Mindy Kaling uses this ingenious layout trick to increase cabinet storage in her kitchen

Mindy Kaling may be one of the most recognizable actresses of the moment – but she's used to making waves in the kithcen. 

From her home in Hancock Park, Los Angeles, the Office star often shares her favorite recipes with her followers – and while we're inevitably interested in the cuisine – we confess that we find her ingenious cabinet layout slightly distracting. 

Despite likely having a plentiful amount of room in her Californian mansion, the actress has found a way to accentuate every inch of her kitchen layout and kitchen storage – most notably by installing vertical cabinets around her cooker hood. 

It's often easy to forget about the space around our cookers, however, a look at Mindy's kitchen reminds us that we can install cabinets in lesser-used areas: creating more storage without sacrificing the aesthetic. 

Alongside the cabinetry that surrounds the hood, Mindy has created yet more storage by choosing to double-up her kitchen cabinets where possible. She has paired one on top of the other in the space next to the hood – reminding us to think creatively about our wall space and how to use it to our advantage. 

'I can't stress enough the importance of tall cabinet storage in the kitchen. It's a game-changer, especially when placed above the cooker or cooker hood. The reason is simple – it's all about maximizing space and functionality,' comments home improvement expert Forrest McCall.

Forrest McCall

Forrest is the co-owner of Mama Needs a Project, a popular woodworking and home improvement site dedicated to helping others get the inspiration and help they need to complete the projects of their dreams.

As Forrest explains, Mindy's cabinets are not only about storage – but smart storage – so before recreating the look – we need to think about how best to make it work in our homes. This also includes maximizing room without forgetting what you've got in your highest cupboards.

'Consider installing vertical rollout drawers [such as these from Amazon] inside the cabinet. This way, you convert a half-empty cabinet into a high-capacity storage unit that can be custom-sized to your needs. You can organize items by height, making it easier to reach what you need when you need it,' he recommends.

Jessica MacAdams, a kitchen designer from Jess Mac Design, mirrors this storage tip – but adds that this trick converts to all cabinets in our kitchen. 'To maximize usable kitchen storage space, it is ideal to have rollout shelves or drawers throughout your base kitchen cabinets,' she says. 

'This saves on food waste as you will always be able to see what you have available in your food storage and allow you to have easy access to your pots and pans. No one likes getting on their hands and knees to dig through cupboards.'