Martha Stewart's intelligent cabinets 'take every inch into consideration' – their 'visually light' style will solve your small kitchen storage problems

'Every kitchen can be beautiful and functional, no matter what the size': 9 years since sharing her clever storage, Martha's cabinets are just as beautiful

Martha Stewart
(Image credit: Peter Yang/ABC via Getty Images)

Nine years ago, Martha Stewart launched a series of wall cabinets for The Home Depot. In true Martha style, her advice (and cabinet style) has aged like a fine wine. In the footage below, Martha took viewers around her 'small' kitchen, showing how best to utilize 'dead' space you never knew you had, but arguably, nothing nails this quite like her glass-fronted cabinets.

'Every kitchen can be beautiful and functional, no matter what the size. When designing for a small space like this, take every inch into consideration,' Martha says before explaining the vertical kitchen cabinet's benefits. Crucially, they stretch high to the ceiling, reminding us to make use of an area that might otherwise go unused. It's perfect for small kitchens, but is also useful in homes where space might not be as much of a premium.

'We installed a line of Martha Stewart Living wall cabinets and base cabinets on this wall. They extend all the way to the ceiling, and they are finished with a simple crown molding. The upper cupboards are glass fronted, and they make the cabinets visually lighter, and I love seeing what's inside my cupboard, so nothing gets put away and never used again.'

The exact cabinets used in Martha's set are no longer stocked at The Home Depot, but we found some (almost identical) alternatives. They offer all the same benefits of Martha's, but are even more relevant to a modern kitchen.

Shop The Home Depot's glass kitchen cabinets

After addressing our cabinets, Martha shares a small countertop tip. In a small kitchen, the countertop space is very limited. Adding a shelf takes items off the counter and puts them up here,'' she says.

'This shelf was mounted 22 inches above the counter versus the standard 18 inches. This way, if you're standing at the sink or at the stove, you have plenty of room to work. Nothing's right in your face.'

Whether you're decorating the exposed shelves behind your glass-fronted cabinets or want to upgrade your open shelves, you can do so with beautiful crockery and glasses. In a small kitchen, the items you choose arguably matter more, as every item has to fight harder to be on show. For a failsafe starting point, we've handpicked some essentials below. They will look beautiful on any shelf (behind glass or not) and are all functional. We're almost certain Martha would approve of such a combination.


The neutral colorway and glass front of Martha's cabinets have impressed for the last nine years, and we're sure these picks will look just as good in another decade. When choosing cabinets, look for glass fronts, and a tall, vertical structure, and you really can't go wrong.


Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.

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