A Guide To Different Kitchen Units

Do you struggle with a lack of shelf space in your kitchen? Do you find yourself clamouring to reach containers hidden behind each other? If this is your life everyday you would have already recognised the value kitchen units as a smart storage and organisation solution. 

Kitchen units are the fundamental element of your modular kitchen design.  You have got to get them right! With this guide, we will help you put together a perfect mix of base, wall, tall and loft units to create the right combination of kitchen units for your modular kitchen design. 

Life will never be the same with units custom designed to suit your cooking and working requirements. So let’s dive into the wonderful world of kitchen units. 

What Are Kitchen Units Made Of?

Kitchen units are typically made from either solid wood or wood-based materials like plywood, hardwood, particleboard et al. 

The most preferred material for a modular kitchen are:

• BWP (Boiling Water Proof)
• HDHMR (High-Density High Moisture Resistant) 

Both these materials are highly resistant to water and moisture and are ideal for wet areas like kitchens. These materials are covered with a layer of finishes like laminates to protect it and add a stylish look. To put it in simple words kitchen units are made using materials and finishes. Materials are used to create a base structure and finishes are added on top for a fine, flawless look to the design.

Check out these images to understand it better: 

1)BWP

2)HDMR

What Are The Different Types Of Kitchen Units?

Now that you know the basics of kitchen units let us explore the different types and their functions in a modular kitchen.

Tall Units

First on the list are tall units. An extremely stylish and beneficial kitchen unit to make the most of your kitchen space.

What Are Kitchen Tall Units?

Tall units as the name suggests are the tallest of all the other kitchen units. They offer the most storage space as they use all the space right upto the ceiling of your modular kitchen. Tall units are available in various widths making it fit for every type of kitchen design. 

Another great thing about tall units is that the interiors can be custom designed to match all your storage/ organisation requirements and style preferences. For instance, a tall unit can be designed with flexible racks or pull-out trays and baskets for easy access to food items. You can further make optimal use of the storage space of tall units with a tandem pull-out. This will help you access your ingredients and boxes with just a pull.

Also, Explore more about Tall Unit Design

Let’s explore the different types of tall-units.

Pull-Out Pantry

A tall pull-out pantry is a smart solution to stow away all your non-perishable groceries. Modern-day homes are not designed with a dedicated corner for a kitchen pantry. This pull-out pantry is a smart alternative to this timeless necessity. A pull-out pantry like this is designed keeping in mind the needs of busy urban households. It can be customised to match your requirements and kitchen space.

Also, have a look at more Kitchen Pantry Design 

Tall Unit With An Open Wine Rack

Tall units are like wardrobes for your kitchen. They can be customised to best suit your individual cooking needs. This tall unit not only has a built-in microwave and oven but it also has ample storage for all your cookware and an open wine rack. Not only is this a great way to store and access your prized collections but also show it off to your envious guests.

An Open Sided Tall Unit

This tall unit has one open side and is an exciting way of combining a crockery unit into one space-saving design. The tall unit has two parts. The first has a microwave, oven, a tandem drawer and a wine rack. The second has an open side with glass shelves to display your fine crockery. It is lit up internally using LED strip lights. This design makes the best use of the tight space in the kitchen as it does not interfere by opening up in front. Clever little design hacks like this is what makes you fall in love with your kitchen.

Janitor Unit

A janitor unit is the embodiment of the phrase out of sight out of mind. Born out of the necessity to hide away unsightly mops and brooms from cluttering up an otherwise perfect kitchen this unit is structurally identical to a pull-out tall unit. It works mainly the same way with shelves to store your cleaning supplies. They require little space, are sleek and can be installed in modualr kitchens of any size.

What Are Kitchen Wall Units?

Second, on the list are wall units! Wall units are storage cabinets installed onto kitchen walls. Wall units are typically installed at the height of two feet from the kitchen countertop. They are an essential part of every kitchen design and are used to store plates, dishes, spices and condiments. Any seasoned cook will know that overhead storage is a must when you are in the middle of preparing your meals, especially on busy working days. 

Let’s explore the different types of wall units:

A Wall Unit With A Vertical Lift-Up Shutter

A vertical lift up shutter is designed keeping in mind a tall couple or those who are extremely busy. A shutter like this is easy to use as it does not swing-out like a regular cabinet shutter. This is ideal in a scenario when two people are cooking in a small kitchen and frequent movement is a hassle. It’s easy and safe to access as there is less risk of you bumping into the edge of the shutter as it doesn’t swing-out. Perfect for busy households!

