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mebry_gw

I'm losing it! Advice please on sink wall!

13 years ago

Hi everyone -

I need your help getting creative with my sink wall. As the plan has evolved, it's become clear that the sink must be located on an interior wall in order to maximize functionality. I'm ok with this, but want to make it as attractive as possible, of course. We've toyed with glass cabinets, plate rack/drainer mounted below cabinets above the sink. I am thinking I like the idea of 1 or 2 thick shelves above the sink for display with glass cabinets on either side.

On the elevation you can see the beginning of this plan. I think the two uppers at either end need to be wider and have glass doors. I am thinking about solid doors across the top. Then again, maybe all those cabinets should be glass? Yikes, I am losing it!

Can anyone show me what they did with their sink on a wall? Anyone do a shelf & prop a pretty, tall mirror on it? (in my kitchen the mirror would reflect the french doors/backyard - pretty). A piece of art would be great too. This wall will be somewhat of a focal point, so I want to maximize its potential!

The wall is 153" long and 120" tall. The fridge is a 36" SZ and sink cabinet is 33" wide to accommodate a shaw's farmhouse sink. Counters will be calacatta gold, cabs painted a light gray/taupe with island a few shades darker. dark HW floors, room opens onto small sunroom/family room addition with lots of windows.

Sorry to ramble, but any input you can give is so very much appreciated! I have meeting tomorrow with contractor, KD & cabinetmaker. Thanks in advance!

Comments (8)

  • 13 years ago

    I really like where it's going, but do think some tweaking might improve it. I'm not crazy about the glass cabs only over the sink, and their width in comparison to the end cabinets bothers me. If you equaled out the 7 doors you have, the end cabinets would be 32" wide, so all the doors would be 16"...with a 48" span over the sink for shelves. Still wide enough, but maybe a better balance. It's hard to tell without drawing it if that would look best, but I think it would be better.

    I'm not a huge glass cabinet person, but I do think that wall would look pretty in all glass...IF you are ok with all the contents on that wall being seen all the time. I think your solid top cabs and glass lower-uppers could work, too. I'm just not getting a clear vision of how that would look best. Do you have any inspiration pics of stacked cabinets that you can refer to that will help?

  • 13 years ago

    I know this isn't what you were soliciting, but one thing that I noticed right off the bat was the 24" trash cab. That's a lot of space for trash. Depending on your cab co. you should be able to get an 18" cab that has a double bin. One for trash and one for recycling. That extra 6" could be useful added to the 15" drawer stack to the left.

  • 13 years ago

    What BreezyGirl said! But, this is only if (1) you're not planning a 3-bin recycle center (they require 24" as I recall) and (2) you're not a "form over function" person (which you don't appear to be...based on your opening post, you sound like a "function first" person).

    Functionally, a 21" wide drawer base cabinet is more useful than a 15", especially since you already have a similarly narrow drawer base on the other side. Too many narrow cabinets can render much of your space unusable for many things. 21", for example, would be a reasonable size for flatware storage near the sink, for plastic bags and wraps, for linens, etc. 15", OTOH, would not.

    Remember, drawers are narrower than the drawer base cabinet. Their width is cut down due to needed space b/w the cabinet frame (or wall for frameless), thickness of the walls of your cabinet, thickness of the walls of your drawer boxes, and glides, if you have side-mount glides. Height is affected by stiles b/w drawers and glides, if you have bottom-mount glides.

    For example, I lose 4-1/2" interior width in my drawers. So, the drawers in my 24" cabinets have an interior width of 19-1/2". I do have face frame cabinets, with 1-1/2" frames and 5/8" thick drawer boxes with bottom-mount glides. 24" - 1-1/2" - 5/8" - 5/8" - 1-1/2" = 4-1/4" another 1/8" of so is needed b/w the drawer box and cabinet's face frame on each side so the drawer doesn't scrape the face frame.

    If you have frameless cabinets, then count the wall thickness in place of the frame measurement above.

    Is that a single divider I see in the left top drawer? Is it permanent?

    You have "glass" written lightly on the left side side w/an arrow pointing to the lower cabinet on the wall left of the sink. Does this mean just that cabinet will have glass as well, or are you planning on doing that on both sides of the sink? Do you plan to also put in glass in the short cabs above the taller cabs flanking the sink?

