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amarantha_gw

Help with layout & design of sink cabinetry- what do you think?

amarantha
13 years ago

I'm hoping for some ideas and thoughts on this, any and all! I have a section of kitchen cabinets (9 ft) that I am designing for the clean-up sink, DW, drawer base, and trash pull-out. This will be on an outside wall with a 30" apron-front soapstone sink centered under triple casement windows. There are no upper cabinets there.

I've posted my drawings below. Following that is the full view of the kitchen as is. We have cabinets that I am reworking into the island and pantry cabinets. I also need a cab box for the fridge and most likely will match the pantry/island cabinets. There is a photo of my cabinets sort of arranged as the island - showing them so you can see the type of cabinets they are - knotty pine beaded inset, flat panel with molding. I will be painting these island cabinets (eventually after they are reinstalled)and will add a molding with a toe kick to give it more of a finished furniture look.

This new cabinetry for the clean-up sink area will be of a different style. I like the unfitted "evolved" look, and am not trying to match these to the island cabinets. But I want it to look good together. This piece will be painted, (not white, as our walls are BM ancient ivory) the window trim will be a darker color such as a putty or grey-green. The window trim will probably match the island or be a shade close to it. My latest thought is to paint this sink cabinetry yellow. Maybe a milk paint? Or not. We do like color and fun. Old farmhouse colonial is the feel of the kitchen, with some vintage elements (again going for the look that the kitchen has had a few updates along the way...)

My concerns are that this cabinet looks too straight and shaker - I guess because it is. I want it to look more old than new. Maybe a lot of that has to do with the color and finish of the piece. What do you think? I had considered other feet, some curved, but after a while looking at it I thought to go with straight and add detail with color, texture, fabric. Again, thoughts are welcome.

The other questions that I have are about the drawers - the top one of the 4D base will be for cutlery. Any suggestions on depth of that one and the ones below? I have the cutlery one about 5 in - is that sufficient? I guess the other drawers will be used for cloth napkins, other table items? The bottom one could be for additional baking supplies (lowered baking center will be right behind). I'm wondering if making the 2 middle drawers into a larger drawer (i.e. making it a 3 Drawer base) would be better use of space?

In the trash pull-out I'll have just one trash barrel and will store cleaners, sprays, extra sponges, etc behind it. Sink cabinet is "bumped in" and will have the garbage disposal and not much room for other stuff. The open cabinet all the way on the right is there really just to get the DW away from the wall a little. I'll hang the dish towel in it maybe. Or store a coffee/tea tray.

So, I would love all input. Let me know what you think - both in design, function, style, measurements, size, etc. I would love to see how this looks 3D so if any suggestions on doing that simply I would appreciate it as well.

this is long so I won't go into the other wall and lowered baking center- for now, I'll say that we have an old stove on the wall and will add cabinets later once we are back in there - I have some ideas but will wait till I know what else will need. Baking center is open for discussion too but is not a priority now - the sink cabinetry needs to be ordered so we can get occupancy permit.

Thanks!!

Here is a link that might be useful:

Comments (7)

  • lyvia
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love the idea of the yellow, and beadboard either in wainscoting or cabinet door inserts would be cute.

    One issue I had with my plan is the conflicting concepts of putting the sink under a window, the dishwasher next to it, but the dishes go in upper cabinets, and if those cabinets aren't very close to the dishwasher, no one will empty the dishwasher, and the beautiful sink will eternally be full of dirties. The odd thing is that it doesn't take much cabinet space for the bulk of daily dishes - plates bowls glasses and silverware.

    So maybe there's dish storage by the stove that you can reach from the dishwasher? If not, I might think about moving the trash, and using larger drawers to make room for at least daily dishes.

    Or maybe it's less of an issue for you.

  • amarantha
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks lyvia. Glad you like the yellow. It makes me smile thinking about it. I like beadboard and have seen how nice that looks too but I am not very good at cleaning - so I might think about some beadboard elsewhere in this room.

    And thanks for your discussion about the dish storage -I will have that close to the DW. As currently planned the glasses, cups and mugs will be in upper cabinets , maybe to the right of the stove, closer to refrig and coffee maker. Bowls, small plates etc will be in uppers to left of stove. We aren't ordering those yet so it could change. We also have a 2-tiered "plate server" (not sure correct name) that holds about 20 dinner plates. We use that now, take plates out of DW and store them there - it sits on the counter and then serve/set the table from that. That will/may sit on the left side of the counter on this 9 ft sink wall.

    Maybe still a reason to convert the 4-drawer to a 3-drawer base? That way the middle drawer could hold bowls, small plates, etc. But where to put napkins, placemats, etc?

