How do I design kitchen corner cabinets to optimise space?

Sunita Vellapally Sunita Vellapally
Prestige Tranquility, Space Trend Space Trend Built-in kitchens
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If one has a small home with a compact kitchen, it’s vital to design the kitchen corner cabinets efficiently to make their deep recesses more accessible. It will also minimise the risk of injury resulting from stretching too much trying to get at a utensil in the back or bumping one’s head against the underside of the counter while reaching in to retrieve an item. Nowadays, one can find several innovative ideas for corner cabinets. These include pull-out systems, pivoting mechanisms and more that can help to organise the space better. We present modular kitchen photos with 10 ideas to find the perfect option kitchen cupboard designs for kitchen corners.

1. Open kitchen corner cabinets

One of the simplest tricks to make an inaccessible corner in the kitchen more functional is to avoid installing a closed cupboard in the area. Open shelves are a more flexible alternative as one can place trays or baskets on them to arrange things. When one needs something from within, pull out the basket to retrieve it. It’s one of the most budget-friendly kitchen cupboard designs one can come across as a solution for a corner.

2. Lazy Susan inside a kitchen corner cabinet

While most of us associate a lazy Susan with an easy way to access food on a round table, the mechanism works just as well in the corner of a kitchen. When planning the kitchen design for small spaces, if budget permits, these types of systems help to optimise the storage in a kitchen besides making the interior of the cabinet more accessible.

3. Customised pull-out drawers for the kitchen corner cabinet

Another smart solution for a kitchen corner is to install pull-out drawers that make it easy to reach items at the back. These drawers appear like they are along two different planes, but they slide out smoothly to provide a convenient way to access everything inside them. This idea can be taken a step further to create a pull-out pantry in the corner.

Work with a professional kitchen planner to optimise the storage space in corner units.

4. Kitchen corner cabinet with a carousel or swing-out system

Earlier, the only way one could access the remote recess of a corner cabinet was by bending, stretching and retrieving, possibly getting a crick in the back in the process! However, with modern kitchen interior design becoming more functional and focusing on improving efficiency, it’s quite common to find corner units with a system that completely swivels out when one opens the door. It is an ergonomic design that is invaluable in small kitchens.

Consider these points before replacing kitchen cabinets.

5. Kitchen corner cabinet design – replace with open shelves on the counter

One might not always have the budget to invest in expensive kitchen corner cabinet mechanisms, especially when undertaking a mini-makeover for the kitchen. In such cases, one of the ideal ways to avoid reaching into the corner of an unwieldy cabinet is by leaving it as a dead space. Make up for the lost storage by installing open shelves against the backsplash. It presents a simple way to store bottles with spices or seasonings.

6. Kitchen corner cabinet solution – avoid the corner

This idea works if one is designing a new kitchen. During the planning process, deciding not to create an inaccessible kitchen corner cabinet by leaving one of the walls free is an excellent and economical solution. However, keep in mind that this design can eliminate the possibility of additional storage on the blank wall. Therefore, it may be better suited to a large kitchen than a small one. Here are some more insights on amazing kitchen designs that you can explore.

7. Installing the stove in place of the kitchen corner cabinet

Another innovative alternative for optimising the space in the corner of the kitchen is by designing the layout to include the cooking range at an angle in the corner. If one needs to store the gas cylinder underneath, then the space under the counter can be put to use for this purpose. In a kitchen that has piped gas, the area under the stove-counter can have pull-out drawers to store spoons, spices, pot holders or anything that one needs to access when cooking. Incorporating the hood and exhaust above the corner also makes efficient use of the tight space over the stove.

Find more inspiration from these clever kitchen storage ideas.

8. Kitchen corner cabinet with roll down shutters

Instead of including a tight corner in a small kitchen layout, one can design the shelves or cabinets in a straight line against the wall. Besides eliminating the disadvantages of having a hard-to-access cupboard, this design also makes the room seem airier as one of the walls is left free. For a home owner who loves gadgets, building customised shelves for storing them and installing a roll-down shutter to hide them away from sight is a smart solution for optimising the storage in the kitchen.

9. Curved kitchen corner cabinets

In tiny kitchens, where storage space is a priority, corners are not an option. Such rooms can benefit significantly from curved or semi-curved layouts for the cabinets in the corner. One can find simple kitchen cupboard designs to take care of this problem. While it may not eliminate the dead space in the farthest recess of the unit, it makes it easier to reach things and provides a bit of extra storage where the curve extends over the straight lines of the counters.

10. Kitchen corner cabinet solution: visible storage

One of the drawbacks of dark corners in the kitchen is that they make things difficult to find. While open shelves are a solution for eliminating this problem, not every home owner is comfortable with the idea as it demands the arrangement of everything neatly always to avoid clutter in the space. A solution that helps to solve both these issues is to install cabinets with glass panels. They allow everything to be kept partially hidden, mainly if one uses frosted glass. At the same time, one can see the outline of things stored within. This idea works well for over-counter cabinets that are not as deep as floor cabinets as everything is visible due to the reduced area within the cupboard.

Accessibility for kitchen corners

The possibilities are almost endless for designing smart solutions for making the deep interiors of kitchen corner cabinets more accessible. When one is planning a new kitchen, incorporating state-of-the-art mechanisms or simple pull-out drawers not only adds functionality to the area but also saves costs and takes away the hassle of redesigning the unit to make it more efficient. Depending on one’s budget, it’s possible to find a solution that eliminates the problem of inefficient corner designs.

Switching out the interior systems of cabinets

It’s possible for home owners who love DIY projects to replace the internal shelves of kitchen corner cabinets with lazy susan or swivel systems. However, most often these can work out expensive due to the need for customisation to suit the dimensions of the existing cupboards. Cheaper systems might not last long, requiring additional expenditure on replacing them. It is the reason that we always recommend that one consults an interior designer or kitchen planner at the initial stage of building a kitchen as they can provide advice on the latest systems as well as the various options that one can consider within the budget.

Extra pantry storage unit

This kind of rack system to store all essential spices, sauces, condiments and ingredients that are used for regular meals and exotic dishes can make cooking for anyone in the kitchen a breeze. This cabinet makes the best use of available corner space and being within easy reach of cooking appliances using it is also hassle free. Always take the help of professional kitchen planners to have a work area where every inch of space is optimized.

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