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Docking Drawer was stoked to be featured in 5 (yes, FIVE!) projects in this Spring’s One Room Challenge—an 8-week renovation challenge that takes place twice per year, where DIYers share the transformation of one interior space to help motivate, educate and inspire renovation enthusiasts across the globe. Read on for a peek at these 5 Docking Drawer projects to inspire more organized and functional spaces of your own!
1. Kitchen Appliance Cabinet, by Bes Wilson
Bes from @wilson.home.design decided to tackle her kitchen for the @oneroomchallenge, upgrading her space with a powered (and protected) appliance drawer.
Most of us struggle with the age-old debate: to keep appliances connected on the countertops or store them out of sight. When you consider the number of small appliances in the average kitchen (like toasters, toaster ovens, air fryers, blenders, mixers, coffee makers, frothers, ice cream makers, and coffee grinders–just to name a few), it doesn’t take any stretch of the imagination to see how they can very quickly overtake surface space. The alternative, stowing them until needed, leads to the frustration of constantly taking them out / putting them away. This is why powered appliance drawers might be our favorite way to enhance functionality in the kitchen—as they allow you to keep appliances connected and ready WITHOUT cluttering limited countertop space.
For this project, Bes chose our Appliance In-Drawer Outlet Kit, which pairs up two popular products: our Blade Duo In-Drawer Outlet, and a Safety Outlet with Blade Limit Switch. While all of our in-drawer outlets come standard with an integrated thermostat that cuts power if surrounding temperatures exceed 120°F, the included Safety Outlet adds an additional layer of protection (and peace of mind) when connecting small heat-generating appliances inside the drawer. By pairing these two products, you can rest assured that the in-drawer power outlet is never left powered on when the drawer is closed, as the switch senses the drawer’s position and cuts power as the drawer begins to close.
“This outlet was incredibly easy to install!”
Now let’s take a collective moment to admire this entire CABINET dedicated to pullout appliance storage 🤩 This project gets a 10/10 from us!
2. Powered Workroom, by Julie Carmona
Any true DIYer needs a dedicated workspace, and Julie from @Juliecarmonahome chose to focus her @oneroomchallenge on a home workstation makeover!
Choosing "the right tool for the right job" emphasizes the importance of using the appropriate tool for a task, and Julie chose two essential tools to help her improve the functionality of this (very roomy!) workroom:
- A 20 amp Docking Drawer Blade Duo outlet was used to create a discreet tool charging station. The outlet’s integrated thermostat constantly senses the ambient temperature and cuts power when drawer box temperatures exceed 120°F, making it a safe solution for charging power tools inside the drawer. Just look at that beautiful battery charging zone—and the even more beautiful countertops, which are completely clear of charging cords!
- A Hubbel Pop-up outlet was used to add a convenient power source to Julie’s worktop surface. When power tools are needed, Julie can simply tap that pop-up outlet to expand her Hubbel power source–and when it’s not in use, she can drop her phone on the top for a wireless charging connection.
“No more tripping over cords or wrestling with battery chargers. Life just got a whole lot sweeter!”
Julie chose a stainless steel cover plate for her Blade Series outlet, which seamlessly integrates into this beautiful and highly functional space—a small detail that made her list of project highlights!
3. Garage Charging Drawer, by Trisha McKinney
When Trisha of @thehumblehearthstone first started her garage overhaul project for @oneroomchallenge, she had three must-haves:
- Fit two cars
- Built-in workspace and storage
- Design elements with functionality
Trisha says her old tool storage solution was a towering monstrosity that she couldn’t see inside or reach the top of, which made charging tool batteries a real challenge. Her projects were often delayed because tools weren’t charged, and she couldn’t stand the cluttered counters. Cue: Docking Drawer!
Trisha dedicated a built-in cabinet to serve as her garage work area and installed our 20 amp Blade Duo outlet to one drawer to charge power tool batteries. Creating more purposeful space is the key to maintaining organization in any room, and Docking Drawer helped Trisha enhance the overall functionality of this essential space. The outlet’s integrated thermostat feature–which senses ambient temperature and cuts power if temps exceed 120°F–gave Trisha piece of mind in this application, where high powered batteries are charging inside the drawer.
“The installation was super simple; I did it myself with basic tools!”
Take a page from Trisha’s book and be sure to prioritize both design and functionality in your projects. They work hand in hand to create truly remarkable (and usable) spaces!
4. Laundry Room Charging Station, by Melissa Meares
This vintage-home-loving DIYer, Melissa Meares, focused her @oneroomchallenge project on an often-overlooked, yet central and highly frequented space: the laundry room!
As you can see from the “before” shot, Melissa was in need of a more funcitnoal solution for charging tools in the laundry room. By adding cabinetry and installing a Blade outlet into a dedicated drawer, Melissa turned chaos into clarity with a more functional solution guaranteed to power her DIY lifestyle!
“Now I don’t have to worry about ugly cables ruining my beautiful laundry room!”
Melissa appreciated the ease of installation offered by our outlets, which took her only one hour to install into the drawer box. Completed with a matching wallpaper insert, this tool charging drawer deserves a #chefskiss from us! 😚🤌
5. Vanity Styling Drawer, by Amala Raj Seenson
When Amala of @amalarajinteriors was remodeling her bathroom for @oneroomchallenge, she knew she wanted to incorporate Docking Drawer outlets to manage styling tool cord clutter.
“I’ve always struggled with too many hair tool cords and not enough storage… when remodeling, we knew we wanted Docking Drawer’s outlets to help keep our vanity clutter-free.”
Amala completed a complete overhaul renovation of her primary bathroom, including everything from new tile to new electrical and plumbing. She knew from the beginning that she would be incorporating Docking Drawer in-drawer outlets, and installed 2 Blade Series outlets into her brand-new vanity, which features a custom seated makeup area. One outlet is located near the makeup table to power all of Amala's hair tools and add convenience to her daily get-ready routine, while the other outlet is located on her husband's side of the vanity to power devices such as electric toothbrushes and shavers.
“Docking Drawer is a great tool for functionality and keeping your counters clean!”
We can all relate to the “Did I turn my curling iron off?” anxiety, so it’s no surprise that Amala also appreciated the interlocking thermostat that’s designed to cut power to the outlet if ambient temperatures exceed 120°F, giving her added extra peace of mind when it comes to connecting hot tools inside the vanity. Bravo for a beautiful bathroom renovation, Amala!
How would you use Docking Drawer outlets to elevate your interior spaces? Get inspired by browsing more customer projects in our Project Gallery!