Jennifer Sheahan: I have a tiny kitchen but my countertops are clutter-free. Here's how
Pocket doors help hide appliances in Jennifer Sheahan's kitchen. Picture: Moya Nolan
There's nothing like plonking an air fryer on your kitchen countertop to destroy the carefully designed look you were going for. Nothing against air fryers, but they’re hardly objets d’art. So too with most kettles, blenders, crock-pots, and all the other smaller appliances we tend to accumulate.
I am an avid collector of kitchen gadgets, but my kitchen is also very tiny, and leaving appliances out on the countertop immediately makes the place feel cluttered.
Now I'm planning on buying an air fryer — in fact, I don’t know how I’ve gotten this far without one — but I don’t want to leave it out on my countertop.
Nor do I want to haul it in and out of a cupboard every time I want to use it. So I need to find a solution that will hide it away when not in use, yet will allow me to access and use it quickly and easily.
Putting gadgets away in cupboards or drawers is fine when they’re not used often, but for those appliances you use frequently, you need quick access to make life easier. Here are the most clever ones that I have seen.
I’ll start with the solution I already have which is highly effective at hiding away my other appliances while keeping them easily accessible, and that is pocket doors.
Pocket doors open and then slide into narrow pockets to hide away, allowing you to easily access the countertop and shelves behind while cooking. They then pull out and close to easily hide the mess behind. They are a genius solution, one I’d recommend to anyone, though they are an additional cost.
Roller doors or folding doors are good alternative affordable options.
I have my kettle, my various coffee makers and accoutrements, and my KitchenAid stand mixer hidden away on the countertop space behind my pocket doors, along with a full pantry of food. I have sockets installed here, so I can use the appliances without pulling them out.
I could theoretically add an air fryer in here, and I probably will end up doing this, but I’d have to clear quite a bit of space first and I’m not sure what I can get rid of to make room.
This option is my current front-runner, as it’s easy to install and inexpensive. Appliance lifts are special brackets with a shelf that you can install in any standard-width cupboard under your countertop.
As you pull out the shelf, it hinges upwards to become level with your countertop — so you store your appliance on that shelf, then simply pull it up to use it and push it away when finished, without having to do any heavy lifting.
The better brackets are hydraulic, meaning they will be very easy to lift without much effort on your part.
The main thing to be aware of with appliance lifts is the load capacity — I have seen some that hold up to 50kg, which is more than you’re ever likely to need, but check that your chosen product can safely hold the intended appliance before buying.
This option is my favourite. Automated appliance lifts rise vertically up and down at the touch of a button, and are one of the most ingenious uses of corner cabinet space that I have ever seen.
They can be installed under the countertop and when closed they are invisible, blending in seamlessly and hiding away your appliances completely. To achieve this, a section of the countertop is cut out so that the lift can move up and down.
When opened they rise, revealing your appliances for easy access. They can also be installed in overhead cabinets, lowering down when needed and lifting back up out of sight when not in use.
I have a Le Mans unit in one corner which makes great use of the space, but the corner of my kitchen peninsula between my dishwasher and my sink is a weird dead zone.
It’s full of kitchen cleaning products that take some awkward reaching to dig out, though in fairness it was the best option in terms of layout at the time.
This option won’t work for me, because I don’t have overhead cabinets, but I’m including it because it is a simple and effective option for those of you seeking inspiration.
Appliance garages are rolling or fold-away doors that pull down from your overhead cabinets to hide the appliances along the wall.
Your remaining countertop space will be shallower while the door is down, but if you don’t mind this then installing an appliance garage is a wonderfully simple way to hide away the clutter in one easy move!
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