  • 13 years ago

    Ooooh, I am here to assure you that you can definitely have fun with this! I have two sinks, each on an interior wall.

  • 13 years ago

    One thing I want to caution with your design is to make sure you have a good lighting plan so the overhead cabs/shelves don't interfere with you getting as much light as you want/need.

  • 13 years ago

    I'm not adverse to it, but you have very mixed modern and Victorian-feeling elevation.

    I would suggest exploring two things. The first being to ditch the maniacal symmetry and instead go for weight and balance. The second is to decide if you are going for a particular look or feel and evaluate whether what you have fits it.

    Sometimes these suggestions aren't meant to be taken together - a little detail for the thinking:
    --- The base cabinets feel better to me (probably work better too) as 18" drawers, 21" trash, 33" base, dw and then 15" trays. Possibly reversed if dishes are done while others are cooking.
    --- Think about whether to have a column of floor to ceiling dish storage that balances the ref with your sink centered between the two.
    --- There is something about the "very heavy" cabinets at the ceiling that are visually "unsupported" underneath. I wonder if you took them off completely over the sink and copied a tall fancy hutch top, maybe even a curved one?
    --- Try to avoid having a large section of the ref enclosure sidewall exposed if you're trying for victorian - it reads "modern".
    --- Try to have fewer depth changes, again only if you're trying for victorian, that are merely decorative (where possible). They didn't do a lotta that in kitchens.
    --- Thick floating shelves are very modern. One of my favorite kitchens combined thick shelves with thick simple corbels. The edges of the shelves and corbels were softened and slightly distressed and it felt comfy, lived in and very english.

    Different topic, small research items - that 3/4" to accept base panel at one side of the sink is only on one side? Do you think it will look weird to have 1.5" of face on one side of the ref and 3" on the other?

  • 13 years ago

    Thank you all so much for your insight and input! We had a great meeting today to review all the layout & cabinet details and have incorporated several of your suggestions.

    We ended up eliminating those three glass cabinets over the sink and adding an arched valance which will soften that area up a bit. (Thanks bmorepanic!). The 2 sets of uppers flanking the valance will be 30" glassed cabinets. The smaller cabs between uppers & ceiling will be glass as well.

    Several of you commented on the somewhat useless 15" base cabs at either end of the run and I agree!!! Now we have, left to right: 20" 3 drwr base, 18" trash pullout, 33" sink base, 24" DW, 14" pullout (with false drawer front).

    Rhome410 - You were so right about the proportions and I think they are better now. I'll have to be neat with the glass, but I think it's worth it to make the wall more attractive.

    Breezygirl - thanks for pointing out that the trash pullout could be narrower. I have a big thing for symmetry, BUT I also need drawers and space that will function. When I asked my cabinet guy, he told me that of course it could be narrower - Thanks!

    Buehl - I got such a kick out of your comments as I am ALWAYS a form over function person (ask my husband). This is the FIRST time in my entire life that I am coming to the realization that the space (especially the kitchen) needs to WORK!! The divider detail was actually supposed to be on another page, so pls disregard. Your comments were very helpful and my cabinetmaker and I had a great conversation about the actual interior dimensions of the drawers, etc. He was impressed at my knowledge (Thanks to you & GW TKOers!).

    Sabijimata - Actually, I was thinking of YOUR sink when I mentioned the mirror. It was in my mind, so thanks for responding. You give me hope :).

    Bmorepanic: Yes, we did ditch the maniacal symmetry - though it was difficult for me and required medication. Question - I was planning on tray storage next to the range on another wall. Do you think a 14 or 15" pullout is useful instead? I am wondering if anyone really likes those. Hmmm, floor to ceiling dish storage on the left - I like that idea and am going to do some sketching.

    Ok, Ok, I'm done rambling. Y'all have created a monster!! Thank you, thank you for all your help. I could not have gotten this far without you! GWers are the best!

  • 13 years ago

    OMG you ditched the symmetry? Whoa. Seriously. I think I need medication!

    Your new plan sounds fabulously functional. Keep us posted!