Popular Woodworking 2006-08 № 156, страница 48
Cookware can be tricky to store efficiently and even more tricky to access conveniently. Rack systems such as that shown at the left store items vertically, allowing good use of space and easy access. Other items that are difficult to store include mixers. Once stored it can be a hassle to get out and then you have to find counter space to use it. The mechanism shown here allows you to easily raise the mixer (or other appliance) out of its storage space on a simple lift. When at the maximum height, it locks in place and serves as a sturdy work surface. The waste container at left rests inside what is essentially an inverted drawer box, with the drawer slides mounted out of sight. The box mounts to the cabinet door, making it a drawer front. For recycling concerns, other units offer separated containers. The unit on the right is mounted on a pull-out rack for stability. These are two of my favorite kitchen-storage accessories. At left is a towel rack that is mounted to what is essentially a single drawer slide mounted inside the cabinet. Open the door and pull out the rack when you need it. Tuck it back in when you're done. The tip-out storage unit shown at right takes dead space and the false drawer front mounted at the sink and turns both into a functional storage area for sponges, soap and any other sink items that are a little less than picturesque. Very cool. and other bulky items efficiently, but still leaving them accessible. The counter top is not usually the best answer, especially if you have limited counter space. Special drawer inserts and hardware provide storage options for these bulky items, that allow you to easily bring them into use, as shown in the photo at left. In almost any kitchen, space for storing garbage is given up reluctantly. While you want the garbage can handy, you don't want it sitting out in the open (it's a little unsightly, even if you're the tidiest of housekeepers). Storing the garbage can behind cabinet doors has become fairly common, but it doesn't leave the can very accessible. There are literally dozens of accessories available to allow the garbage container to pull out like a large drawer for easy access. They're designed for many different-sized cans and even make allowances for separating recyclable items from plain old trash in separate bins. And speaking of things that you'd rather keep out of sight in the kitchen, how about towels and sponges? The location for storing towels in a kitchen is a bit of a personal preference, but there are some clever towel-rack systems that keep them stored out of the way, but easily accessible. The sponge storage "drawer" is actually my favorite. Designed to utilize more "lost space" in the kitchen, the false drawer in front of your sink can now become useful storage with only a minimum of work (shown below). Cabinet Lighting I'll spend a little time on cabinet lighting in this last chapter. While much casework is designed to hide the items inside, some is created to showcase the items - in which case good lighting is key. This is actually an enormous topic and one that's an article on its own. But I do want to take a minute to discuss the many choices that are now available for cabinetry. Can lights, rope light, curio lights, halogen or incandescent - all of these are easy to build into a china cabinet or other visible piece of casework. Some simply require mounting the light fixture to the cabinet with a couple of screws. Others require cutting the Popular Woodworking |
