The Storage Hack That Makes Your Breakfast Nook Even More Functional

Breakfast nooks add an all-new angle to a functional kitchen, offering a quaint and comfy space for family members to eat, play games, and do work. Pop in a few neat design details, and the benefits get even better. You can imagine a slew of breakfast nook ideas to take your kitchen to the next level when starting from scratch. But opportunities for utilitarian upgrades abound even in an established setup, and there's no better place to start than the seating. With empty cavities offering tons of room between the frame pieces, these are often easy to overhaul into an accessible storage space. It's easy to plan a hinged flip-up seat, or you could take it to another level with a pull-out drawer.

If you have an empty area at the end of your breakfast nook bench, you're all set to make a pull-out drawer that takes advantage of the extra square footage tucked away underneath. Instagram content creator Taylor Calmus took a break from comedy to show us his storage hack in a DIY bench, adding several square feet of space to hide small appliances for a clutter-free kitchen. You could make this feature part of an original build, but even an existing bench can be straightforward to make over. For this add-on, you'll only need straight cuts of quality cabinet plywood, such as ½-inch or ¾-inch birch plywood, and hardware for building and sliding the drawer.

A breakfast nook bench is an uncomplicated build for DIYers with limited tools or materials. At its most basic, you can accomplish this with simple, 90-degree cuts and pocket-hole connections, using two-by-fours for the frame and plywood or MDF for the top, front, and side panels. If you're building a storage bench from scratch, simply don't install two-by-fours connecting the front and back supports. Doing this will leave the floor open within the cavity, allowing a drawer on wheels to roll freely and open from the end of the bench. 

If you already have a breakfast nook bench, you can upgrade it to hold a drawer. Carefully remove the end panel (where the drawer will come out) to examine the interior construction. You can then see where it's mounted to the wall and detach it. (Modifying the bench when it's unmounted will be easier and reduce the risk of damaging the floor.) The accessible cavity will let you remove any bottom supports running between the front and back of the bench frame that would obstruct a rolling drawer. If desired, you can add extra supports along the top to bolster the bench's rigidity.

Measure the width, height, and depth of the bench's cavity to find the dimensions for the drawer and the drawer front. For smooth operation, plan the drawer to be slightly narrower and shorter than the opening. Subtract the thickness of the drawer face from the depth to ensure it lies flush with the surrounding bench trim when closed. You'll also have to factor in the caster wheels to determine your drawer's height.

Cut plywood panels to size to make the side, front, and back walls. Measure and cut so that the front and back panel edges butt against the side of the side panels. Follow this tip to create the perfect pocket holes in the front and back panels to screw into the sides. This way, each exposed side will be one unbroken piece, and the pocket holes will be hidden behind the drawer face for a cleaner look. Next comes the bottom of the drawer; rest the rectangular frame's edge on it and use wood glue and brad nails to attach it.

To complete the storage box, add casters to the bottom. Use fixed casters like these WEITELAI 1-inch Silent Ball Bearing Casters. Since they don't swivel, there's little risk of them deviating from their path or listing to one side as you pull the drawer out or push it in. You can then install the drawer face. Push the drawer under the bench, line the face up so it has an equal gap between it and the bench frame on all sides, and nail it in place.

The simple drawer design is easy to modify to add utility and work with your space. For instance, if you don't have much room on the end of your bench, try installing drawers in the front instead, creating drawers to fit within the frame. If needed, you may shift the vertical frame supports, adding new supports and cutting out the old ones to fit the drawer's width. The only issue with this design is the table, which may get in the way when extending the drawers.

As you're planning your drawer, every decision should focus on how you're going to use it. With so many things you can do at the breakfast nook, you could put its storage to good use for almost any overflow in the house. Storing underused small appliances in it is a great idea, but it's also a smart place for arts and crafts supplies, cleaning equipment, or toys and games. Depending on the use, you can install dividers for easier organization. Meanwhile, individual baskets can allow for more sensible storage and convenient access to small items if, for example, your kids often play games or color at the table. Whatever your needs, adding a drawer is one of the best breakfast nook ideas to consider when maximum storage space becomes a top priority.