Best Contractor for an U-Shaped Kitchen

Hey, do you ever feel like your kitchen cabinets are so difficult to navigate that you’d rather not bother taking everything out, just to get to the back of that one lower corner cabinet? Do you want the formula to maximize storage in your small u-shaped kitchen without spending an arm and a leg? In this article you will discover solutions to your problems of:

upper cabinet storage,
lower cabinet storage,
limited countertop space,
value-engineering and cost management,
and finding the best contractor is for the job.

Boy, do we know how it feels to shop for the best ways to improve storage and wonder if any remodeler can deliver on the design you want.

But don’t worry. You’re in the perfect place!

In this article, I’ll answer all your questions so you can make a great decision about your kitchen for you and your family.

Initial Challenges with a U-Shaped Kitchen

The most common frustrations with u-shaped kitchens and the problems that cause them:

having two corners - several cubic feet of storage space is often lost each corner due to poor quality builder-grade cabinets
poorly designed or absence of cabinet organization and inserts
in a small or medium sized u-shaped kitchen there is already limited counter space and when it is interrupted by the placement of the cook top, refrigerator, and sink, it causes even smaller prep areas that make it difficult to food prep

Small u-shaped kitchen. Note: two corners.

Storage Solutions for Upper Cabinets

Replace your existing cabinets with deeper cabinets to maximize storage, for large dishes such as Pottery Barn serving dishes, etc.

Remove center divider so your cabinet box is no longer cut in half.
Remove over-sized face frame—usually 2 ½” around the perimeter.
Adjust the height of each shelf within the cabinet box, or if cabinets do not go to ceiling, add additional upper cabinets for less frequently used and seasonal items.

Making these three simple changes to your upper cabinets can increase storage capacity by 15%-30%!

FREE CONSULTATION

Storage Solutions for Lower Cabinets

U-shaped kitchens are often small kitchens. Since you are stuck with two poorly organized corner cabinets, they end up feeling like a crawl space, requiring you to crawl in in order to get to your pots and pans.

Remove over-sized face frame— usually 2 ½” around the perimeter.
Remove center divider so your cabinet box is no longer cut in half
Replace the builder grade side hardware with new Euro slides which are installed underneath the drawer, so you can gain another inch of width per box.
Convert your bottom doors into drawers for easier access and less strain on your hips and back.
Customize drawers, pegs, dividers, full 110% extension of hardware.
Install lazy susan, pull outs, dividers, & inserts.
Bonus: These changes help you eliminate wash basins full of lids and miscellaneous items!

These items can improve cabinets storage by 15% to 30% per box!

**Note: The favorite solutions among our clients over the past ten years is replacing cabinets doors with full-extension deep drawers.

Take It From Our Happy Customers

"We had Teknik remodel our kitchen, staircase, and outdoor patio. We absolutely LOVE the finished project!" - Kathy A., Carlsbad, CA

“Teknik, Inc. designed and custom crafted our built in cabinets in the great room, laundry area and master bedroom. You can rest assured Kevin will provide exceptional service and quality craftsmanship.” - Randy O., San Diego, CA

“Kevin came in with absolutely brilliant ideas of how to balance and update the kitchen. He was on top of every detail from start to finish. His crew are his employees who have been with him for a long time.” - Cindie L., La Jolla, CA

Countertops

Since spacing between appliances can be very limited, making it more difficult to prepare food, you are probably asking, so how can I get more counter space?

We want to keep the appliance triangle in mind whenever we consider moving an appliances. When using the stove, you must be close to the sink and fridge; when you are using the cooktop, you must be close to the fridge, and sink, etc. If you are remodeling within a fixed space, it makes sense for the cook who will be doing most of the prep to choose the locations of their appliances based on the rhythms of how they use the space most often.

A cook with a whole foods, plant-based diet will likely want more prep area where they store, legumes, gourds, grains, etc. This is often close to the cutting boards or sink area where they wash and prepare most of their food.
A cook that enjoys a lot of grilling, barbeque, etc. may want their prep area close to the refrigerator so they can quickly reach for those perishable favorites that need to be kept cool.
Many (but not all) u-shaped kitchens have a long wall on one side of the "U" and a short wall on the other side. By extending the short wall another several feet, you will lengthen the cabinet wall for additional upper and lower cabinets, and extend the countertop.

Call (888) 747-2013 or click here for a free consultation now!

Why choose Teknik for Your U-Shaped Kitchen?

We talk to a LOT of people about their previous remodeling experiences and have discovered three primary complaints they make about their contractors:

Late Completion
Going Over Budget
Overuse of Subcontractors

After decades of experience, we've built our entire business around solving these problems. Discover the Teknik difference in our three step plan.

Step 1: Dream Design

We’ll collaborate with you to transform your dark and outdated space into bright and inviting space. It all starts with your free consultation so book now!