Drawers versus sliding shelves in base cabinets
txpepper
13 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (15)
traceee
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Base cabinets with base floor deleted, when all drawers
Comments (24)Do you want to flip this upside down for the sake of installing them flipped upside down? Or is it to achieve a certain goal? Assuming that your goals are the "Advantages" you've listed up top i.e. other people's plumbing leaks (somehow), storage, and/or full substrate for the counter then, the only meritorious one of the lot is the full counter substrate. However, even that is countermanded by the fact that you will impair the structural stability of the cabinet because the COM (center of mass) of the cabinet will be over a base which is not constrained to be rigid - since the two (formerly top-braces) braces are not connected. They're also just MDF and not particularly strong, I don't believe, unlike the solid, one piece particleboard. A better solution if you want a full sub-counter is to install the cabinets normally and then either insert a plywood sub-top or buy spare cabinets and use another cabinet's floor as your cabinet's top. Definitely give your cabinet a proper base, however. As others have said, if detecting plumbing leaks are what you seek, you can do that just as easily by removing the toekick periodically and peaking in. If storage is what you need, you get a better solution with the toe-kick drawers or again just removing the toekick and shoving your stash under the cabinets (probably better obscured, if drugs or money, besides). You're fundamentally limited in how large an item you can squeeze into the toe-kick area in reaching through a hole in the bottom under an upper drawer and an open lower drawer. Unless you plan on removing all the drawers each time you want to reach your toe-kick stash. Hopefully whatever you want to horde down through holes at the bottom of your cabinet won't be impacted by your neighbours leaky plumbing....See MoreKitchen drawers versus pull-out shelves?
Comments (20)This is our forever house and I wanted to design as much flexibility into our kitchen as possible (with the exception that we closed in our cd fridge--hope that doesn't come back to bite me.) When I think back to my needs 20 years ago they were way different from my needs now. I imagine 20 years from now the same will hold true. Drawers are the easiest storage to use but the least flexible. Shelving and many pull outs can be height adjusted. I LOVE our drawers but I also love having several cabinets that allow changes down the road. I would have felt safer with all drawers if I had a walk-in pantry with adjustable shelving to accomodate odd-sized items. Also, I'm a fan of mismatched dishes so I prefer having my dishes on an upper cabinet shelf so that I can see what's in the stack rather than just what's on top of the stack. Drawers: I keep pots and pans and fry pans, glass baking/storage dishes, lids, spices and the typical small stuff. Pull outs: pantry items, stacks of differnt pie plates, some small electricals, stock pots, large colanders, flour sifter, extra bags of flour and sugar, flour and sugar canisters and baking supplies (a counter height pull out), + 3 pull outs in our pantry cabinet. The disadvantage is that once in a while (not very often at all) an items will fall off (if unlike items are stacked--nothing well nested falls off) when I pull the shelf out vigorously but the advantage of seeing all the items at once instead of just looking down on the top layer outweighs the disadvantage for me in certain cases. Grabbing a stock pot and pulling it off a fairly open shelf is easier than dealing with the cofines of a drawer. Fixed shelves: large mixing bowls, less used electricals (behind the large mixing bowls), corning ware, stuff that is too long to fit in a drawer (grilling skewers), smaller colanders, loaf and cake pans, and slotted fixed shelves for baking pans, cookie sheets, muffin tins, cutting boards + 2 fixed shelves in our pantry cabinet. Upper cabinets: dishes, mugs, glasses, extra coffee carafe, ice cream maker, liquid measuring cups, ramekins, custard cups, lemon juicer, jars of rice and legumes, ceramic mixing bowls, vases, covered casseroles, oils and vinegars, pitchers, stemware. I LOVE our drawers but I also like the few pull outs and fixed shelves we have. If needed, the pull outs can be removed down the road and fixed shelves could be put in if the additional space is needed or 1 or 3 pull outs can be put in the space that now holds 2. I've been aware of the all-drawer concept for more than 20 years (some friends and DH's aunt put them in that long ago) but decided the "everything in moderation" route was better for us....See MorePros and Cons of Slide-In Ranges versus Cooktop and Oven Cabinet
