How much space does your blind corner unit leave empty in back?

16 years ago

We have one blind corner in our kitchen, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. (We can't switch it to a susan b/c of space constraints.) We've looked at ten gazillion types of units, and the one I'm most taken with is the Omega KitchenMate Blind Corner Caddy, which is a newish system that seems to be vaguely similar to Arlosmom's DIY drawer pullouts.

BUT---this is made for a 36" cabinet. We have 45" to work with, and I'm wondering if it makes any sense to just save some money by getting a 36" cabinet, pulling it 9" out from the wall, and using this unit in it. This means the back 9" of the corner would be true dead space, though.

This got me wondering: how much of that space would effectively be dead space anyway, if I had a 45" cabinet with another type of pullout unit? None of them seem perfectly sized for our situation, so it's tricky to tell. Constraints are that we want to use an 18" door, and we need a drawer above, which rules out some of the blind corner units. Still in play are half moon pullouts (e.g., Rev-a-Shelf), the Lee Valley pullout (not super excited about this as the one we looked at was all finicky, but I know some people like them a lot), and a traditional fixed shelf (which clearly would use all the space, but would be less accessible). (Hafele units are too expensive, and not quite the right size anyway.)

Are there good units that could pick up that space, or am I likely to get just as much useful storage with the 36" cabinet? Would love any thoughts/feedback based on your experiences with these or other blind corner units--thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

plllog
16 years ago
I don't have any wasted space because I have the Arlosmom sideways ROTS mounted on the shelves. You have to take out what's in front of them, but they're great for stuff you don't want to look at daily, and the rest of the shelf is good for large, easily moved stuff.
joyjoyjoy
16 years ago
What are you going to put in there? If you are putting very large things in there - IE crockpots, large mixing bowls etc... you could leave some dead space back in there - say 12 inches or so, making the blind area much more shallow and easier to access. Using basic shelves makes all of the space useable, so you might end up with the same or more actual storage space than if you spent extra $ on the fancy pullout options...

If you dont need every inch, then I can see the pullouts being a great way to keep smaller items organized and within reach.
Related Professionals
Pensacola Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Vicksburg Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Cedar Rapids Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · San Diego Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Spokane Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Chatham Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Huntsville Kitchen Remodelers · Baltimore Kitchen Remodelers · Harrisonburg Kitchen Remodelers · North Adams Kitchen Remodelers · Keene Kitchen Remodelers · Albany Kitchen Remodelers · Manhattan Kitchen Remodelers · Portland Kitchen Remodelers · Colorado Springs Custom Countertops
artemis78
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks! We are planning to store small(ish) kitchen electrics there (rice cooker, blender, etc.). We don't use them super frequently, but much more than once a year, certainly.

I hadn't thought of doing the 36" cabinet with a fixed shelf and skipping the pullout all together, but that's not a bad idea---we actually really like the two blind corners in our vintage kitchen now, but I realized at one point that they work because the adjacent counters are only 15" deep, so effectively they're 48" cabinets with two 15" doors and 15" of blind corner, with fixed half shelves inside. Very easy to get into, but no way are we having 15" deep counters ever again! :)