In this case, I think I would do one of two things:

Option #1 (and my preference): Just have upper cabinets on the range run - don't "turn the corner" with cabinets on the window wall.

Option #2: A corner Easy Reach. This is a cabinet that has a 90-degree corner rather than diagonal. It doesn't loom so large as the diagonal and storage space more accessible than storage in deep diagonal cabinets.

What does the rest of the Kitchen look like? Will you have upper cabinets on the other side of the window? If so, then Option #2 might be better for balance, but without seeing everything, it's difficult to say.

Other GWers may have additional suggestions.

I agree with Buehl, and you also don't want the diagonal cabinet in your face in your primary prep zone between the sink and stove.

I wouldn't do diagonals or corner bump-ups. They are a dated look and bring attention to the last place you'd want to--the awkward corner.

Here are a couple photos from Houzz.

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Millbrae Kitchen & Bath Designers KB Cabinets

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Villanova Interior Designers & Decorators lisa furey - barefoot interiors

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Arlington General Contractors Merrill Contracting & Remodeling Incorporated

I think an easy reach in that corner would look much better than the diagonal cabinet. We have a corner where we ended with the easy reach and I think it looks fine. It's not by a window like yours would be but I think the easy reach makes a corner feel less crowded than the diagonal one and provides more accessible storage.

Forgive the clutter...dinner was in process.

Thanks so much for the input and finding the pictures! The other side of the sink has an identical ending corner and the fridge is over there.

I don't mind how the ending corners look in those pictures. I'm going to have to think some more about it. I don't mind the 90 degree easy reach corner but I was hoping to have some different height to add some interest to the cupboards. I'm already regretting how big that window is!

I'll add my vote for easy reach.

How high are your ceilings, and how big is the rest of the kitchen? The OTR microwave suggests that you don't have a lot of space to work with. I'm not a fan of staggered uppers, but I'm also a storage space hog, so I'd want as much cabinet space as possible.

i wish my window was that big! i think after you live in the kitchen you will be glad of the light that window brings in.
i had a diagonal and hated it, couldn't reach the back or upper shelves. i have an ez reach now and while i like it better, i have to store deep plates in a closet so there are definitely trade offs. the corner cab did hog up too much head space in my prep zone between sink and stove which is your plan as well.
if your kitchen is short on space, can you go taller in all the cabs? i went from 30" to 39" and it is awesome!
ps yes my kitchen is almost always this messy, lol!

In the long run you will be so happy to have a big window...working around it will be SOOOO worth it. My only regret in our kitchen reno is not being able to talk my DH into running windows along most of the sink wall. The window we have is good size and the exterior of our house is sandstone. He just did not want to cut into the sandstone. I get that but it would have been so nice to have all those windows. ENJOY THAT BIG WINDOW!!!

We had a corner cabinet at the end of a run, and added some shelves to the outside for display. It wasn't a prep area so it wasn't "in my face", but I have to say I disliked the corner deep cabinet -- there was just no good way to organize its contents.

"I don't mind the 90 degree easy reach corner but I was hoping to have some different height to add some interest to the cupboards."

There are better ways to add interest than to bump up two humongous boxes in your corners. It really isn't that interesting because that design has been around for twenty years and is fading fast. The easy-reach cabinet or cabinet run ending at the wall helps streamline the kitchen for a more modern look.

If you don't want to bring your cabs to the ceiling, you can still bump up your over-range cab. However, think of whether the microwave is the desired focal point of your kitchen. With a bump-up, you should use a nice hood and perhaps interesting tile to make it a focal point. But it's perfectly fine to have all your cabs at the same height even if they don't go to the ceiling.

The window that you're regretting is actually the best place for a focal area. Post your layout and we can suggest some ideas of how to make your kitchen more interesting.

You might want to relocate the microwave in favor of nice hood. This will give you some additional options to consider. We have had several and find that the microwave fans are not very powerful. We finally got rid of ours (had 3) in or renovation and am very happy we did. My 2 cents and slightly off topic.

I can't post pics but my cabinet run ends in the corner like yours on both sides of the window.

I did a bump=out of mine (which most people thought was silly but it's my kitchen) anyway, what I did was put glass in the end cabinets. What it sort of does is connects with the window and keeps the whole area looking a little lighter. I store all my glass ware in there.

How about googling U-shaped kitchens.

I just thinking that trying to fit something big in the corner might overwhelm it and the window. Enjoy that big window. You will love it.

Here is a further back picture of the layout. The drawing is very skewed looking but to give an idea, the walkway is supposed to be 48" and the peninsula is 7' long. The ceilings are 9'. The taller cabinets are 42" and the shorter ones are 36".

This post was edited by katesar on Wed, Sep 17, 14 at 13:33

I can't post a photo from my phone but I have a deep upper corner end cabinet. We had one pre-renovations, and as others have mentioned, reach was a big issue. i didn't mind the way it looked though. We went with another corner end cab for the Reno, but I had a lazy Susan installed this time. Reno is still ongoing so we haven't moved anything back into the cabs, but I'm hoping the lazy Susan addresses the reach issues. Though I know that only light objects can go in. I'm planning on filling it with Tupperware and my kids' plastic bowls/cups.

