Will Converting 2 Little Cabinets Into One Big One Actually Increase Storage Space?

Maximizing kitchen storage and organization is high on many homeowners' priority lists, with kitchens working overtime to function properly as the hub of the home. Because people rely so heavily on storage solutions to keep things running smoothly, it can be extremely frustrating when the only thing standing between you and a huge, open cabinet is a pesky vertical center divider that prevents you from storing large items or installing the oversized roll-out of your dreams. 

Instagram user @shelfgenie_westphoenix shared how simple it can be to remove this divider, called a center stile, by cutting it off and reattaching it to one of the cabinet doors to cover the gap where the stile used to be. The hack does not necessarily increase storage square footage per se, but it allows you to reconfigure and upgrade the interior organization of your kitchen cabinets to better suit your needs.

To clarify, this hack will not work for combining two separate little cabinets, as the sides of their boxes are most definitely structurally necessary, but rather for knocking out the decorative center stile in one large divided cabinet box. And before you head for the nearest saw, this hack will also only work on framed cabinets, or those with a face-frame, rather than frameless or inset cabinet styles. So if you have the right kind of cabinets, the premise behind this hack can work great. Just be sure to follow this advice to finesse the project and avoid it looking cheap or jury-rigged.

Before proceeding with this hack, be certain your cabinet's center stile isn't structural. It can be tricky to tell, but if you have divided small upper drawers or a full-height cabinet where the stile runs all the way up to the countertop, it might be best to step away from your saw. Even if it only runs partway up the cabinet, it may be supporting additional weight for a large upper drawer, long middle shelf, or contributing to the structural integrity of the box. If you have heavy stone countertops, the last thing you want are cracks caused by sagging or lack of support! When in doubt, talk to a professional cabinet builder about modifications and reinforcement options if necessary before cutting.

If you're ready to rock, the premise of the Instagram video hack is fairly straightforward: using a flush cut saw or multi-tool, cut the top and bottom of the center stile where it meets the cabinet box to remove the divider to create one large, open area. Simple enough, right? But then you're left with two separate doors that used to show the exposed stile that now don't meet up, leaving a gap. The hack remedies this by attaching the discarded center stile to the back of one of the cabinet doors to appear as if still in place when closed.

For zero dollars and in less than an hour, you have transformed your divided cabinet into a box with a wide open interior for more expansive kitchen storage. You can install oversized roll-out shelves, store larger items, or at least have clear, unimpeded access to the entire cabinet interior for convenience.

Before cutting your center divider, there are some aesthetic and functionality issues to consider. Attaching the center stile to one door to cover the gap means opening and closing the doors in a particular order and requires opening both to access one side. For someone installing a large roll-out where both doors need to be open anyway, it's not a huge issue. But for a cabinet with open shelves that you use often, it could be bothersome. In addition, be sure you are okay with the visual impact of the horizontal seams where the center stile used to attach to the cabinet box, as there's an inauthenticity and inconsistency that may bug some homeowners with a detailed eye.

If you decide to go for it, take proper finishing steps beyond the video's hack premise so it doesn't look cheap and poorly done. The images of the cut stiles with raw edges on Instagram could be progress shots, which may be why it appears unfinished and cobbled together. For painted or stained cabinets, fill and sand all cut edges before touching up the finish to disguise the modification. If you don't have a color match, get one made and tested on a sample before proceeding in case it isn't a suitable match. 

The slightly more professional and not-too-expensive alternative for a high-end result would be to have two new cabinet doors made to properly cover the gap without the need for a patch. When done carefully and with detail to properly disguise the modification, removing non-structural center stile dividers can make all the difference in opening up your kitchen storage options.