Comments (42)The dials on a slide-in range are at the front. You don't reach over the hot burners and steaming pans to change temps. This is recommended for "universal access" kitchens because a wheelchair person can use them a little better, although the surface is not lowered. These dials are easily accessed by a child, which might not be a benefit, though, if the child is just playing. The digital clock on the upright backed models is easily seen from a distance; same with the lighted indicators that show whether surfaces are hot or oven is in use. On a slide-in, the front dials and controls are on the same plane as the cooking surface so I would assume you need to approach the unit to see the lights. somewhat off topic.... regarding ranges....We began this remodel with the intention of using our old electric coil range until it died. I began to do some research and found that the upraised back on new ranges has risen significantly in my lifetime. I suspect that the gov't began to require that the dials be positioned farther from the cooking surface--in two past ranges I've worked with the dials were cockwacky because they'd melted a bit. Today's range appears to be abt 75 inches tall at the back OR HIGHER. This is a significant design aspect if you're planning new construction. We thought we'd put our niche behind range up high enough to clear any new range but when I got new one, there it is arching in front of the bottom of the niche just a bit. If you're going for a standard range like this, forget any fancy backsplash, esp if you have an under cab hood unit there also, since it has to be mounted lower than some of the decorative hood units. Our niche extends up behind the vent unit, which allows taller bottles if I get crazy and buy one of those exotic olive oils or something. There is only about a foot of actual space between the top of the range's arched back and the bottom of our vent unit. Doesn't bother me at all. nini804, there's a quote that says that any time form goes before function, take our your wallet....See MoreShelved cabinets versus drawers
Comments (18)Love my drawers ! I have all sizes. 14-42 inches! I have a couple cabs left. The obligatory trash pull out, an angle cabinet, a corner super susan(no pole), and one small cab next to the sink. I was thinking of making it a drawer but so far, I like this one. Top shelf has cutting boards, second shelf houses the sink basket for my cascade sink and bottom shelf holds my mandolin. I added a 13 inch pull out pantry which I love. I have one taller drawer under the oven which originally had my bread machine and counter top oven. I moved the oven to the pantry. Before I switched, I used stickies to identify what would live in each drawee. I was pretty close. Search for a2gemini more pictures to see my drawers....See Moredianalo
13 years agoantiquesilver
13 years agotamdave123
13 years agokitchenaddict
13 years agodickross
13 years agowrighthouse
13 years agorosie
13 years agotxpepper
13 years agodavidro1
13 years agothinkingwoman
13 years agodoraville
13 years agotxpepper
13 years agoBuehl
13 years ago
Related Stories
KITCHEN STORAGE8 Cabinet Door and Drawer Types for an Exceptional Kitchen
Pick a pocket or flip for hydraulic. These alternatives to standard swing-out cabinet doors offer more personalized functionality
Full StoryKITCHEN STORAGEPulling Power: Clever Drawer Tactics for a Kitchen
It’s not how many drawers you have in your kitchen; it’s how they work for you
Full StoryBEDROOMSHeadboards Surprise With Storage
Rest easier about storage space in your bedroom with headboards that have built-in cabinets, drawers and shelves
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNIdea of the Week: Customizable Dish Drawer
Tuck dishes safely away in a DIY kitchen-drawer organizer
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Storage Solutions Hide and Keep
Rollout drawers, pullout cabinets and slide-in doors are just a few of the options for keeping kitchen items out of sight but close at hand
Full StoryDECORATING PROJECTSDIY Home: Add Open-Shelf Storage for Less Than $40
Got an empty wall and overflowing cabinets and drawers? Curb the clutter with inexpensive open shelves you can install in a day
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNGet It Done: Organize Your Kitchen Drawers
Clear 'em out and give the contents a neat-as-a-pin new home with these organizing and storage tips
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Add Toe Kick Drawers for More Storage
Great project: Install low-lying drawers in your kitchen or bath to hold step stools, pet bowls, linens and more
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: New Surfaces Cover All the Style Bases
Stripped and done anew in marble, milk glass and wood, this Brooklyn kitchen has fresh midcentury appeal
Full StoryMOST POPULAR8 Ways to Get a Handle on the Junk Drawer
Don’t sweat the small stuff — give it a few drawers of its own, sorted by type or task
Full Story
Buehl