Why You Should Install A Toe-Kick Drawer (And How To Do It)

Are you one of the many people who are tormented by working within small spaces? While some of us are certainly more spatially challenged than others, we can all appreciate a good organizational tip. That's where the ingenious toe-kick drawer comes into play. In your kitchen, there's a space between the bottom drawer and the floor. A toe-kick drawer is a thin slide-out drawer activated by the kick of a toe, down below! Not only is it a terrific invention, but it's incredibly convenient for storing things like cookie sheets, barbecue utensils, and placemats.

The typical measurements of a toe-kick drawer are four inches in height, while the width can be up to 24 inches and the depth can be as far back as your cabinets go. The area underneath your cabinets is already called the toe-kick, because it's the space for you to put your toes in when accessing the higher shelves of your cabinetry. Adding a toe-kick drawer in that space is also a fairly simple DIY project, and you'll be delighted with the extra storage space!

Regardless of how much or how little space you're working with, a handy toe-kick drawer makes perfect sense. It's the ideal spot for appliance manuals, recipes, and cookbooks. You can usually fit muffin tins and shallow pans inside. Or how about emergency supplies like batteries, candles, flashlights, matches, or even a transistor radio? Perhaps lids or rarely-used serving platters could be stored there. Potholders and cloth napkins fit nicely inside, as well.

A toe-kick drawer is also the perfect size for things like aluminum foil, plastic wrap, Ziplock baggies, wax paper, and more. Having an extra drawer for storing these things is especially helpful in smaller kitchens, where added storage is a true commodity. But this space can be utilized in different rooms besides the kitchen, in some unexpected ways. For example, if you have small children, you can make a step out of it so they can reach the faucets in the bathroom. If you have pets, you can make built-in food and water bowls that slide in and out. As you can see, the toe-kick drawer has multiple uses and functions.

Of course, the easiest way to install a toe-kick drawer is when you're getting new kitchen cabinets in the first place. You can usually expect to pay between $175 to $225 per drawer, and someone else worries about the rest. But it's not too difficult to add a drawer in this spot yourself, and you can typically accomplish it for around $150 per drawer. There are several options for those with existing cabinets for building a separate drawer that will go in that toe-kick space. Hiring a carpenter to do a retrofit is possible with most setups, or you can follow a tutorial and DIY.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you DIY; one of them is the face. Although you'll want to match your existing cabinets, remember you'll be operating it with your foot. Since the drawer will be underneath the lower cabinets and slightly indented, you may want to use a darker color or a more durable material. Also consider your seams, in case it's important to you to line them up with your cabinets. If you're interested in the step-stool, there are options for that, too.