    I definitely agree with you on thinking about the trash. That 18" seems to be such a luxurious use of that space. I wish I could put the trash under the sink but that cabinet will be too short and shallower than a standard cabinet. Or is it? What is the minimum (height and width)for a trash pullout? Again, it will be a single bin, and I will store some things behind it like dish soaps, etc. I will have a small trash bin under the prep sink on the island as well as 2 recycle bins.

    Would love some more input. Buehl, plllog, rhome? Any thoughts?

    Thanks!

  • pricklypearcactus
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just throwing out an idea to address your concern that the cabinets are "too straight and shaker". What if you separated the left drawers from the trash pullout and made them into separate cabinets with feet? That might help break up the look a little bit. Also, where will you be storing your dish-washing linens (towels, dish rags, etc)? I love your plan so far.

  • cpartist
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    are you ordering custom cabinets? if not, then all cabinets need to be in 3" increments. your 20" cabinets would need to be either 18" or 21" and yor 40" pantry would need to be 30" or 42". of course if you're going custom then you can do any size you wish. I love yor idea of the yellow and I personally am a big fan of shaker. to me they can go with any style.

  • amarantha
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks pricklypearcactus, I do already have a piece of furniture that will be to the left of the drawer end. I'll use that for extra dish storage,etc. Good point on the linen storage. I will probably use one of the drawers, maybe the one over the trash (the trash pullout will be a separate unit so hopefully no smelly towels!. I also will have cabinetry on the stove wall - that will be at later date, but this is good to think about all of it now.

    Could the trash pullout get shorter? That might make it too low and we would need to bend over to pull it out?

    Still thinking about the drawer depth. I found a couple of old posts about drawer depth:

    How deep are your shallow drawers? http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0816443610715.html

    What height for a kitchen cabinet drawer?
    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg090057494158.html

    cpartist, I am ordering custom cabinets for this 9 ft sink cabinetry. I already have the island cabinets and pantry cabinets and am reworking them. They are shown in the link in my first post. So the 40'' pantry is actually 2- 20'' cabinets that I will place side by side. They are tall - 90'' by about 13'' deep. How do you think this shaker style cabinet that I am planning for the sink will go with those island cabinets, remember I'll be painting those too.

    Here is a link that might be useful: GW post How deep are your shallow drawers?

  • Buehl
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Trash pullout and sink run...If the trash pullout in the Cleanup Zone run (i.e., the main sink & DW run) will only hold one bin, I would consider making it 12" or 15" and adding the "extra" 3" to 6" to the cabinet on the left. Depending on how much cutlery you have, 20" may not be wide enough. Ours is 24" wide and that's the minimum I would go to be able to separate out the dinner forks, salad forks, soup spoons, teaspoons, knives, serving spoons, serving forks, and small ladles (as an example). Besides, the more space you have in your other cabinets, the more and more varied items you can store in them! Here is ours:


    We actually have more forks & spoons in it; this is what wasn't in the DW at the time!

    The back holds the things we didn't have room for...butter knives, iced tea spoons, seafood forks, pie server, non-wood handled steak knives, etc.

    Our drawer height is 3-1/4" and is plenty tall/deep enough.


    Range cabinets...I'm assuming you already have those? If not, consider making the cabinet to the left of the range 24" instead of 18"...it not only will give you more work and landing space, but it will also give the Cooking Zone a little more protection from casual kitchen traffic and people in the Cleanup Zone.


    Just as an fyi...here is my 4-drawer stack. It holds, top to bottom, flatware/cutlery, plastic bags & wraps, extensions cords & misc electrical-related items, and bread. (The dimensions of the drawers are listed above.)


    Note: Not all semi-custom cabinets require you to use 3" increments...my semi-custom line had a 31.5" tall oven cabinet...at least there was no upcharge for the size, so I'm assuming it was an available cabinet size.

  • amarantha
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks buehl! I think you are right about the pull out and about increasing space for the drawers. It is only one bin for trash - and we'll store a few cleaners, soaps behind it. We have a double recycle on the island (already have the cabs)and also will put a trash bin under the prep sink on island (on the door, and not as a pull-out - we have trash under our sink now and it works fine for us). Thanks for the photos and dimensions - your other posts that I referenced above were very helpful too! Thanks :)

    So, I will change the trash pull-out to a 14'' and the 4D's to 24''. Much better use of the space - those 4Ds initially started less than 10'' and have grown!

    I don't have the range cabinets yet. Those will get ordered later so I will plan for those cabs to left of range so that the countertop is wide enough.

    Now to decide on cabinet style - foot, furniture-style, toe-kick, panel.... :)