A Bi-Fold Split Shutter Unit

Unlike the vertical lift-up shutter, a bi-fold split shutter is designed to cater to the needs of people of all heights and still make the most of available space. The shutter splits in the middle and opens vertically revealing deep storage behind it. It’s a smart, elegant solution and quite a showstopper!

Bi-fold Lift-Up Shutter Unit

A bifold lift-up shutter is a two-piece shutter that folds at the centre and lifts up vertically. The key advantage of a design like this is to keep handles of the shutters within easy reach. This design ensures that closing the unit does not become tedious.

Open Box Wall Unit

Open boxes are the most economical of all types of wall units. They may be simple in design but are some of the most useful units in a modular kitchen. Open box units are ideal to store things that are frequently used like spices, condiments and other essential kitchen tools like whisks, mashers, graters and more.

Pegasus Wall Unit

A pegasus wall unit is designed for short people. This mechanism allows you to access the entire contents of the unit as you pull down an in-built tray. You can either leave the unit open as shown in the image or cover it with a shutter if required.

Base Kitchen Units

Base units rest on the kitchen floor and are built below the cooktop, countertop, and sinks. They are the most functional part of your kitchen and are used to store heavier utensils. The right type of base units can make or break your kitchen design.

Types Of Base Kitchen Units:

Internal Drawers

Internal drawers are one of the most effective ways to design a space that’s clean, elegant and minimalist. These drawers are concealed behind a single large shutter and lend a seamless look with ample storage space to organise your utensils.

Oil Pull-out

As the name suggests, base units are designed to store oil bottles, sauces, glass bottles or containers that are tall and are likely to tip over and break. An oil-pull out is typically installed beside your hob unit for a hassle-free cooking experience.

Tandem Drawers

A tandem drawer is a smart way to store your pots and pans that may otherwise rest on your countertop and eat into your working space. These drawers are designed with organisers that help maintain order and prevent pots and pans from moving around.

Spice Pull-Out

Structurally similar to the oil pull-out, a spice pull-out will have more compartments to hold smaller jars of spices and condiments. This is a recommended solution for those who do not wish to have to have open wall units to store spices.

Tandem Drawer – 50 kgs

This is a heavy-duty cousin of your regular tandem drawer. Engineered to hold up to 50 kilograms. These are ideal to store large bags of rice, pulses, flours and non-perishable vegetables making it perfect for big fat Indian families notorious for stocking up supplies in bulk.

Under Sink Unit

Under-sink units come in a variety of storage options with in-built waste bins, storage trays, tandem drawers and shutter units. An under-sink unit is one of those overlooked spaces but one that provides ample space to store all your cleaning supplies and waste bins. This unit is a perfect fit for that.

Skirting Drawer

One of the most innovative solutions of modern-day interior design is a skirting drawer. It makes use of dead space under base units. A skirting drawer like this can be used to store cleaning cloths, paper bags, baking trays and dining mats. This is not a drawer to store crockery or heavy items as it is a slim space. The minimum width of a skirting drawer is 450 millimetres with a height of 100 millimetres

Corner Units

Kitchen corners can be utilised with smart storage units so this space does not go waste. Luckily, there are various options to make use of these dead corners with cleverly designed corner units. A classic model is a simple corner unit with racks or shelves. However, it can be challenging to access the contents. As an alternative different kind of carousels can offer better access to the spaces that are difficult to access. 

Also, have a look at more Corner Kitchen Cabinet

Types Of Kitchen Corner Units:

D Carousel

D carousel is a rotating carousel in the shape of a disc to store your everyday serveware.

S Carousel

S carousels swivel out of the corner space as you open the shutter. They also make more efficient use of the space and hence the shape of the tray is the form of an S. 

Magic Corner Unit

The best way to use your corner space, magic corner units utilise every inch of available space. Magic corner units are attached to the inside of base cabinet shutters. So when you open the shutter out comes a set of racks where you can store things as seen in this image here.

Which Is The Best Kitchen Unit?

Now you must be wondering which one out of these smart kitchen units is the best fit for your kitchen, right? Although there’s no right answer to that question, you can still pick the one that will work well with your modular kitchen design. 

The size of the kitchen determines which unit is the best and how you can combine different units to make the most of your kitchen space. Each of these units has its advantages. Identify what you need the most a base, wall, or tall units – or a right combination of all.

How To Choose The Right Kitchen Units?

The size of your kitchen typically puts limits on how many kitchen units you can add in your kitchen. It is essential to use space wisely to get the perfect look, adequate storage space and excellent functionality.

To answer your own question on the amount and type of kitchen units you need  to ask yourself the following: