Sam Adams
Good storage can make or break a kitchen's usability and determine whether it's enjoyable to cook in or a nightmare of awkward ergonomics. Why then is the corner space where two banks of kitchen cabinets come together often neglected or even completely unused? While it can be challenging to design a well-thought-out kitchen corner space, it's absolutely worth doing.
A blind corner is the space that is created where two perpendicular lines of cabinets meet. I had a blind corner cabinet in my last kitchen and found that my family ended up just storing bulky and seldom-used items way in the back. These spinning shelves offer a way to get the most from your space and also make them easily accessible.
Reaching into the back of a corner cabinet is challenging and results in wasted space. With the lazy susan feature, you'll have spinning shelves that allow you to reach every part of the shelf without straining. All contents will be reachable by spinning the shelves so this is a simple but effective solution to using this space well. The spinning trays can come with a pie-shaped piece cut out for a folding door (as pictured above).
The trays can be full circles without the cutout, and the whole apparatus is set back behind a diagonal door. It's a relatively old design, but I really like the speed at which I can access items on the trays, without having to pause and open a hinged door.
In fact, I've gotten so used to my lazy susan that I can spin it with my foot to quickly access items anywhere on the trays. The shape of these drawers makes them a good option for utensils or unusually-sized items which may be challenging to fit into a standard draw.
Consider using this space for small dishes or specialty items that will add to the appearance of the kitchen. This is often a good size for a small microwave and the additional open cubbies can be used for cookbooks. This floor-to-ceiling solution provides you with additional storage and also a good visual consistency. The lower kitchen cabinets in the corner usually have depth that's often wasted due to a lack of accessibility.
This is an issue that can be addressed by using the lower drawers to store larger items. If you want to store your trash and recycling bins in the corner, consider a lazy susan system designed for that purpose, as in the dated-looking photo below.
(We don't recommend installing carpeting in your kitchen, or periwinkle wallpaper, for that matter!) Instead of a sharp corner, the rounded shelves gives a unique touch to the kitchen space. In the kitchen, efficiency is key and it is possible to maximize storage and display areas in this space.
