Kitchen Diaries: Pros & Cons Of Double-Stacked Cabinets

There is always room for more storage, especially in kitchens, which are always clamouring for more space to store the sundry stuff. To rescue you from storage woes, you could install double-stacked cabinets. But, these cabinets are not the right fit for all kinds of kitchens.

MakaanIQ lists the pros and cons of installing double-stacked cabinets.

Advantages

• These cabinets are your answer to extra storage. From appliances and utensils to your priciest crockery, you can climb that ladder once in a while to fetch them. This would help you keep your kitchen clutter-free.

• Double-stacked cabinets can give a complete look to your kitchen. If you have a spacious or open-style kitchen, these cabinets, touching the ceiling would cover the walls that otherwise may make the area look incomplete. They also add a sense of continuity and seamlessness to the kitchen decor.

• How about using these double-stacked cabinets as display counters? A perfect fit for open-style kitchen, transform these cabinets into display counters. Bring some elaborate showpieces which could sit on this cabinet. This way you would be able to add beauty to kitchen that would further extend to the dining area and the living room. Use glass cabinet doors, preferably sliding, to showcase your prized possessions.

• These cabinets, if they have a glass door, can be lit up with spotlights inside. This would immediately enhance the look of the showpieces placed inside or even the fancy chinaware. In case you have completely opaque wooden doors, place these spotlights on the ceiling near these cabinets to further enhance the look and also, give you a well-lit cooking experience.

Limitations

• One of the biggest disadvantage of double-stacked cabinets is that these are difficult to reach. You will have to keep a home ladder to fetch whatever you want. Install them if there is a dire need of storage in your kitchen.

• Short on budget? Drop the idea of adding these cabinets to your kitchen as installing them would instantly double the cost of your kitchen. Moreover, if you are planning to go all fancy with glass doors and spotlights, don't hesitate to loosen your purse strings further.

• Being placed at a height, these cabinets are likely to catch more dirt. Especially in Indian kitchens where oil is used extensively, a lot of greasy dust is likely to settle on these cabinets. So, if you plan to have these cabinets make sure you clean them once in a fortnight using solvents or detergents to get rid of the greasy dirt or else, the stains might get nasty and completely take away the charm of the kitchen.

• These cabinets might make your kitchen look smaller given that they would cover a large portion of the walls. A big no-no if your kitchen is closed aisle-style. In such a scenario, these cabinets might block the ventilation, too, making the otherwise hot area even more suffocating.