Martha Stewart's Kitchen

::Clever ideas, practical storage, unusual solutions -- Martha shares her secrets for creating a kitchen that works::

Open up and use every inch. Shelving in place of upper cabinets makes the room look lighter and airier. "I use everything in my kitchen regularly, and shelves make it all accessible," Martha says. "These nearly reach the ceiling, putting underused space to work." A combination of shelving and cabinets makes sense if you don't want everything on display.

Martha's kitchen at her farm in Bedford is a model of efficiency mixed with warmth and decorative details. Two islands offer seating and storage. An overhead steel rack keeps pots and pans reachable but out of the way.

Decide what you want to keep in the islands, and plan the space accordingly. "Upright steel slats provide perfect spots for heavy baking sheets," Martha says. She also has drawers for aprons and utensils; deep shelves for platters, books, and pet supplies; and small cubbies for towels and other items.

In Martha's "servery" off the kitchen, used for washing and storing dinnerware, she wanted storage that felt like furniture, not cabinetry. "This apothecary-like glass case, one of a pair, provides the solution," she says. Light shines through it, opening up the small room and glinting off the glasses and dishes inside

Devote a drawer to the things you need most, such as lightbulbs, batteries, extension cords, and EZ Glide pads (available at hardware stores) for chair legs.

An assortment of graters lets you get just the right texture from citrus peel, cheese, and more. These tools are sharp -- give them their own drawer so you don't nick yourself.

You don't need a walk-in pantry to keep things neat. Martha doesn't have one. Instead, she devotes a tall cabinet to nonperishables, grouped according to use and cuisine. Shelves are labeled and lined with custom-cut stainless steel sheeting, which protects the cabinetry and wipes clean. Canisters on top hold ingredients purchased in bulk.

Whether you use one crock or several, it's wise to have essential tools in arm's reach when you're at the stove. Martha keeps ladles, whisks, pastry brushes, wooden spoons, and flexible spatulas in separate containers.

"I have three dogs, five cats, and 22 canaries," Martha says. "So it's important to be organized." She devotes pantry space to dry food, which she transfers from the bulky bags into stackable airtight plastic containers. Labels are crucial for keeping them straight. Bowls and cans are stacked nearby in see-through bins.

Martha's cats have their own buffet in the servery. Several dishes are lined up in a long tray, which catches any spills so food doesn't end up on the floor.

I'm off to organize my kitchen now. How depressing.

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