skip to main content

How wide is too wide??

13 years ago

On one side of my stove I will have (3) banks of two drawers, 23"wide. Should the upper cabinets directly above these be (3) doors 23"wide or (4) doors 17.25"wide? I think the (3) doors would look better with the lower drawers but.. how wide is too wide for a drawer and door? These are frameless cab's.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

kaismom
13 years ago
Lisa

My drawers are as much as 39 1/4 inches wide. It's big but it does not feel that big.

You lose less space if you decrease the number of cabinets. Each cabinet box uses up space. The bigger the drawers, the more solid the construction must be to have the durability when they get loaded with lots of stuff. You have to figure out what type of your long stuff that you need to store. I have some large long platters that would not fit in a 24 inch drawer (because of the hardware, you may only have 21 to 22 inches of interior space....) Have your cabinet maker give you the spec for interior usable space and make sure you have at least one wide drawer for your big stuff.

With larger drawers, you open less number of drawers when you are looking.

My cabinet maker would not make upper cabinets that are wider than 36 inches (they would have 2 doors near 36 inches wide). They felt that the shelves could sag if wider than 36 inches. 24 inches should be plenty wide for uppers.
plllog
13 years ago
There is no too wide for cabinetry from a user point of view. My cabinetmaker put extra heavy duty glides (no soft close, but they don't slam because of the weight in them) on my 48" wide pot drawers. And, of course, heavy enough bottoms for all that cast iron.

There is more concern with doors. Somewhere between 22" and 30" they get too wide to hang square without sagging. I have 30" wide cabinets over my fridge and freezer on which I didn't want to split the doors, so I popped for fancy lift-up hinges. No sag.

I have a cabinet with extra long shelves which extend into the blind corner by the laundry sink. It's about 60" wide. The doors are only about 18-20" wide, each. As Kaismom mentioned, that's too long for the shelves. I was willing to have them anchored permanently to the wall. Instead, the cabinetmaker put a stile up the back with a line standard support peg holes. He thinks that's plenty to keep sagging at bay, and it keeps the shelves adjustable height.
Related Discussions
When is wide too wide
Q
Comments (6)
Ah... so you mean when is big too big? If you can get it through the door, it's not too big! Seriously, 12' should be fine for a 60" tv. A lot depends on what the room is used for, the quality of the tv & what you are watching. Are you using the room as a "media room/home theater" and don't mind a 60" tv dominating the room? If you are planning on getting a high quality tv and plan to watch mostly hi-def and dvds you should be happy with the image quality. If you are still going to watch a lot of SD tv, the large image will enhance the poor image quality and you might not be happy.
...See More
How to manage too-wide rubber tree plant?
Q
Comments (14)
I agree that lifting the plant so the rim of the pot is at or above the level of the window sill is a good idea. Your plant will look best if you prune it either in a dome shape, or roughly a triangular shape. If a dome, the outer stems should be pruned back very hard and the inner stems allowed to grow until they are thicker than the outer stems. Then, cut them back to a point where they compliment the dome. If you decide on a triangular shape, a trunk at the perimeter would serve as the apex or highest point. Stems on the side that has fewest stems would be reduced in height so they form the steep side of the triangle. On the side that has the most stems, the reduction in ht would be more gradual. Can you see the triangular shape of this composition? Instead of a branch makes up the foliar mass on the right side of this J maple grove, you would use a stem that leans to the right - just as the foliage mass on the left side is made up of 2 trunks. I'm not advocating that you turn your tree into a bonsai, but the same artistic principals that are utilized to ensure bonsai look beautiful can be used for all your plantings. The same principals are very closely adhered to in floral design and all forms of art. Al
...See More
Upper cabinet width - how wide is too wide?
Q
Comments (29)
cpartist, I did, I don't like the style. I wanted white and they're all too modern looking for my 1926 bungalow. Janelle Van, look at the comments above, one had a link for a sagulator. If you can look at the specs for Ikea's cabinets and see what material the shelves are made of and how thick they are, you can see how much weight you can put on it before there's noticeable sag. Very helpful! latifolia, the new ones are 36" plus 4" crown. There's going to be about a foot between the crown and the ceiling. I'm okay with it. I need a large step stool to reach anything in my top cabinets now and I'm adding 8 cabinets on the other side of the kitchen where there are currently 0. Way more than enough storage!
...See More
Is a roman shade for a 60 inches wide too wide to operate
Q
Comments (2)
I would do one. You likely won't be using it that often. you said you were putting drapes on the sides. Please make certain your drapes (Rod) extend well beyond the window frame. SO when you have them open, they clear the window and shade. I would use the drapes more often than the shade and avoid a problem. 2 won't look the same. dark gray and white is a pretty big contrast. can you bring them closer in tone?
...See More

Related Stories

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Wide-Open Views on a Narrow Canadian Lot

By Mitchell Parker

Expansive glass walls facing the street create openness, sun-filled rooms and closer relations with the neighbors

WINDOW TREATMENTS 13 Ways to Dress Wide Windows

By Love Your Room LLC

Make the most of your wall of glass with window treatments that balance privacy and light

HOUZZ TOURS Design Lessons From a 10-Foot-Wide Row House

By Mitchell Parker

How to make a very narrow home open, bright and comfortable? Go vertical, focus on storage, work your materials and embrace modern design

COLOR 20 Wide-Ranging Colors Touted for 2014

By Jennifer Ott Design

Behr takes its turn in the color-forecasting game with 4 paint collections from superbold to sophisticated

ENTERTAINING Go Wide With a Football-Watching Party Outside

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

The home-field advantage is all yours with an outdoor screen, a better-than-a-bar patio and a fire feature for some heated action

CONTEMPORARY HOMES Houzz Tour: A Big Sky Country House Embraces Wide-Open Views

By Mary Jo Bowling

Generous glass opens this Montana home to the rugged scenery, while wood keeps the look warm and inviting

CLOSETS Guest Picks: I'm Dreaming of a Wide Walk-In

By Ellen Wigginton

20 organizing ideas to get the most out of a small closet

FUN HOUZZ The Narrowest House in the World?

By Vanessa Brunner

This 4-foot-wide workshop has eating, sleeping and working spaces in its 150 square feet. Chime in on how livable you find it

STANDARD MEASUREMENTS Key Measurements: Hallway Design Fundamentals

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Whether narrow or wide, hallways can be enhanced with built-ins, artwork and distinctive lighting fixtures

BEDROOMS Take Your Headboard to New Lengths

By Shawn Gauthier

If you want to create a bold, dramatic statement for your bed, consider an extra-wide headboard

Sponsored

More Discussions

Does anyone have Medallion cabinets in Maple Biscotti?

10

Recommendations to reduce risk of Dekton / sintered stone chipping

8

Viatera Cirrus Photos?? Backsplash & Cabinet Color

1

Small kitchen with angled wall

4

how accurate should a countertop template be?

5