How do you have enough storage in your kitchen without upper cabinets?
This is one of the most common questions I get from new readers and people who find my kitchen on Pinterest.
When we remodeled our kitchen, I removed many of the upper cabinets. I kept a few near the baking area and around the refrigerator, but decided I’d be happier without the rest.
Why would anyone remove storage? How could removing cabinets make a kitchen better?
10 Reasons I Removed My Upper Cabinets
And no, it wasn’t because I’m simply being reckless. Here’s why it worked for our kitchen:
- I wanted to love being in my kitchen. I truly disliked the look and feel of most of the upper cabinets.
- The room felt cramped. Removing upper cabinets opened up the visual space, making the kitchen appear larger and airier.
- Many of the upper cabinets were hard to reach, so they weren’t practical for everyday use.
- Upper cabinets cast shadows over the counters, making the workspace darker than necessary.
- Drawers proved far more efficient for my daily needs than upper cabinets.
Specifically, I removed two narrow cabinets above the stove and one awkward small cabinet that offered little storage. Other upper spots were unusable due to vents or were already removed when we first moved in. I realized I could only comfortably reach the bottom shelf of many uppers, and I mostly stored dishes in them. Since I prefer drawers, I replaced that lost upper storage with lower drawers.
After removing the uppers, we installed two new lower cabinets with six heavy-duty drawers next to the dishwasher. They hold a surprising amount of dishes: four deep drawers for plates and bowls and two wide shallow drawers—one for silverware and one for small plates. In practice we use two deep drawers for everyday dishes and the others for overflow items like our blender and extra glasses.
6. We added an island for extra storage. It’s not huge, but it includes two shelves for baking dishes and overflow items, plus two drawers for things like zip-top bags.
7. I keep only what we use regularly in the kitchen, so we don’t need to store rarely used items in prime kitchen real estate. Anything infrequently used goes out to garage shelves or gets purged. We still have a messy drawer and a cabinet with random odds and ends, but there’s ample space if we clear them out.
8. Removing the uppers allowed us to tile the walls with white subway tile. That clean, bright surface reflects light and makes the kitchen feel fresher and more open.
9. Without cabinets over the counters, the workspace feels larger — it’s much more pleasant to prep and cook without an overhanging cabinet.
10. We improved and made better use of our walk-in pantry (which is under the stairs and still small). By removing the pantry door and replacing wire shelving with solid shelves, we created organized space for everyday items and extra serving bowls. The pantry now handles much of our storage needs, so I haven’t missed the removed upper cabinets even once.
In short, removing most of the upper cabinets gave us a brighter, more open kitchen with storage that’s easier to access and better suited to how we live.
PS. I love how the remodel turned out — it made the kitchen a space I truly enjoy spending time in.