Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Must-Haves

I’ve spent many years in sub-par kitchens which ultimately led me to truly appreciate the beauty of the one I have now. The custom-built kitchen features floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, a double oven, and wood-grained tile floors. There is so much to love, but some of my most treasured features are the storage and functional options we included in our new build home. I’m excited to share these interior design must-haves with you!

Let’s begin with the pantry. Most pantries have basic doors with wire racks lined from top to bottom. To be fair, my bar for “most amazing pantry” was set pretty low so when I finally saw the finished product, I could barely contain my joy! As soon as the eight-foot door opens, the automatic light shines on the white, wooden shelves lined with food, kitchen appliances, and more. On the inside of the door, we added a large spice rack that holds over 40 spices. Plus, it’s the perfect size to hold boxes of tea bags and boy do we drink a lot of tea!

On the far-left side of the pantry, around eye level, we included a small section with 3 shelving levels sized to hold Ziploc bags, tin foil, cling wrap, and wax paper boxes. Previously we often had these boxes laying open in random drawers or hidden somewhere amongst the crowded shelves. The updated open shelving allows us to easily see what we have and access it when we need it. This is the key to keeping our kitchen clean and functional.

Speaking of functional storage, our over the oven cupboard is life-changing! In all fairness that may be a little extreme, but it has leveled up our storage game. The dividers provide enough room to fit large and small cookie sheets, trays, and cutting boards within each little “cubby.” We utilize cutting boards and cookie sheets almost every day which makes their accessibility a top priority. We have come a long way from storing our pans in an unorganized mess under the oven! No more clanging pans around while digging for the right-sized baking sheet.

Now this loved feature came around by sheer happenstance or what I’d like to call a happy accident. When we initially planned the build of our kitchen, I was enamored with the idea of pull out spice racks on the upper cabinets settled on either side of our stove. Unfortunately, the kitchen hood we chose did not allow for that so we included them below the stove. The lower pull-out cabinets ended up a smidge too wide for spices but became the perfect place to hold excess kitchen utensils, oven mitts, and kitchen towels. Having these narrow drawers prevents you from overpacking them and keeps your immediate cooking needs easy to see and grab.

Switching to the kitchen appliances, the double oven isn’t the only thing I love! The built-in microwave has become a staple for any future home. Not only does it provide a sleek aesthetic, but it opens up prized counter space. Even with an abundance of countertop space, a built-in microwave still helps eliminate clutter to make more room for other appliances. In our next kitchen, I’d love to add a plug and vents into the cabinetry to hide additional electronics like our air fryer, but beggars can’t be choosers!

Speaking of plugs, I present to you our island outlets! I often find myself baking off recipes I found on Pinterest while attempting to follow the recipe on my dying phone. In other kitchens, my hand mixer would be stretched to the limit trying to reach the island or I would have to move everything closer to the outlet and lose my working space. Now I can plug everything in on both ends of my island and use the entire counter to bake.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention how amazing the USB ports on the outlet are. I find myself using more and more electronics in the kitchen and can’t seem to function without my virtual recipes with my music blasting on my speaker. The USB plugs make it easy to keep the electronics charged while using the outlets for my food processor, mixer, and other kitchen appliances. If my future house doesn’t have these I will have to add them myself!

Finally, let’s discuss my double-sided island storage. The front contains storage beneath the sink where I store my cleaning goods such as 409, dish soap, sponges, and dishwashing detergent. The left side contains my dishwasher and the right side houses my trash and recycling bin on a pull-out track. Hiding the unsightly trashcans out of view in the kitchen makes a huge difference! It also helps contain any odor that may emanate from day-old garbage.

The backside of the island is where I put all of my fine china and seasonal dinnerware. I know it seems a bit silly in this day and age to have a multitude of dish sets, but it makes for stunning tablescapes during the holidays! This is also where I stockpile my alcohol bottles and paraphernalia like mixing cups, wine glasses, and whiskey ice molds. The additional storage made a huge difference for me and allows me to keep unsightly and non-essential items out of the way thus optimizing the overall function and aesthetic of my kitchen.

What is your favorite feature in my modern farmhouse kitchen? Is there anything you would change? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. We are looking forward to adding finishing decorative touches to our kitchen so be sure to subscribe to keep up to date with the latest kitchen décor upgrades!