Kitchens can be tricky — especially if you’ve got corners. Normal drawers don’t work because they would clash. This could be frustrating as the last thing you want is your kitchen’s space functionality to be disrupted. A good kitchen space should support great storage space for utensils and food. Also, it should be a place that feels nice to be in. After all, the kitchen is the heart of the home.
So does this mean you avoid corners or break down your kitchen layout and start all over again? Unfortunately, not everyone has the time or money to remodel their kitchen. Thankfully, we have a list of recommended corner treatment options to optimize space and functionality in your kitchen.
1. How To Use Cabinets and Drawers To Your Advantage
Forget remodeling your entire kitchen layout. How about changing the drawers you use? Corner drawers are bent inwards at 90 degrees, following the shape of a corner. Furthermore, it still acts as a storage space for you. This is how you make corners work for you.
If you are looking for something that gives a more cohesive feel to your kitchen, you can consider getting diagonal drawers. This looks less intimidating than 90 degree angled corner drawers. This is great if you are trying to avoid making corners look obvious. Instead of following the mould, the drawers are built over it, getting rid of the sharp angle. This allows more counter space on the top as well!
Another way to elevate the look of your kitchen while concealing corners is by installing a curved cabinet. You can use different drawers like a pull-out one or a rotating drawer to maximize storage. If you’re going for a more modern look, you can get a diagonal cabinet instead of a curved one. This helps in concealing corners and creating a contemporary look for your kitchen.
If you already have cabinets or drawers installed in corners, what you can do is reconfigure the clashing cabinets to swing out instead of the normal horizontal pull out. This solves the difficulty to open cabinets or drawers in corners. Besides, you get easier access to your storage. This would operate with wired drawers — some attached to the door of the cabinet and some installed inside the cabinet.
2. Shelf It Up
However, cabinets and drawers are not everything. If you want an alternative option, shelves work just as well. To promote a more open and spacious kitchen, you can install shelves in-between regular cabinets. You can use it as a pantry, a bookshelf for your cookbooks, or as a decorative corner for your kitchen. It’s a good way to open up space in your kitchen without having a completely empty corner.
If you already have cabinets or drawers installed, you can consider installing shelves on the wall of the corner. This breaks the flow of wall cabinets and adds a pop of style to your kitchen walls.
A good idea is to install wall mounted shelves, wine racks, small cubicles in corners where it meets with wall mounted cabinets. This is a great way to add flair and utilize the space without having to totally conceal the corner.
3. Accessorize Your Countertop
If you are more interested in maximizing the space on the countertops of your kitchen corner, accessorizing is the way to go. This can help in optimizing storage space and can make up for what you could not store in your lower cabinets or drawers. You can add a corner cabinet on your countertop to switch it up. A great tip to make it look modern is to get corner cabinets with glass panellings so you get to see what is inside.
You can get different variations of tiered shelving systems that work well with corner placements. These are practical for keeping your countertops organized and tidy. You can get tiered storage racks of different heights and material. For example, tiered metal racks would look sleeker and are more durable. A wooden tiered rack can contribute to a cosier aesthetic. Ultimately, it depends on what style you are trying to achieve in your kitchen.
Not all tiered corner storage racks have to be on the countertop itself. An alternative take would be to hang a tiered corner rack on the wall or the ceiling. You can use it to put candles, potted plants, condiments, etc. This allows you to have more space on your countertop while not compromising the storage space you need.
4. Tiered Racks Instead of Wall Mounted Cabinets or Drawers
An empty corner warrants a lot of questions: what should you do with it? Leaving it empty would disrupt the flow of the space. But installing more cabinets and drawers can mean taking more money out of your pocket. What should you do then?
A cheaper option for installing more cabinets or drawers would be to get full length tiered racks. Usually, full-length racks consist of five tiers and are adjustable. Just like the shorter racks, they can be used to store anything you want to. Its slender style does not take up a lot of floor space, is usually lightweight and easy to assemble. It functions the same as shelves, just that it costs less to have them installed. Also, if you tend to change things up in your home every once in a while, getting a tiered rack could allow you to move things around if you change your mind in the long run.
5. Installing Large Kitchen Appliances
This is considered a road less travelled as installation of large kitchen appliances like stoves can be difficult — especially at corners. This can be quite pricey as well, so do make sure you have discussed this at length with a contractor before deciding. If you have gotten the thumbs up from your contractor, you could proceed to do so. You could also add the exhaust hood above the stove. This completely conceals sharp corners in kitchens from floor to ceiling and can help create cohesiveness with appliances and cabinets.
Kitchens are an important part of the home, even if you’re not the one who cooks. So why resign yourself to cramp and small kitchens? Take some time this weekend to maximize your kitchen space.