Kitchen cabinet pencil case - types and features, how to choose?

Kitchen pencil cases, popular in the past, disappeared from our kitchens for some time, a boring narrow cabinet did not add variety to the kitchen set, people began to give preference to wall cabinets and floor cabinets. But everything is changing, design ideas do not stand still, the modern pencil case for the kitchen has undergone some modifications, obeying the requirements of fashion trends, it looks much more interesting than its predecessor, and its contents are different in functionality. The kitchen is far from the largest room in the house; you need somewhere to store various kitchen utensils, and you need to allocate a place for gatherings with friends. Pencil cabinets do an excellent job of saving space and allow you to store dishes and all kinds of kitchen utensils.

Purpose and features

Traditionally, a pencil case is a narrow piece of furniture in the form of a high column; it can be made as a separate module or be part of a common kitchen set. Despite its small dimensions and quite compact placement in the kitchen, its purpose is quite extensive; the pencil case copes with its standard functions perfectly. Its possibilities are unlimited, you can easily place here:

• dishes, kitchen utensils - a large number of shelves allow them to store tableware, tea sets, which the owners rarely use in everyday life;
• household supplies, textiles (plumbing cleaners, detergents, tablecloths, napkins, towels);
• large appliances (dishwasher, washing machine) - in the lower section of the cabinet, which is covered with an outer panel;
• an oven built into a niche at a level of 1-1.5 m from the floor, while using it for cooking is very comfortable;
• Microwave oven - in an open niche (there are models of pencil cases designed for a built-in microwave);
• small household appliances – toaster, multicooker, coffee maker, etc.;
• jars with spices and bulk products will find a place on the upper shelves, and bottles of preserved food are conveniently placed in the lower compartment; owners often prefer to equip a pencil case with roll-out niches for storing bottles of wine;
• if you partially remove the back wall of the cabinet, you can hide pipes, counters, the tall size of the pencil case, its sufficient depth allows you to hide unsightly elements of the kitchen.

Sometimes in pencil cases a couple of upper compartments are left free for decorative items, the rest of the internal space is intended for a refrigerator, thus hiding it from prying eyes, maintaining the overall concept of the kitchen interior. Taking up little space, pencil cases fit favorably into the interior of any kitchen space, and due to their spaciousness, functionality and ergonomics they remain popular pieces of furniture.

A custom-made pencil case made to order can occupy any empty niche in the room, complement the existing set, and with its help easily divide the space into zones (working and resting areas). If the pencil case is purchased separately from the kitchen set, it should match as much as possible the style and color scheme in which the rest of the furniture is designed.

Varieties

So that housewives do not have problems with storing a large amount of dishes and kitchen utensils, the designers have developed a variety of pencil cases that make it possible to compactly place the dishes and utensils available in the house, plus, in addition, find a place to store equipment, without which it is no longer possible to imagine a modern kitchen. It is enough to choose one of the proposed models from photos in catalogs in accordance with the needs and wishes of the owners, the house will immediately be filled with new colors and flavor. There are several types of pencil cases:

• narrow cabinet “column”;
• angular;
• retractable;
• for built-in equipment.

Retractable

Angular

For built-in appliances

Column

The kitchen pencil case remains the most popular and in demand. Advantages - it is very roomy due to the small width of the product and the presence of many shelves inside, which allows you to store necessary and useful things. The pencil case can be open, closed, depending on the number of doors - single-leaf, double-leaf, it can be equipped with lower sliding shelves or with drawers, which greatly simplifies the storage of non-perishable products. A classic floor-standing pencil case with a blank front allows you to fill the closet to the maximum, while at the same time hiding its contents.

Furniture manufacturers offer the buyer speakers with fully or partially glazed facades, stained glass doors, sliding doors, and decorative inserts, which adds elegance and lightness to an ordinary piece of furniture.

Models with open shelves at the top or in the middle, where decorative items can be placed, and closed at the bottom, so that the items located there are not exposed, are popular. There are completely open structures; they can be called shelving rather than cabinets. It is convenient to decorate such furniture with vases, figurines, textiles; jars with spices and bulk products, designed in the same style, look very nice; beautiful dishes will also please the eyes of guests and owners.

A super idea for a small kitchen would be a corner pencil case. This modular design helps create a beautiful, comfortable interior, and it has its advantages:

• harmoniously smooths out sharp corners, freeing up the space of the room;
• has greater depth than a regular pencil case;
• may consist of several modules (for storage, built-in appliances, refrigerator) - in this case, filling the corner area allows you to use every centimeter of the kitchen space to your advantage.

You need to adhere to the golden rule of a harmonious combination of all furniture elements, connecting a narrow cabinet with other items so that the entire set looks like a single set. A retractable (roll-out) pencil case is a kind of storage system that moves out of the general furniture row thanks to special devices and mechanisms. In such cases, baskets and shelves are attached, where it is convenient to store:

• dry and liquid seasonings in special containers;
• small kitchen utensils;
• means for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.

You will definitely like the idea with a retractable module if, after designing a kitchen unit, there is a narrow opening left, and no other cabinet fits there. Another type of pencil case cabinets is for built-in appliances. You can place an oven, microwave, food processor or coffee machine in a high module, and install a hob next to it, so all food preparation will be concentrated in one place. In modern kitchen sets, the refrigerator is also discreetly hidden behind the façade of a tall pencil case. The kitchen can be equipped with a whole block of several tall cabinets.

