Whether you’re coveting a minimalist look or simply just wanting to avoid kitchen clutter (and let's be real, who doesn't?), your countertops can often feel overwhelmed by cooking appliances. Yes, they make your life easier, but at the same time, they can make things a whole lot harder.
Appliance garages are a great solution to this issue as they hide items behind a door or screen. But toasters can be a little trickier to tuck away. The heat they give off means they can’t be placed under shelves, and dragging a toaster around amidst a morning rush is a major time waster.
Well, Aimeé Richardson, home and lifestyle influencer known online as House of Waffle, has found a solution: the 'toaster drawer'. It's a handy, neat, and tidy mechanism that cleans up your counter while ensuring you still have all the functionality essential to an easy breakfast time. Here's how she did it.
How To Design a Toaster Drawer
To make a toaster drawer, you're essentially storing your toaster in a regular drawer, either in an existing cabinet or newly installed. What it means is that when not in use, it'll appear as just a regular part of a cupboard or cabinet.
Don't have that existing in your cabinetry? Don't worry. Another option (and perhaps my favorite) is to add a stick-in sliding drawer (like this one from Wayfair) to an existing shelf.
It works best when you can install it next to a power socket (obviously, it's a toaster). This will also mean that your appliance can always be plugged in, rather than you having to plug it in and out when you pack it away. You'll just need to ensure your drawer is wide enough to accommodate the cable when setting it up.
Aimeé's kitchen was designed by IKEA, and the main goal was to optimize its functionality and, ideally, find ways to add a pantry to the small space. "I've always envisioned having a hidden pantry, but it wasn't something we could incorporate into the current kitchen due to the lack of space," she shares. "Our next step was to create pockets of functional but aesthetic storage where we could."
To create the drawer, she used customized IKEA Enköping Cabinets in a walnut finish. “We had a cubby of dead space, which used to have two random cupboards stuck in the middle of it," she describes. "I wanted to make that cubby one of the show-stoppers of the kitchen."
She achieved this with elevated glass-fronted cabinets and built-in lighting.
Putting the toaster drawer in a built-in cupboard meant that when the drawer is pulled out for use, it’s close to other utensils or spreads you need for breakfast. The design blends seamlessly, and when all is tucked away, her counter is left clean and empty.
Plus, an unplanned benefit of the drawer is that it catches all the breadcrumbs, making cleaning the countertop even easier, she adds.
Based in the Midlands, Aimée Richardson started by sharing the BTS of her beautiful Victorian terrace online, and is now in the thick of renovating a rundown HMO into a family home for her husband, two children, and special guest: their cat, Rue. She can restore a fireplace or wallpaper an entire room by herself.
Create Your Own Toaster Drawer
I know toasters aren't the only thing that gets in the way on our countertops. While you're at it, why not consider adding an air fryer garage to your kitchen design, too?