The best cabinet design starts with specific storage questions. Think through everything that needs a home in your kitchen — dishes, pots and pans, pantry items, baking tools, cleaning supplies, food containers, recycling, compost, small appliances, and anything else that gets used regularly.

Then go a little further. What about cookbooks? Reusable bags? Pet supplies? Seasonal platters? Vitamins? Kids’ lunch gear?

These are the things that often get forgotten during planning, but they still need space once the kitchen is finished.

The more clearly you can describe what you actually store and how often you use it, the better your cabinet layout will be. A good designer can take that information and turn it into storage that feels intuitive, rather than generic.