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Filling in the Corners
March 27, 2024
Corner cabinets can be tricky but there are ample solutions in sight.
Squeezed between two hard sides is that often-neglected part of a kitchen whose importance can never be underestimated – the corner. The corner cabinet, due to its odd placement, turns into a blind spot whose utility is circumspect unless designed innovatively. While most kitchen layouts are designed without taking the corner cabinet into account, at times, the original plan surrenders to a home's lack of space. This calls for a relook at both upper and lower kitchen cabinets, though accessing the latter can become problematic.
Unless both lower cabinets are of the same length, the corner at which they meet is a blind corner. The lengthier row will inevitably extend further than the shorter one, creating a dark and inaccessible space. Here, it is not possible to completely access the cabinet’s interior space. In this situation, the lower corner cabinets are most of the time not used or stuffed with useless junk.
The upper corner cabinet, on the other hand, is dreaded because of its stark visibility. Up on the wall, it is awkwardly placed in the corner. The cabinet is hard to miss, demanding constant attention and renovation.
While the modular kitchen does offer solutions in its entirety, in cases where the space is bespoke design or in residences where owners insist on individual construction of the interiors and particularly cabinetry, special emphasis needs to be given to constructing and presenting such spaces.
From fine china to antique silver wear to family heirlooms - all these find a place in the upper glass corner cabinet. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
Exploring options
In the past, corner cabinets were a by-product of kitchen design, but today, architects are configuring them into a strong kitchen feature. The plumbing system, the support beams, and the overall available space are some of the issues that designers are tackling presently while designing these cabinets. At times, by just adding a special hinge, which allows the cabinet doors to completely open, designers are making the corner space more reachable. Today, there are various options which are bringing this into the spotlight.
Lower corner cabinet
While designing lower corner cabinets in the kitchen, architects have to be cautious as they are not easy to reach. Most of the storage space generally is obstructed due to the alignment of the surrounding cabinets. Designers and architects have innovated age-old methods to transform these useless corners into usable storage space.
Closed shelves are usually used for storage, whereas open shelves are used for displaying decorative items. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
Lazy Susan
More popularly known as the turntable, Lazy Susan has been part of the kitchen space since the early 1900s, evolving in the following decades. In current times, designers have transformed it into a stylish and useable accessory for urban kitchens. This twisty little thing is manufactured in various stylish forms, using different materials. From metal to wood to racks, Lazy Susan is being incorporated in various avatars. Depending on the shape of the corner cabinet, a suitable Lazy Susan can be chosen. For a piano door cabinet a Pac-man style Lazy Susan is ideal, similarly, for angled corners, usually full rotating ones are being used. Lazy Susan has posts that run from the top to the bottom through the shelves, while there are others that have a hidden half shelf and use a ball-bearing system to rotate. Therefore, though this hardware goes by the name Lazy Susan, there is nothing lazy about it.
LeMans Corner
A relatively new concept, LeMans Corner is gaining attention in the kitchen. Double-shelved with a peanut-shaped unit, LeMans seamlessly glides in and out of the corner cabinet. Through the LeMans, designers have found a convenient way to access the interior of the cabinet without the hassle of bending. Here, the entire unit is pulled out, thus making maintenance easy. Due to its features of easy reach and maintenance, a lot of designers are opting for this and integrating it into the modern kitchen.
LeMans seamlessly glides in and out of the corner cabinet. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
Drawers
Pulling another trick from their hat, designers have modified the shape of drawers to fit them in the corner cabinet. Pull-out drawers are a widely used option because of their accessibility. With a simple pull, the interiors of the cabinet can be easily used for a good amount of storage. Triangular or pie-shaped pullout drawers work best for corner cabinets.
At times, by just adding a special hinge, which allows the cabinet doors to completely open, designers are making the corner space more reachable. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
Upper Corner Cabinet
The upper corner cabinet is challenged in the space department when compared to the lower one. Storage space is extremely limited here, leaving one to wonder at the purpose of the cabinet. Furthermore, there are far fewer options for renewing it because of space limitations. On the other hand, designers are using the upper corner cabinet to bring in aesthetics in the kitchen.
Designers and architects have innovated age-old methods to transform these useless corners into usable storage space. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
Glass fronts
Though most of the things in the kitchen are deemed to be hidden, designers today are altering this idea. The upper corner cabinets are now designed to display some fine assortments. Plus, glass gives them another material to play with. Using different types of glass, they accentuate the beauty of the cabinet along with that of the overall kitchen. From fine china to antique silver wear to family heirlooms - all these find a place in the upper corner cabinet. This adds a touch of luxury and elegance to the entire space.
Pull-out drawers are a widely used option because of their accessibility. With a simple pull, the interiors of the cabinet can be easily used for a good amount of storage. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
Shelves
In the upper corner cabinet, designers have either opted for open or closed shelves. Closed shelves are usually used for storage, whereas open shelves are used for displaying decorative items. Open shelves may not have a family heirloom or silver wear, but quite a number of decorative objects, like vintage teapots or a small plant, can be placed to add a sense of freshness to the kitchen.
Designers are constantly innovating to ensure that corner cabinets are no longer dreaded. By adding simple solutions, they are bringing in new perspectives. With simple hinges, a different shape, or simply by adding light, they are reviving this dead space. In fact, the corner cabinet is not solely used for storage, but with some lighting and racks, designers are creating a miniature wine cellar in the cabinet itself.
This seems to be just the start as creativity brings in new ideas for the kitchen with which the corner cabinets are finding a new life.
[The article was first published in the January – March 2016 issue of Kitchen Ideas magazine. ]
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