Kitchen Details That Might Bore You To Tears

I've talked about this before. The period of time just before an order is submitted to the factory. It's the time with the most pressure, as once released to the factory, that's it forevermore. The right and left sides of the brain collide but must work together...or else. End of story.

Here's an entry for a kitchen order I'm doing that is going to the factory today, and which is the culmination of months of creative thought and engineering on my part, and later, includes even more detailed collaboration with a designated person at the factory. This entry reflects an effort to provide a chef in a small residential kitchen the absolute maximum in storage and ease of use. This is one cabinet, and I've had two highly detailed kitchen orders I've had to make 100% perfect before I go away...oh, did I slip and say "go away?" I must be referring to the TOP SECRET project! But, I digress...

This level of detail and, really, engineering, when working with custom cabinetry, doesn't make kitchen designers good people or have the ability to create world peace. But, I include this to illustrate the interesting result of both sides of the brain working together. The next time you see your kitchen designer dressed fabulously, and laughing about something or other, remember, he/she may also be delving into the dark side of detail behind the scenes, unbeknownst to most.

I'll also share with you that, again, this particular cabinet happens to reflect a good deal of risk on my part, to absolutely maximize storage for this home chef (but a real chef.) His kitchen is an orchestra pit and he's the conductor. Does that make any sense at all? I can predict what will happen is that I will watch with utter excitement as this cabinet is put into place and the adjacent cabinets and appliances are put into place and i will stand there and AUDIBLY marvel at the symphony of all these fractions of inches working together, each fraction of which I chose.

I tend to get very excited, when I design a risky, expensive (thousands $$$) piece of custom cabinetry, and people around me tend to shrug and look at me strangely when I say "YES!!!!" (IT FITS.) It's really true. That's ok, I can celebrate by myself. :) In the meantime, however, my fingers are CROSSED.  But, if you're the client reading this, don't worry...I can't remember the last time a cabinet didn't fit. Really.

Here's the entry for one cabinet:

Base
106 1/4" wide x 34 1/2" high x 24.0" deep - YES, THE CABINET IS 106 2/4" WIDE
Front frame extended down .5" for scribe to be 35" high OA - TO SCRIBE NEATLY TO THE FLOOR
Hold both partitions short 10" from top of cabinet - FOR THE SINK
Left and right dust top recessed .5" from top of cabinet
Do not extend dust top past sink apron - DUE TO SINK
Blind base 43.500" wide - left
Combined cabinet charge
17.063" wide opening left - THIS WAS PLANNED TO THE 1/16" OF AN INCH
Omit drawer above
Full height door opening
False panel and door attached together with center rail to open as one - LOOKS LIKE A DOOR/DRAWER
5" backer
Omit shelf and shelf drillings
Install LeMans Corner System Hafele 541.33.445 - A VERY COOL CORNER  CABINET SOLUTION
Right swing
Full height sink base 19.500" wide-center
Combined cabinet charge
Split doors - NON SPLIT DOORS WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE
Aprom to hide sink - NICE TOUCH
8.5" high x 26" wide
1" radiused corners at bottom L&R
Apron will extend into far left and right openings 2.5"
See sketch
Blind Corner Susan 43.250" wide - right
Combined cabinet charge
16.688 wide openings left - PLANNED TO THE 1/16" OF AN INCH
Hold drawer box short an extra 2.5" from left - SO THERE IS ROOM FOR THE SINK
2 ea. 14" BCS Swingouts left
Blocking extends into opening 0.688"
Flush toekick
Special valance cutout - per sketch
1-Arch valance - 3 bottom rail - NICE LOOK, CURVED "VALANCE" AT BOTTOM
4" high
2" high at narrowest point
Held up 2" from bottom  

There's four more lines, but I think this is enough.  

Comments

[Connie]

I'm not sure how this special cabinet will look like in the end, but I googled Hafele 541.33.445 and found out - to my very surprise - that it is a part of my kitchen. LOL

This is funny because I know that Häfele products are sold in the U.S., but I didn't know that this "corner system" is made by Häfele. Another thing I learned from this blog.

It really works very well, much better than any other Lazy Susan I ever had. A little video in this link http://www.kitchensource.com/lazy-susan/ha-541.33.445.htm shows how it works.

[Susan Serra, CKD]

Connie, you read the details!! :) Thank you for the link, that is exactly what I'm using. I thought I could squeek just a little bit more storage on this corner system.

I'll show you how it looks when it is installed. It is more a functionally wise cabinet to make, and decoratively, it will be very pleasant looking, especially because it is one cabinet, without seams of several cabinets put together.

Thanks so much for adding that link.

[kathleen]

I did exactly what Connie did. Googled it and watched the video. I'd been thinking about just leaving the corner in my kitchen as dead space rather than getting a traditional lazy susan. My experience with lazy susans is that things fall off of the round disks and get lost where I can't see or reach them. The Hafele gizmo looks like a wonderful alternative. I sent the link to my architect.

Thanks for posting this. Your blog is such a great source of information.

[Susan Serra, CKD]

Kathleen, thanks for the comment. Bear in mind that due to support issues of the piece, a top drawer is not recommended. In my case, that was ok, as my client wanted a recessed drainboard next to the sink, so a drawer was not likely to be available anyway. We have the typical "half moon" lazy susan on the other side of the cabinet exactly because we can have a drawer in that cabinet.

Yes, they are not the best accessory, lazy susans, but if you want to maximize storage, for some, it's a good solution. On the other hand, I just did a kitchen where both corners did not have storage solutions and are left empty.

[Laurie , Kitche Design Notes]

I played Vivaldi's Four Seasons in the background as I read the specs. It makes it read like a symphony performance. Really an amazing custom order. I would love to see a picture of this.

[Susan Serra, CKD]

Laurie, I know you can relate! It won't be anything spectacular, just a response to include as much function as possible. You'll appreciate it, I'm sure, and when it does go in, opening the doors and looking inside will tell a big part of the story, which I'll do and take photos of.

[Kelly M]

The darker side of detail indeed. Especially accompanied by a sheaf of CAD drawings and sketches! It's not as easy as everyone thinks, so I'm glad you're pointing it out.

Also, your slip of "going away"? Now you're just being mean. ;}

[Joni Webb]

OMG - I am dying!!!! I have to hand it to you - this is really impressive, you are really impressive. I have to have my windows measured by someone else I'm such an idiot. How did you ever learn all this????

[Susan]

Joni, haha, you're funny!!! Oh, trial and error is a good teacher! The thing is, there IS no room for error. It's CRAZY. :)