Clever Corner-Cupboard Storage Solutions
That annoying corner in the kitchen can become a help rather than a hindrance with these storage options
Planning a new kitchen can be daunting, and the impact of any decisions you make now will ripple through your daily life for years to come, so it pays to do your homework ahead of time.
Those living with dated kitchens are usually contending with an awkward corner cupboard that forces you to reach blindly into the dark depths to find what you want. The corner solution you settle on for your next kitchen, however, could mean the difference between a kitchen you like and a kitchen you love. Fortunately, there are now clever corner-cupboard innovations for every budget, and they all make life easier. We’ve done the groundwork for you right here…
Those living with dated kitchens are usually contending with an awkward corner cupboard that forces you to reach blindly into the dark depths to find what you want. The corner solution you settle on for your next kitchen, however, could mean the difference between a kitchen you like and a kitchen you love. Fortunately, there are now clever corner-cupboard innovations for every budget, and they all make life easier. We’ve done the groundwork for you right here…
An alternative solution is a carousel that spins around and takes the door with it. This easy-reach option avoids the need for a bi-fold cupboard door, which can be more cumbersome. If you do plan on bi-fold doors, The Kitchen Broker’s managing director, Brian Patterson, recommends using hinges with lifetime warranties, such as those from Blum, Hettich and Grass.
“I think Blum are the top guns,” says Patterson. And what of hinges without lifetime warranties? “We just don’t go there,” he says.
“I think Blum are the top guns,” says Patterson. And what of hinges without lifetime warranties? “We just don’t go there,” he says.
The LeMans
A step up from the carousel in price but also function, the LeMans II corner system swings the contents of a cupboard out into the room, making every item easily accessible. The LeMans system here, from Häfele, can cope with 20 kilograms of weight per shelf, so it can hold crockery or pots and pans with ease. This option avoids the need for a bi-fold door, and each shelf can move independently of the other.
A step up from the carousel in price but also function, the LeMans II corner system swings the contents of a cupboard out into the room, making every item easily accessible. The LeMans system here, from Häfele, can cope with 20 kilograms of weight per shelf, so it can hold crockery or pots and pans with ease. This option avoids the need for a bi-fold door, and each shelf can move independently of the other.
“Corners are very well sorted out today – there are so many options,” says Patterson. “In a U-shaped kitchen I like to run drawers right down to the corner and then just have the LeMans spin out into the room so you can use the whole area.”
See the ‘before’ shot of this kitchen
See the ‘before’ shot of this kitchen
Easy corners
A Wari corner, or easy corner, allows for two door-mounted baskets and two slide-mounted baskets within the cabinet that separate for ease of access as you open the door.
Browse more images with inventive solutions for kitchen corner cupboards
A Wari corner, or easy corner, allows for two door-mounted baskets and two slide-mounted baskets within the cabinet that separate for ease of access as you open the door.
Browse more images with inventive solutions for kitchen corner cupboards
Clever drawers
Interior designer Jordan Smith from Brilliant SA opted for corner drawers in this project, despite the higher cost.
“My middle-aged clients wanted to utilise as much space as possible in their small kitchen,” says Smith. “The corner drawers were a perfect solution as they have full extension drawers for ease of use – no more bending down to that awkward corner space at the back.”
Interior designer Jordan Smith from Brilliant SA opted for corner drawers in this project, despite the higher cost.
“My middle-aged clients wanted to utilise as much space as possible in their small kitchen,” says Smith. “The corner drawers were a perfect solution as they have full extension drawers for ease of use – no more bending down to that awkward corner space at the back.”
The soft-close drawers are designed to hold heavy loads, but still glide smoothly. “The drawers are a more expensive option compared to a standard corner cabinet, but in my opinion the benefits outweigh the cost,” says Smith. “They also look great.”
10 Top Design Tips for an Ergonomic Kitchen
10 Top Design Tips for an Ergonomic Kitchen
Corner pantry
If you have the space, a walk-in pantry can be just the thing to avoid fiddly corner cupboards, but if your kitchen is on the smaller side, they are not recommended. “You’re just creating a whole lot of air for you to stand in,” says Patterson.
If you have the space, a walk-in pantry can be just the thing to avoid fiddly corner cupboards, but if your kitchen is on the smaller side, they are not recommended. “You’re just creating a whole lot of air for you to stand in,” says Patterson.
Corner sinks
Positioning the sink in the corner frees up bench space on either side, and creates two work areas – one for the cook, the other for another family member wanting a cup of tea or a sandwich (or maybe even helping to prepare dinner).
Patterson says the corner sink is especially useful in tight kitchens and in apartments where common plumbing tends to run down through all the units in the corner. If the sink is positioned along a straight edge, the pipes then have to travel through the lower cabinets to reach the corner – and take up valuable space along the way. When this is the case, corner drawers are also out of the question.
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Positioning the sink in the corner frees up bench space on either side, and creates two work areas – one for the cook, the other for another family member wanting a cup of tea or a sandwich (or maybe even helping to prepare dinner).
Patterson says the corner sink is especially useful in tight kitchens and in apartments where common plumbing tends to run down through all the units in the corner. If the sink is positioned along a straight edge, the pipes then have to travel through the lower cabinets to reach the corner – and take up valuable space along the way. When this is the case, corner drawers are also out of the question.
The Tricks to Using Your Under-Sink Area for Kitchen Storage
Oven on an angle
“When an oven runs 45 degrees across a corner with a range hood running across at the same angle, it can be quite a feature,” says Patterson.
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“When an oven runs 45 degrees across a corner with a range hood running across at the same angle, it can be quite a feature,” says Patterson.
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Having both the sink and the stovetop at an angle made the most sense in this kitchen. This set-up takes advantage of the garden outlook (you can enjoy it from the sink or when prepping food at the bench) and created two benchtop work areas.
Your turn
Have you employed one of these solutions in your kitchen or are you living with a corner cupboard where things are hard to reach? Share your experiences in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
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Your turn
Have you employed one of these solutions in your kitchen or are you living with a corner cupboard where things are hard to reach? Share your experiences in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Hidden Agenda: 15 Cleverly Concealed Kitchen Storage Spaces
Otherwise known as a ‘lazy Susan’, a carousel is an inexpensive solution for kitchen corners that sport bi-fold cupboard doors. The carousel shelves can either be positioned on top of the existing shelves to simply swing around, or the shelves themselves can spin around in a stand-alone system installed inside the cupboard.
Find a kitchen designer or renovator near you on Houzz to customise storage solutions to your space