Appliance Garages

An appliance garage is a small cabinet that sits on the countertop under your wall cabinets, with a roll-up tambour door in front. The toaster, coffee maker, stand mixer and blender stay plugged in and ready to use, then disappear when you roll the door down.

CSH sells appliance garage kits from Omega National: a complete, prefabricated unit with the tambour door, track, face frame and end panels, shipped unfinished so you can stain or paint it to match your cabinets.

Solid wood or veneer

The solid wood appliance garage kit has a solid wood tambour door mounted to a solid wood face frame, in red oak, cherry, maple, alder or hickory (availability varies by size). The veneer appliance garage kit is the lower-cost option.

What's in the kit

• Tambour door mounted to a solid wood face frame
• Spring tension track system (ST-2) with a spring roll for assisted opening
• End panels veneer-faced on 3/8" MDF, with doweled joints
• Prefabricated and boxed individually; unfinished and easy to trim

Choose your size

• 17" wide: made for a 24" corner, 18-1/2" high x 11-7/8" deep
• 18" wide
• 24" wide: for a straight run, 18-1/2" high x 11-7/8" deep

Measure the gap between your countertop and the bottom of your wall cabinets before you order, and check that your tallest appliance fits inside with the door closed. Plan the outlet so it sits inside the garage.

Building a garage into your own cabinet box instead? Start with a solid wood tambour door kit, or see all tambour doors. For a stand mixer stored below the counter, see mixer and appliance lifts, and browse more kitchen organization.

Questions

Are appliance garages a good idea?

They are if you keep a few small appliances out every day and want a clear counter. Everything stays plugged in where you use it, and the door hides it the rest of the time. They do take up counter depth, so they work best in a corner or at the end of a run.

What do you put in an appliance garage?

The everyday small appliances: coffee maker, toaster, stand mixer, blender and food processor, plus things like a knife block or paper towels.

Can you use appliances inside an appliance garage?

Many people run the coffee maker or blender in place with the door rolled up. For anything that gets hot, such as a toaster, open the door fully and follow the appliance maker's clearance guidance, or slide it out onto the counter.

What size appliance garage do I need?

Pick the width for the spot: 17" for a 24" corner, or 24" for a straight run. The 17" and 24" kits are 18-1/2" high and 11-7/8" deep, so measure the space under your wall cabinets and your tallest appliance.

Do the kits come finished?

No. They ship unfinished so you can stain or paint them to match your kitchen.