You might want to seriously consider putting a proper ventilation hood over your range...especially if you are keeping the cabinets open at the top like that. OTR micro/vent combo's are notorious for not being very effective and open top cabinets are notorious for collecting dust. The combo of both could leave you with some greasy, dusty cabinet tops. My preference is to take them to the ceiling if possible.

What is the distance between the window frame and the corner?

The other thing to consider is if you plan on doing any window treatments you will want to keep free space around the window depending on, of course, what you choose to do.

You have pretty much the same layout as me. My aisle is a little wider and my peninsula is only 5 1/2 feet long. As mentioned, my upper cabinets just go into the corner straight line. (well they are 3" deeper) and 24" wide with glass in them.

What are you doing in the corner between peninsula and range? I would access it from the side shown in your last pic - great storage for large or rarely used things.

@blfenton - I would love to see a picture of your kitchen. I like the idea of going straight to the wall but I'm not sure how it will look or if we'll lose too much storage space.

But I'm torn. I have a corner like this in our house now and I agree, it's really wasted space because everything that goes in doesn't come out and is unreachable.

I think we're going to put a blind inside the window but no curtains. I asked about the distance between the corner and the window but I haven't gotten a reply yet from the designer.

Thank you for the overhead range suggestions but I don't think that's something we'll do.

open top cabinets are notorious for collecting dust.

Someone on GW once suggested putting wax paper above the upper cabinets and changing it out every so often.

@sjhocketfan - yeah, I agree. I've scrubbed the top of greasy kitchen cabinets lots of times. I think I'm going to try cutting newspaper to the right size in the new place and then just replacing it once and a while. The wax paper is a good idea too.

Wow, your window is fantastic! If it were my kitchen, I would definitely want that to be the focal point in the room. So, I would run the cabinets straight to the wall (not turn the corner) and then bring the backsplash tile all the way around the window. It looks "now" and upscale to do that, imo.
If you are afraid of losing the space, then I would make the corner cabs 90 degree, not diagonal like others have mentioned. That will still look really good because your window is so big.

Is there a specific reason that you don't want to take the cabs to the ceiling? To me, that's maybe the biggest esthetic problem with the current plan as it makes it look a bit "builder's basic". But, I know there are some people who like this look, I'm just wondering, not trying to be rude!

I have that style of cabinet in the corner next to my window and frankly I prefer it. I can store platters and a few odd things that don't fit in elsewhere. I have a ribbed glass door and maybe that makes a difference? The cabinet does not affect the amount of sunlight coming in from my window. Like your kitchen that is not my main workspace, although I do sometimes do a little prep as my stove is nearby. Think carefully about what you plan to store there and let that determine what you need.

I do suggest you seriously rethink the idea of bumping up cabinets as that trend has passed - unless you love it.Either go to the ceiling or stick with one level. Or go higher with all the cabinets and add a shelf under those that have room. I find the open space above cabinets is awkward as well as a dust collector- what do you do plan to do with that space?

If you want to introduce interest, consider either some glass doors (maybe both cabinets next to the window), or the latest trend which is open shelves instead of cabinets. Open shelves do look fresh and make the kitchen look larger and more open - however it's only for those who don't mind washing those shelves regularly and being mindful with what they display.

@AineLane - I appreciate the question. Not rude at all. I think the main thing stopping us from going to the ceiling is cost. We are trying not to go overboard while still having a nice house and having functionality.

I never thought of staggered cabinets as a passing trend. I asked the cabinet designer to draw all the cabinets at the higher height and to not bump the corners out further. I'm going to see if I like that look better. I think it might make the fact that it ends on the corners less obvious.

I really like the idea of taking the backsplash around the window. I think we might be waiting to do the backsplash for cost reasons too.

Right now there will be 9" between the corner and the window.

The staggered heights makes for a lot more crown molding.

Have you thought about getting a venting hood instead of an OTR MW? I have a small GE corner MW on the counter, and while it isn't as fast as a bigger unit, it gets the job done - and hardly takes up any counter space. I'd tuck a counter MW in the corner between fridge and sink.

One of the coals of our kitchen remodel was to vent to the outside, and I am so glad we did! Even our inexpensive hood sucks out odors and steam. I'm kind of short, and it's a lot easier (and safer) for me to use a MW on the counter. And I can use the MW while DH is cooking at the stove.

Katesar - I agree with you that with all the cabinets one height level, the corner cabinet will have a more streamlined look. Let us know if you like it when your KD shows it to you. If you can, post the new drawing too!

I hear you about trying not to go overboard cost-wise. Balancing the look and function while not breaking the bank is the biggest challenge - one I'm still stuck on myself :)

I have a friend that has a corner cabinet on an end run similar to what you have drawn. But, hers has 2 glass doors on it, one on the angled part, and one on the side. It looks like it makes it easier to get into that corner cabinet, and is nice since she uses it for display. I don't have any pictures of it, though.

