Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Jun 06, 2009 10:46 pm Hi all, Am so glad I found this forum and hope that someone can help me. We have already started renovations (reno of existing house and extension) and though the architect did the floor plan we have done little about design and the builders are working so fast I feel I am having to make snap decisions way too fast. I don't have a scanner (bummer) but it is basically a square kitchen and the 4 walls are:- Island bench facing lounge Full wall under window so plan is for sink on this side Full wall to left of sink wall planned to house stove/oven A 3/4 wall due to a doorway at the end of the island bench... THIS is the tricky wall. The current space is 1700mm to the wall but could be extended by maybe 100-200mm (sacrificing either some lounge space at one end, bedroom space at the other or a little of both) if I make that decision by next week (when the walls go up). My basic design of the kitchen (though many may hate the idea) is sort of 50s inspired as that is a style I love, though it is not a 50s house so it will be pretty much a new kitchen with 'nods' to 50s design eg. white cupboards but black kickboards, likely a simple design but slightly retro vinyl floor, a tiled splashback and our pale green SMEG retro fridge. This is a small fridge but want to sit it in a standard sized alcove in case that ever changes. What I was thinking on this short wall is a fridge alcove of 800mm next to the door and a 1000mm square corner pantry. I can't photograph it as we aren't living in the house and I don't have a scanner to scan the plans but that wall would look similar to the short wall on this forum viewtopic.php?f=31&t=17600 though it is not isolated like this one. My questions:- What do people think of corner pantries especially if they have one? What are the best options for doors? What is the minimum size to make one practical (the BIGGEST question as my immediate decision is required)? I am currently thinking 800 for the fridge and 1000 x 1000 for the pantry. I can always change my mind closer to the time of the kitchen design but I want the option if that's what I decide to do. Can anyone help or am I being too vague??? Thanks Jane Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 2Jun 07, 2009 12:30 am Hi Jane Are you able to get a plan emailed to you from the builder so you can put it up??? You may get more responses if you can as this will give people something to work off. I know I'm a visual kinda person and I'd be hopeless giving you any kinda advice off something written. I have no imagination lol Deposits paid 29/4/09 Land settlement 12/08/09 Build contract signed 24/08/09 Colours done 28/09/09 BLOG-http://www.eljaysbuild.blogspot.com/ Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 3Jun 07, 2009 10:52 am Even if you can mock it up on paint or word and attach it - that would help. But only thing i can point out now is 800 may be fine for your current fridge but may be a bit small if you want a bigger fridge later. Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 4Jun 07, 2009 4:56 pm The floor plan in the link you provided - specifically the corner pantry - is almost exactly like my current kitchen...the exact one I'm pulling out and replacing cos I hate it! I think those sorts of corner pantries are actually quite useful and hold a tonne of stuff...they're just a bit old hat. I am going for a more contemporary look and squaring off the kitchen, thus sacrificing around 25% of my pantry storage...on the other hand I am gaining some floor space which is currently doing jack. imho it may help the pantry appear more intergrated if you match the door material to the cabinetry you plan on having. My current door is actually not Laminate like the existing kitchen, instead it is a panel door like those throughout the house. It looks a little out of place as a result. I think this is pretty standard practice nowadays anyway (my existing kitchen is 10 years old). Sorry I cannot comment on your more specific queries Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 5Jun 07, 2009 6:37 pm We had a corner pantry in our old house and I thought it was great There was a recent thread on corner pantries and many people came out in favour of them, you do not have to do a squared off kitchen But I do think we need to see the plans, bit hard to follow your design otherwise Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 6Jun 07, 2009 9:27 pm Thanks everyone, I will see if I can do one on the IKEA kitchen tool everyone is talking about. Yes the cupboard will be laminate to match the rest of the cupboards so hopefully it blends in better. MIGHT square it off but is a small kitchen and so space at a premium. Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 7Jun 07, 2009 9:44 pm hey janie Just thought I'd let you know we have a corner pantry (1000 sq) in our current kitchen. This was the only effective way I could create heaps of storage. We don't regret it. It is quite large inside. But it wouldn't work any less than 1000. So your fridge would have to stay 800 (check your fridge will fit in that, ours needs 950). A couple of the shelves are quite useless because too high/low, but the middle ones are pretty good. Annie A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 8Jun 08, 2009 1:03 am Thanks Annie, that helps. I will work on 1m squared for it, I have tried to lookat other ways I can fit a pantry in but I just can't and I saw 2 photos of them tonight in very modern kitchens with cupboards that were the same as the rest of the kitchen and I think they looked good, not daggy like ones with a separate door like has been mentioned here. I am off to check fridge sizes on some websites. My fridge is teeny but want to allow for a decent sized fridge if we get one later. The biggest ones I would consider are 79cm. How much do I need to add onto this to open it easily? Does anyone know?? Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 9Jun 08, 2009 7:14 pm Janie, designed correctly you will love your pantry, 1000 x1000, is a great size, and very practical. Ensure you get a lrge door for the pantry, around 800mm min, as this will help reach into the back, and also reduce the overall depth. If you allow min 20mm over for your fridge, you will be safe, so in your case an 820mm opening will suit your fridge of 800mm. That said, the fridge will work hard, as the warm air will stagnate in that enclosure. Ensure the cavity behind the "Overhead fridge unit" remains open to help draw the hot air out from behind and around the fridge. This will allow the unit to work more efficiently cheers Adrien Mamet Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 10Jun 08, 2009 7:33 pm For an 800mm wide door your Corner Pantry will need to be at least 1165mm x 1165mm...a 1000mm x 1000mm pantry will give you a 565mm door, which is quite wide enough for a Walk In Pantry; this is assuming 600mm deep gables to match standard benchtops. 800mm is also a bit wide for a single 16/18mm thick 2100mm(+)H door...I would be leery of going wider than 600mm for a single door. Think about getting a light installed inside the cabinet - a movement activated unit is a good idea. As for fridge cavities, each manufacturer has their own minimum recommendation for the required gap either side - most modern fridges require between 20mm - 30mm on EACH SIDE of the unit to ensure efficient air circulation. Hope this helps. Cheers, Earl Re: HELP....must make decision re corner pantry fast!! 11Jun 08, 2009 11:36 pm Hi Janie I have one of these pantries in my current house (pending demolition). http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/dash213/House/06062009283.jpg We put it in about 10years ago and is 1000x1000. It has its pros and cons. I found it frustrating as I like to have everything in containers and could never manage the corner well - in saying that I put in a corner pantry to avoid the corner cupboard situation. I found it excellent over the years for storage. I really only used two shelves for food - two for all those small appliances I never used and the top for first aid and stuff that didn't really have anywhere else to go. We had an electrical plug installed inside the pantry to plug in a light, or charge mobile phones or batteries. Personally I would never have one of these pantries again, I would make it straight against the wall like a normal cupboard with narrow shelves. I can't tell you how many times I bought food when I didn't need to because I had it but just couldn't find it. Goodluck, Anna 2011 Home Sweet Home Handover 03 September 2010 PCI 27August 2010 Plumber 20August 2010 Electrician 19August 2010 Painting 04 August 2010 Cabinets 13Jul2010 Lockup 23June Frame 20April slab 1Mar10 Basically. If the shelves are fixed then they will be screwed in just the same as the rest of the carcass. To re move the screws you need to remove that section of… 3 5203 I visited a relatives house and he went with sink in kitchen and butlers, dishwasher in kitchen and butlers and has crockery spread out between the two areas depending on… 2 44072 Not sure who you're building with, but I moved in recently to a 11month scheduled, 8 month actual build on the South coast/Illawarra NSW 3 5912 |