You wouldn’t keep your thoughts in a junk drawer, right? So why do it to your kitchen? In this post, I want to take you through how we turned our kitchen—located in a historic 80-acre estate in the Hudson Valley—into an organized, toxin-free sanctuary. Not just for beauty’s sake, but because what you see around you shapes how you feel inside. This isn’t just about cabinets and drawers. It’s about reclaiming space in your life.

From Clutter to Calm: How Smart Kitchen Storage Changed Everything

**They say the kitchen is the heart of the home—**but what happens when that heart is overwhelmed, chaotic, and cluttered?

In our case, it meant stress, inefficiency, and a space we avoided instead of enjoying. So we rebuilt it from the inside out—designing a kitchen rooted in clarity, function, and beauty. Here’s how thoughtful storage transformed not just our cabinets, but our daily lives.

📍 Filmed at Greene Hill Upon Hudson: a historic 80-acre estate in New York’s Hudson Valley—just two hours north of NYC.

Why Kitchen Storage Isn’t Just About Space

A cluttered kitchen doesn’t just look messy—it feels messy. Research from UCLA shows that clutter spikes your cortisol levels, leading to stress even if you try to tune it out.

Your kitchen is a mirror of your mind. And when everything is out of place, your brain treats each item like a task to solve. Over time? That turns daily cooking into daily anxiety.

Our Kitchen Story: From Dysfunction to Design

We didn’t want just a pretty kitchen—we wanted a kitchen that worked. A space that supported our lifestyle, our health, and our values. So we focused on storage, flow, and clean materials.

Here’s what we learned.

🧠 Smart Storage = Mental Space

✅ Under-Island Storage

We used the space beneath the island for trays, pots, and utensils we don’t use every day. It’s now a hidden powerhouse.

✅ Base Cabinets with Pull-Outs

Drawers over traditional cabinets save your back, neck, and knees. You can see everything without crouching or digging.

✅ Upper Pull-Outs

Even hard-to-reach cabinets are now functional with slide-out shelving—perfect for lesser-used items.

Design Tip: If you cook daily, keep your tools where you use them. If you drink wine daily… well, store those glasses close too.

🧱 What We Skipped (And Why)

Some kitchen trends just don’t work in real life. Here’s what we chose not to do:

• ❌ Corner pull-out cabinet: Looked great in theory, but awkward in reality. A single deep drawer would’ve been better.

• ❌ Knife drawer insert: If you use high-end knives, they don’t fit. Keep them visible or store them safely elsewhere.

• ❌ Appliance garage: We wanted to preserve a clean, centered window wall—so we opted for sleek white countertop appliances instead.

• ❌ Hanging pot rack: Beautiful? Yes. But it blocked the view and gathered dust. Hard pass.

🧪 Low-Toxin, High-Conscious Materials

Traditional kitchen materials often contain formaldehyde, VOCs, and other off-gassing toxins.

We chose:

• ✅ Water-based and natural oil finishes

• ✅ Greenguard GOLD certified materials

• ✅ Formaldehyde-free glues

• ✅ Glass, bamboo, and cork storage systems

Health Fact: The materials you use matter. A healthy kitchen starts with the air you breathe.

🧡 Kitchens Hold Memories

This space isn’t just functional—it’s deeply emotional.

Santi grew up in a big family (8 siblings, 48 cousins!), where Sunday cooking was a family event. That love of food and ritual lives on here.

One of my favorite moments? Cooking for my daughter’s wedding right in this kitchen. We served a homemade meal to 25 people on the property—and it was magical.

📦 Pantry? Sort Of.

We didn’t have room for a traditional pantry, so we got creative.

• Home office wall: Full wall of cabinetry = stealth pantry.

• Built-in benches: We added drawers underneath for bonus storage.

• No wasted space: Not even the basement stairs—we found a secret root cellar full of mason jars from 100 years ago!

Design Philosophy: Every square inch can serve a purpose.

🍋 Daily Rituals Start Here

• Fruit bowl on the counter = built-in health hack. You’re more likely to eat what you see.

• Spice drawer? Extra wide. We use them constantly.

• Bread box? Now our dog’s treat drawer. Because life evolves, and kitchens should too.

🌿 Let Nature In

Being near nature reduces anxiety and boosts dopamine. Our kitchen looks out onto gardens and beehives—but if you live in a city, even a low-light plant on your counter can improve your mood.

⚙️ Final Thoughts: Design That Feels Good

“Design isn’t just how something looks—it’s how it feels to live with it.”

Our goal wasn’t perfection—it was ease. A kitchen that supports how we actually live. No more sighs when the drawer sticks. No more mental fatigue hunting for a lid.

Just a space that works. That calms. That invites creativity and joy.

🎥 Watch the Full Episode

Want to see the before, after, and everything in between?
Watch our full episode for:

• Where to start with kitchen storage

• Ideal ergonomic layout

• Low-tox materials to choose

• How to avoid the biggest kitchen design regrets

👉 [Link to video]

💬 Join the Conversation

What’s your biggest kitchen storage challenge? Got a favorite tip we missed?

📢 Share with a friend who’s planning a remodel

• Clutter = cortisol. Clean it up, calm it down.

• Storage should serve your habits.

• Design for how you live now.

• Don’t chase trends—chase function.

• Use natural, healthy materials wherever possible.