If space around your home is feeling tight, take a second look at your corners. Whether a corner is empty or there's a pile of stuff you've been meaning to clean up occupying it, it could be ripe for a little redo.
There are ways to make the most of a corner in every room of the house. Today I'll start with the kitchen. Whether you're planning a remodel or just looking for a tiny intervention, here are some smart ideas for corners you might not have considered.
Lake Country Builders
Add a sink. A window over the
kitchen sinkis a popular design move and helps dissipate the drudgery of doing the dishes. Get twice as much view by planning a corner sink that lets you enjoy the sights out two sides of your home.
Not sure? Check out this ideabook: Is a Kitchen Corner Sink Right for You?
Create an eat-in kitchen with a banquette. A small kitchen table and corner banquette maximize the seating potential in a tight kitchen.
Allen Construction
Install a range. This is not a move for everyone, as it can take up extra room. What's great about it is the way it can work within the work triangle, that it enlivens a corner and that it opens up the opportunity to showcase a special high backsplash.
As this look becomes more popular in the U.S., more corner-ready hood vents and ranges are making their way over from other countries, where it's already an established look.
Dalia Kitchen Design
Talk with your
kitchen designer, contractor and cabinet designers about placing a corner range. Unless you are incredibly talented with DIY projects, a corner range can bring on some headaches. Some issues you’ll need to consider:
• Venting and how the
vent hood will fit into the corner
• Extra fillers next to the cabinets — doors and drawers will need to clear the oven when open.
• Look carefully at handles when you are choosing a range for a corner and realize that the oven’s handle may stick out beyond your cabinet fronts.
• Make sure you have proper clearance for the oven door when it is open — you cannot have it bonking into an island when it’s only partially open. Also, think about trying to hoist a heavy dish out of it and then see if you have enough room to do so in front of the open door, or if you can manage grabbing things from the sides.
• The corner range layout works best with counters on either side.
Julie Williams Design
In this open-space plan, everything is oriented toward the corner — in particular, the view from the bar. Placing the range and vent hood in this corner creates a focal point where the backsplash extends all the way up to the ceiling.
Alair Homes Decatur
Have a cabinet and a window meet. This is an example of smart kitchen planning; the glass-front cabinets nestle into the narrow space between the window and the adjacent wall. Make sure you are leaving enough clearance for the cabinet door to open at least 90 degrees; factor in protruding knobs, moldings and windowsills.
The Closet Works, Inc.
Use a tall lazy Susan in the pantry. Long a favorite way to address deep corners, this is a fabulous storage solution for those of you with a pantry.
Shop lazy Susans on HouzzGlenvale Kitchens
Discover the new corner drawers. Speaking of lazy Susans, a modern substitute is a deep, clever drawer that goes around the bend.
Display special wares. A tower like this one can show off special serving pieces, cookbooks and plants.
Find a perfect baker’s rack on HouzzMary Prince Photography
Create household central with a mini office. This kitchen workspace makes the most of a small corner, with upper and lower cabinets for storage and a computer for running the household. Note the thoughtful
undercabinet lighting.
A setup like this makes for a great place to do homework, look up recipes, pay bills and keep track of the family schedule.
Sarah Barnard Design LLC
Here's an example of a more stripped-down kitchen office, with just enough room to use and store a laptop or an iPad.
Check out more kitchen desk setups with style
Jeneration Interiors
Create an extra seating nook. Most people tend to shove cabinets in every available space in a kitchen. I've found I will pare down my belongings to fit in a small number of cabinets, and I'll expand them to fill up a large number. If you look at what you really need and edit, you may free up space for a cozy corner bench.
Tamar Schechner/Nest Pretty Things Inc
Use floating shelves. This open look does not require any special custom corner pieces and makes a small kitchen look larger than it really is. The only drawback is dust — I recommend using pieces you use and wash all the time, and giving the shelves a dusting once a week. This sounds like a pain until you discover the magic of a duster with an extender, which will help you get the pesky dusting done in a under a minute without a step stool.
Consult a kitchen designer for more corner solutions