Many kitchen designs are challenged by underused space. A place where condiments live for decades after their best before and spices are lost forever.
Kitchen cabinets that meet a tight corner are the biggest culprits of this so-called lost space. So, how can magic corners resolve this problem to provide an effortlessly simple, elegant solution?
What are magic corners?
Magic corners are a great way to maximise space in any kitchen. They are deliberately used to make items within a tight blind corner more accessible.
Each magic corner cabinet features two complete storage units attached to one another in a single corner cabinet. One is secured to the inside of the door and, on opening, automatically pulls the other one forward in a seamless motion, as pictured below.
How are they better than just shelving?
Shelving alone can make it quite difficult to access the kitchen items you need in a tight corner. Without magic corners or a comparable solution, you’ll be forever emptying your kitchen cabinets to find what you’re looking for.
On the other hand, magic corners allow you to find ingredients and cooking utensils quickly. You simply select the item you need and push the corner cupboard door closed in one effortless motion.
With magic corners, you also make use of all the available space compared to traditional shelving because there are no ‘blind areas’, which has lots of benefits, including:
- Easier to find foods and equipment. You no longer search around corners to feel for the right jar or spice. You’ll be able to see and reach what you need.
- Less likely to store out-of-date items. A magic corner cabinet will make it far easier to see when items are nearing their use by date, meaning you can bring them to the front or pop them on the upper shelf attached to the door to save wastage.
- Less breakages. With a magic corner cabinet, you’re less likely to drop an item or catch your sleeve on a glass jar since the cabinet door creates a far bigger opening than a more traditional corner cupboard.
- Less repeat purchasing. How many times have you gone to the shops to purchase ingredients to realise they’re already in the cupboard? If you do not have a pantry or a pull-out larder cupboard, magic corner cupboards are quite a handy place to store all your smaller food items.
- Kinder to your back. Foods, pots and pans can be heavy, and so it can put a real strain on your back trying to reach for them. There’s minimal twisting and bending with a magic corner cabinet. You simply select what you need with ease.
- Having a well-organised kitchen space is good for the soul, especially if you cook to relax. So, retrieving items with very little fuss keeps the cooking experience an enjoyable one.
How should you use your magic corner cupboard?
Magic corner cupboards are incredibly versatile and strong, but as with all storage solutions, they must be used appropriately. That’s why we suggest that heavier items such as tins, pots and pans are placed on the bottom storage units, and lighter items are kept on the top units. This will prevent the unit from twisting.
Magic corner doors pull forward a lot further than a traditional corner cupboard, so your kitchen design needs to take account of the unit or item next to the cupboard door. This will avoid any clashes with handles and other door furniture.
There’s no need to fret though. At Vale Designs, we carefully consider the minutest of details when we design your kitchen so that every storage solution works in harmony with your space.
To find out more about our kitchen design process and see some of our storage solutions in action, you’re welcome to come and visit our workshop in Aldringham. Just make sure you give us a call ahead of time, though, so that we can make sure someone is available to talk through your design options.
