Restore the smartest forgotten kitchen design elements to make your space more functional and beautiful.
Based on: 10 FORGOTTEN KITCHEN FEATURES WE NEED TO BRING BACK! | Kitchen Design Ideas by Kristen McGowan
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What if the most functional kitchen you've ever dreamed of already existed — decades ago — and designers quietly erased it? Kristen McGowan, whose kitchen design videos have helped thousands of homeowners rethink their spaces, recently uncovered 10 forgotten features that were quietly stripped from modern kitchens in the name of sleek aesthetics. The problem is, we traded real functionality for looks, and now most of us are fighting our own kitchens every single day. Bread on the countertop. Cutting boards with no home. Heavy mixers you can barely lift into position. Cleaning supplies stuffed under the sink with no organization. Sound familiar? Here's the thing: a kitchen that works for your life doesn't have to mean gutting everything and starting over. It means making smart, intentional choices about what goes back in — choices that the best kitchens of the past already figured out. Imagine a kitchen where every dish has a beautiful, accessible home in a wooden plate rack. Where your bread, onions, and potatoes each have their own ventilated drawer. Where your cutting board slides seamlessly out from under the counter. Where a slim broom cupboard means you're never hunting for the vacuum. Where a workstation sink lets you drain, chop, and prep without cluttering the countertop. That kitchen exists, and you can design it — whether you're renovating, building new, or just planning your next upgrade. Kristen McGowan breaks each feature down with practical, real-world context so you know not just what to add, but why it works and how to make it fit your specific space. This checklist distills every single one of those 10 features into a clear, step-by-step action plan you can take straight to your contractor, cabinet maker, or Pinterest board. Each step includes exactly what to research, what to decide, what to buy, and what to avoid — so you don't waste a dollar or a square foot. If you're renovating your kitchen, planning a new build, or just tired of a space that looks good but doesn't work, this checklist is your starting point. Go through it feature by feature, check off what fits your lifestyle, and walk into your next design meeting knowing exactly what you want.
Every checklist item comes with actionable notes to guide you — things like "Don't forget to do this before you start," "Avoid this common mistake," or "Set a reminder for 30 days out." Nothing vague, just clear next steps.
+ 16 more action items inside...
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