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This month I thought I would dispel some of the myths that I encounter daily as a kitchen designer. If
you want to add one of your own, please email me and I will include it in next month's article.
I guess this was true in the days before dishwashers were in virtually every kitchen. Hours spent doing dishes theoretically whizzed by faster when spent in front of a window. Now, however, this sink placement leads to many design problems. Windows are increasingly often placed close to a corner in new homes, preventing placement of a diagonal corner unit which is generally acknowledged as a superior use of space than a blind corner cabinet. I prefer a nice expanse of counter in front of a window. Makes more sense to gaze through the glass and dream while making an exotic dish for guests than to stare at the wall. Myth 2 : Upper cabinets must line up with bottom cabinets. On paper and in a computer design program, absolute alignment of uppers and lowers seems desirable and important. In reality, your eye does not link top and bottom cabinets as to their alignment. The bottom tends to be less well laid out than the top cabinets anyway, because of the need to separate appliances and work surfaces. Increasingly, cabinet makers are making upper cabinets far more interesting using different glass styles, drawers and open shelf designs. Add to this equation things like decorative range hoods and microwave cabinets, which do not necessarily equate in width to the lower cabinets and you will see that absolute alignment is nearly impossible and not necessarily more attractive. Kitchens are workplaces primarily, food factories if you will. They are not, well not very many of them, works of art. On that thought, have you seen a Picasso lately? Myth 3 : Corner sinks and laminates don't mix. This is from my personal experience. 13 years ago we had our kitchen renovated and decided to put the sink in the corner, utilizing a bishop's miter and a raised shelf behind. The designer tried to convince us that flat top laminate was the only way to go in that situation. My wife and I persevered and insisted on a post-formed front edge and the miters. The joints are still smooth and unaffected by moisture. The shelf holds our four slice toaster and accompanying crumbs. This arrangement limits the size of the sink to a large single or a butterfly double which isn't nearly as useful as a normal twin sink but, whichever Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Kitchen Myths in Kitchen Design is owned by Brian Mahoney. Permission to republish Kitchen Myths in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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