can contact someone online and send pictures to them.

Other Hoosier Cabinet Alternatives

Aside from hutches, there are alternatives to Hoosier cabinets that work well and have some of the same character.

Pie Safe

The original purpose of pie safes was to store and display pies. Pie safes look like wood cabinets and have large glass panels.

Pie safes date back to German immigrants in the US, so the first pie safes were made by the Amish. The Pennsylvania Dutch community makes pie safes to this day, and they are the few remaining authentic pie safes in the country. There are many pie safe cabinet reproductions that can bring a vintage touch to your kitchen.

China Cabinet

A china cabinet has a bottom with solid doors and drawers and a top with glass doors. The glass top displays china and other decorative items. Homes with antiques use these cabinets to keep their valuable items safe.

China cabinets got their name because they were originally used to display china dishes. People wanted a special storage place where they could display their china collection because porcelain is fragile.

Welsh Dresser

A Welsh dresser is similar to a china cabinet, but with the optional addition of glass. The top has open shelving, making it distinct from the traditional Hoosier cabinet. A china hutch is a Welsh dresser.

A Welsh dresser is originally from Wales. The cabinets became popular throughout Europe. They are kitchen cabinets, but they can also be used as wardrobes and general storage units.

Kitchen Buffet Combo

A kitchen buffet is the bottom part of a Hoosier cabinet. To turn one into a Hoosier cabinet, you just need to add a top cabinet. You can even have one converted and customized, which is much cheaper than buying an antique Hoosier cabinet.

If you have someone build onto the buffet, you can save on material costs. All you need are small upper cabinets and something to secure them to the bottom cabinets. For a cheaper version, use open shelving.

The post The Hoosier Cabinet: Detailing the Origin and Purpose appeared first on Homedit.

While it might look complicated, the kitchen plumbing system is not complex. You’ll find most kitchen plumbing components under your sink. These series of pipes and hoses provide hot and cold water, supply your dishwasher, and keep debris from clogging up your pipes.

Parts of a Kitchen Plumbing System

• Basket strainer
• Drain Tailpiece
• Tee fitting
• Garbage disposal
• Drain trap
• Hot water supply line
• Cold water supply line
• Dishwasher supply line
• Dishwasher drain hose
• Shut-Off Valve
• Sink
• Faucet

Components of Under-the-Sink Kitchen Plumbing

• Basket Strainer: A metal piece in the sink drain that catches large debris and keeps them from entering the plumbing pipes. 
• Drain Tailpiece: A short pipe that connects to the basket strainer and a tee fitting. 
• Tee Fitting: A fitting with a “T” shape that connects to the drain tailpiece. The side portion connects to the garbage disposal. If you don’t have a garbage disposal, the tee fitting connects to the other side of the sink. The bottom of the tee fitting connects to the drain trap.
• Garbage disposal: A food waste system located on one side of the sink that grinds food, making it small enough to travel through the plumbing.
• Drain trap: A pipe that connects to the tee fitting and has a U shape on the bottom, allowing it to catch hair and debris that shouldn’t go out the pipes—the back end of the drain trap hooks to the plumbing outlet on the wall.
• Hot water supply: A supply line (usually on the left) that hooks up to the sink, providing hot water.
• Cold water supply: A supply line (usually on the right) that hooks to the sink, providing cold water.
• Sink water lines: The sink water lines are the hot and cold water supply. They have flexible braided tubes that connect to the hot and cold water and then run up to the sink connections.
• Dishwasher supply: A hot water supply line providing water for the dishwasher.
• Dishwasher drain hose: A drain hose that runs from the dishwasher into a tee fitting or through the garbage disposal.
• Shut-Off valve: A valve under the sink or near the bottom of the cabinet that allows you to turn off the water to the kitchen sink.
• Sink: A basin set into the countertop used for washing dishes, washing hands, and cleaning up.
• Faucet: The lever that controls the hot and cold water in a sink.

What About Refrigerator Plumbing?

If you have a refrigerator close to your kitchen sink, the water supply for the ice maker and water dispenser may run through the cabinetry, connecting to the water hookup on the fridge. If your refrigerator isn’t near your sink, chances are there’s a water line running under the flooring and then connecting to the fridge.

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