Here is the revised drawing. When she made the cabinet smaller she was able to fit a 9" cabinet in the end. It's a bit disproportionate but I think I like all one height better.

One level does look better. Because you have 9" ceilings with cabs on both sides, I think it will look fine to not go to the ceiling.

Those 9" cabinets....sigh. What does it gain? It looks odd and can hold a tea cup per shelf. You could put an open display end cabinet there. What style is your kitchen? They are kind of cottagey. Every cabinet line has them, but they are an added expense when you're on a budget.

Did she draw the corner with an easy-reach cabinet?

I think you might need to add a cabinet over your peninsula. Can you post a drawing from that angle?

Do you have a drawing with the easy reach cabinets in the corners? Maybe you have already decided against them but I really think they would look much better than the angled cabinets. IMHO the 9" cabinets are completely useless and just crowd your window even more.

I had 12" cabinets on each side of my sink, and they were a pain. I would not waste money on a 9: upper.

I vote for easy reach - I replaced two diagonals with easy reach a year ago, and I like them SO much better!

I'm glad you posted the new drawing! I agree with you that all the cabinets the same height looks better. It makes the fabulous large window be the focal point in the room, which is great!

Do you like the look of the diagonal corner with the 9" cabs next to the window? How are you feeling about that? Like others have said, it would be great if the KD did a drawing with the 90 degree corner too.

I'm pre-reno and I have diagonal corners and then two 11" cabs right next to the window - so very similar to your current plan. On one hand, I find I can store a lot in the diagonal, so storage-wise, I really like them. However, I don't like having them "in my face" and I don't like how underneath it becomes such a deep hole. And from a purely aesthetics standpoint, I really don't like them! As others have stated, the usefulness of the skinny cabs is fairly limited. I use one to store vitamins/supplements/tylenol etc and the other is used for tea, and it's half empty. It would be a stretch imo to use it for dishes/glasses/cups.
Give some thought to what you'd need to store in that part of the kitchen and how you'd feel about the diagonal "in your face" while you prep.

And another thought - you had mentioned that you like the look of the backsplash all the way up around the window (at some point when budget allows). I think visually it would be really nice to have that and give the window some breathing room on either side (again, helping with the focal point). But, it comes down to how much you need the various storage options too.

If you decide against the diagonal and don't want a hinged easy-reach, you could use blind cabinets for the small cabinets along the window. I have one in my corner with a 12" door and I use it to store tall things like paper towels and vases, and also multiples and bulk items. I really didn't want to open two sections of doors to get into a cabinet.

If you ran the cupboards to the ceiling, and just did straight runs (instead if corner cabinets on both sides), would your cost be similar?

I think it would be far better visually to have the window wall completely open, and you would have more functional storage with the full-height cupboards and no black-hole corners. If the price is anywhere close to the same, that's what I would do.

I have a question for everyone that has corner upper 45 cabinets that they like or don't like. How wide is the door on yours? I currently have one with a 1 foot for that is impossible to get into but my in laws have a 17" for that's better. What are yours? I'm wondering how they will compare with the ones my kd has drawn here.

Thanks for the math. Very logical. We're asking for the cabinets to be drawn up again. This time with 90 degree uppers with 12 inch square which will allow us to have another 12" inch cab beside the window. I think this will be the most practical solution. I'm afraid of it looking kind of boring but it will be the best use of space.

I'd always go with the Easy Reach corner

put one on each side

what good IS a 9" cabinet?

I agree with genb. I would keep all cabs the same height and try to not use any cabs on the window wall. I think the window should be the focal point. If you do use cabs on the wall I would not do the corner cab. jmho

I considered an open shelf unit on the right like this. Excuse the crude drawing:

But there is way too much height variation going on in that corner. If this were mine, I would just run the cabs straight across on the back wall, perhaps letting the cab over the range be higher than the others.

If I needed more storage space, I would keep the corner susan as you showed it and add susans on each shelf. I have susans in my corner wall cabinets and they hold a TON of 100% accessible stuff. The link below takes you to a thread I posted on that.

If I kept the corner cabinet AND leveled the tops of the units, then I would consider shelving on the left end of the cabinet as I sketched above, but probably even narrower. Nice place for a few decorative plants and objects, perhaps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Corner wall susan storage

In my old house, the cabinet layout on the right wall was almost exactly as it looks in bellsmom's latest picture, including the open shelves (we did have some varying heights, but that was a different time and place :-) ). I've attached a picture because it might help you to better visualize the drawing.

There are lots of cute ideas for shelving and cabinetry around windows that's more interesting than the diagonal box.

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Morristown Interior Designers & Decorators Marlene Wangenheim AKBD, CAPS, Allied Member ASID

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by New York Kitchen & Bath Designers Urban Homes - Innovative Design for Kitchen & Bath

I'm attaching a picture of our office. It is a small space with a big window, and the cabinetry was custom built by a craftsman many years ago. I love these corner cabinets, though they are used for display and aren't really "functional". We needed every inch in that 10x10 room which now has two workstations and lots of awesome storage.