Here are mine. One next to each sink. I was fanatical about having a place for everything so there will be nothing at all on the counters! The other little niches next to the paper towel holder will be for folded dish towels.

Here's a thread from last year. It has one of my all time fav kitchens and paper towel storage ideas from firsthouse_mp. I try not to use any paper towels for the green factor, but if I did I'd do what she did. I think beagles got her idea from firsthouse.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread on similar topic with firsthouse's idea

We're trying to use as much cloth as possible, so in our current house, our paper towel roll is on the bottom of the pantry.

Our new kitchen is still under construction, but we'll do something like this under the sinks so it's still convenient and available, but still out of sight.

{{!gwi}}

Source: Uploaded by user via Jen on Pinterest

Simple counter top model.

Jodi-

I found firsthouse's finished kitchen. It has a better shot of the paper towels. Plus, it indulged me in another look at her amazing kitchen. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Firsthouse's finished kitchen

beaglesdoitbetter - that is a fabulous idea! I'm going to see if we have space next to our sink for that or something similar. Love the dishtowel niche too.

breezygirl - thanks! It was Firsthouse's kitchen with the island paper towel nook that I was thinking of. And it is an amazing kitchen, one of my favs.

We really try to minimize our use of paper towels (and other disposables) as much as possible too but I do still want them to be accessible. beagles dishtowel niche is the coolest idea and so accessible - maybe if we do something like that I could hide the paper towels in a cabinet. But I think I'm leaning towards having them accessible but off of the counter.

I have a ceramic paper towel jar purchased from The Workshop of David T Smith, first picture in link below. Other ideas in the post on where to put the #$%^&* paper towels. ;D

Here is a link that might be useful: paper towel jar

EcoBuzz as far as dimensions, in case it helps, my paper towel niche and dish cloth niche combined fit in a 24 inch cabinet. We actually put them above a dishwasher drawer on the one sink (next to the blue cabinet) because we have a full dishwasher on one side and a dish drawer on the other so there was no place for them to go but above the dishwasher drawer.

I love those under-counter niches firthouse and beagles have, but I have to admit that my 2nd thought (after "how cool") on seeing them is that the homeowners must not have toddlers running around. My DD#1 had a little too much fun with unrolling TP, so there is no way I could put a roll of paper towels within such easy reach of little hands.

Check out Custom Inserts..they sell that Never MT Soap Dipenser and towel holders...good luck.

kaysd - I can't believe you just wrote that! LOL! Having just finished re-rolling a roll of toilet paper after my littlest one had a little too much fun with it, I can definitely relate! We may put one of those under-counter niches in and then live another year or so with the roll on the counter for that very reason!

I don't use a lot of paper towels but when I do want them where I am working so I keep a brushed stainless tension arm Simple Human model on my island. Sometimes it across the aisle next to the stove or under the clean up sink where I've left a spot for it. So although I love the paper towel niche and don't have toddlers it would not have fit my work style. This is a long way of suggesting to you to consider what fits your work style since many options are available.

Here is a link that might be useful: paper towel holder

OT, but Jodi_So_CA do you have details on that bs? I love it!

My upgrade will be a change from a vertical holder that sits on the counter to a horizontal one hanging off the backsplash. My family carpenter is building what I want, but it's based off something like this - combining the towel holder with a little spice shelf. The idea is to not only get the paper towels off the counter but also the food scale, my vitamins, the salt pig, and a couple of other little things that tend to "live" on the counter right now.
Probably not the ultra-classy special thing you're looking for, but it's enough of an upgrade to make me happy. :)

Dilly, the backsplash is called Jeffrey Court's Fire & Ice. There are more photos at the link below and all the information about the BS under the first photo.

Several people here at the Kichen forum have used it.

Jodi-

Here is a link that might be useful: Jodi's kitchen