I think the world is exploding at this moment with kitchen accessories…those mostly electrical small appliances that you’ve just got to have in your kitchen to make life easier and, well, more tasty too. The problem is, they are often an after thought in the planning of a kitchen. They shouldn’t be!

Hi again, Susan Serra, CKD here, the kitchen designer. You know, small appliances can make all the difference in how the kitchen is designed, and also wired, for that matter. One of my clients, in a kitchen I am currently designing, often makes smoothies for breakfast. He also makes coffee, and needs the toaster available too, possibly the breadmaker, and that is only for breakfast. For other meals, there is the kitchen aid mixer, the cuisinart, rice cooker, bread maker, juice maker, pressure cooker (the current hot item), crock pot, and I know I’m missing half a dozen more items.

The challenge here is to try to have an idea of how many of these appliances one wants out on the countertop. To provide storage away from, or in very high or low spots, means that the client may not want to use those appliances, as we all have that scenario in our own kitchens. In the image shown, I designed a space just for this purpose, a separate work station to prepare food with the client’s collection of small appliances. There is ample counter space in the rest of the kitchen, but this is the designated "small appliance" counter.

Keep in mind just how you will use your small appliances, and if you have room for more in your plan, go check out cooking-gadgets and kitchencontraptions!