4 drawer stack next to 3 drawer?

12 years ago

On the right of our fridge wall we will have a drawer plus base cabinet with a lower pull-out to store ice-cream maker and champion juicer. Because it won't have a drawer side we think it will be easier to lift in an out. (yes it will be full extension).

On the left hand side of the fridge are what were originally planned as a pair of identical 3-drawer stacks. You can see one of the stacks in. Then we were thinking of making it another cabinet. But now I'm back to making it drawers. After having installed all the other drawers I realize how deep the bottom 2 drawers will be--almost 9" each. We have one narrower 4-drawer stack in (to the left of the range) and those are about 5 1/4" deep.

I think it would be more functional to make the drawers to the left here a 4-drawer stack, but think it would look better to go symmetric. I should probably not even waste bandwidth here with this question and go with the 3-stack, but was wondering what the gurus here had to say.

I could see us using those drawers for napkins & tablecloths but probably at least one will be the inevitable junk drawer.

To the left of this area is a broom / cleaning stuff closet.

Thoughts?

Here's a quick pic:

Thanks again!

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Comments (8)

lascatx
12 years ago
I have a 4 drawer next to a 3 drawer between my ovens and cooktop. Doesn't bother me in the least. I would think about how you will use the drawers and pick the size best for what needs to go in them without worrying about how many are in a stack. There are times you want to match or balance, but you don't have that issue here.
breezygirl
12 years ago
I have a 4 drawer opposite a 3 drawer flanking my prep sink. I would do a 4 drawer next to a 3 drawer without hesitation if it was the best storage function for me. If it works for what you need to store, go for it. It'll look fine.
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desertsteph
12 years ago
how about making the next 2 drawers equal the height of one of the large ones next to it? the bottom drawer will be another large one tho. Maybe you could use that one bottom larger drawer to 'hide' your purse and incoming mail when visitors come by? just having the purse out of site would make it worth it for me - lol! then hopefully when I need it I'd be able to find it!

I also wouldn't be bothered by a 4 drawer next to a 3 drawer even if they didn't line up.
jakabedy
12 years ago
We have a similar setup. Of course we have a monstrous bank of cabinets, so it was impossible to keep the symmetry all the way across. But I find that the shift from 3 to 4 doesn't bother me at all. In fact, if I had chosen little finger pulls rather than the large pulls we have, it wouldn't have drawn much attention to the difference.
CEFreeman
12 years ago
If you're buying from the same manufacturer, they're usually built to automatically line up well.

I have found, though, that for me the shallow depth of 4-drawer cabs makes them rather useless. Sure, there are things to put in them, but I can put far more in deeper, 3-drawer cabs. The top drawer is usually still the shallow one.

I was able to buy a few custom cabs. Special depth for this MbR Tansu I am making. But I ordered 3-drawers and 4-drawers were delivered. Since they couldn't do anything with them, they gave them to me and ordered my 3-drawer cabs. So here I was with all these cabinets. I cut some up and have used all of them along a bedroom wall.

I still don't know what to do with all those shallow drawers. Like spice cabinet drawers, I find them decorative. Here's a picture of the cabs in progress. Note how the top drawers do line up.

Here is where I took a 3-drawer and cut it up, putting one of the deeper drawers on top of a 4-drawer. Things still line up:

And for good measure, this is how it will fit into the run of cabs. On top of the far right, constructed drawers, I'm putting a 24x36 single door cab, and on top of that, a 24x12. But they're not made yet.

So symmetry can happen. It's just a question of lines. But I strongly suggest you examine the depth of things you use regularly and buy the drawers to fit them. Then look how they line up.

Christine
mama goose_gw zn6OH
12 years ago
Taking off on desertsteph's suggestion, could you make both stacks four drawers, with three shallow drawers above one deep drawer? That would make finding junk much easier, if it's split between two drawers (the voice of experience speaking ;), and will preserve the symmetry of the stacks.

I have to say that having a 4-drawer next to a 3-drawer wouldn't bother me at all.
chaparral
Original Author
12 years ago
The cabinets drawers are custom-built by a shop in Orange County (CA) so we can do whatever we want height and width-wise. The cabinet maker has kept a piece of material to cut up into however many drawer fronts we need.

I guess the next step is really to take stock of what we'll be storing and let that drive the decision.

Thanks!
dianalo
12 years ago
I'd choose function for any kitchen decisions wherever possible. I'd put a 3 next to a 4 with no hesitation.