Functional purpose - how kitchen corner cabinets can be used

The functionality of corner modular structures directly depends on the internal equipment of the furniture. Getting kitchen utensils from the stationary shelves of corner cabinets is not very convenient. To optimize the process of storing household utensils, modern furniture manufacturers offer many design solutions.

Types of storage systems

Modern storage systems allow you to store a wide variety of kitchen accessories of different sizes on the shelves of narrow corner cases - large pots, pans, containers with food and spices, cutlery, etc. Popular storage systems used in corner modules include:

• turning carousels,
• hinge mechanisms,
• smartcorners.

Rotary carousels are several semicircular shelves mounted on a stationary vertical stand. The design is equipped with rotating mechanisms that ensure rotation of the shelves around an axis. The maximum rotation angle is 2700. The storage sections have an angular cutout that ensures the closure of the cabinet doors. To prevent objects from falling from the shelves when the carousel rotates, the design provides a protective edge made of a thin metal rod.

The hinged mechanism ensures rotation and synchronous extension of two sections. To activate the mechanism, simply pull the top shelf. Shelves are made in the shape of a figure eight; they can be metal or plastic. Each shelf can withstand a load of up to 20 kg. A system with one hinge mechanism is called a twincorner. A more complex device, the slidecorner, consists of two hinges that provide rotation and extension of each shelf individually.

The operating principle of a smartcorner or so-called “magic corner” is based on the use of retractable systems. One or two mesh metal shelves are attached to the inside of the doors of the corner module; inside the pencil case there are several more drawers. The shelves are connected in such a way that when the doors are opened, the storage systems are pulled out sequentially one after another, similar to the principle of tram cars. Mesh baskets located on the facade doors can withstand up to 7 kg of weight, elements located inside the pencil case - up to 20 kg.

Corner kitchen cabinets for built-in appliances

A tall corner cabinet is often used to house household kitchen appliances. A dishwasher, microwave oven, oven, coffee machine, freezer, and bread maker can be built into the column cabinet.

One corner module can simultaneously accommodate several kitchen devices, for example, an oven and a microwave oven. Built-in appliances are installed in a pencil case at a height of 40 to 80 cm from the floor.

Electrical household appliances generate additional heat during operation. To ensure the removal of hot air, the horizontal elements of the column cabinet should not touch the walls closely; the gap is about 5 cm. The column section for installing built-in appliances does not have a back wall.

Materials for production

As for any kitchen furniture, the materials used in the manufacture of pencil cases must be of high quality, resistant to moisture and mechanical damage. Experts strongly recommend that when purchasing or ordering furniture, pay close attention to the materials from which it is made, door opening mechanisms, and the choice of fittings; usually stores always have catalogs with the necessary photos. In production they use:

• natural wood is an expensive, reliable material, excellent quality, but it requires constant care;
• MDF - the quality is almost as good as wooden models, much cheaper and easier to use, with good care it will last a long time, looks great on front surfaces;
• Chipboard – almost no different from the previous option, also budget-friendly in terms of costs;
• plastic is not the best material for the kitchen, it is not durable;
• metal - used to decorate furniture in a certain style.

Wood

Metal

Chipboard

MDF

For finishing facades, painting, polishing, and lamination with thermal film are used, which adds strength to the product. Modern designers have increasingly recently begun to use glass doors in the decoration of cabinets; they look aesthetically pleasing, original and very beautiful. Especially the upper parts of pencil cases where dishes are displayed. To create a bold, unusual interior, glass of different shades is used. Various slats and handles are used for decoration; the “retro” style involves “artificial aging” - a special technology for processing facades.

When choosing furniture, pay attention to the quality of materials and fittings; there should be no chips or scratches on the items, doors should open easily, and drawers and shelves should slide out without effort.

Types of facade opening systems

To make a kitchen with a pencil case in the corner as convenient as possible, you should choose the right facade opening system. The following types of mechanisms are distinguished.

• Swing. This mechanism is the easiest to create and operate. The door is hung on the side of the pencil case using hinges. In many cases, such pencil cases are equipped with closers. The disadvantages of this type of cabinet include the need for free space in front of the pencil case, so using such furniture in small rooms will be problematic.
• Retractable systems. Typically, these are found in cabinets equipped with a “magic corner”. The disadvantages of this type of mechanism include high cost due to the design features. Typically, ball or roller bearings are used for extension. It is recommended to install closers and limiters.
• Sliding. Rarely used on pencil cases, but still found. To open, the blade moves along the guides. Usually two doors are used, each of which is small in size. The only advantage of this design is that there is no need for free space in front of the cabinet.

Form

The classic pencil case for the kitchen looks tall and narrow, but there are no clear size requirements. The size and layout of everyone's kitchen is different, so choosing a cabinet as a separate module is quite difficult. It is either already included in the kitchen set, or is made to order according to individual parameters. When choosing an item based on the proposed photos in magazines, you need to clearly, down to the centimeter, know all the dimensions and parameters of your kitchen and the existing furniture; the height and depth of the pencil case must match the dimensions of the rest of the furniture.

The shape of the cabinets is quite monotonous (rectangular), although there are very original and creative models. For example, a corner pencil case with a semicircular shape is quite unusual and unusual for the average person (in our vision, a narrow and long closet with many shelves has long been rooted). Therefore, bold forms cause mistrust and admiration among different people. Beveled edges on column cabinets smooth out their rough shapes. The interior should be as spacious as possible; the number of things and objects that can fit there depends on this. An excellent option would be to install two identical modules for installing appliances: one for the built-in oven, the other for the refrigerator and spacious shelves covered with fronts.

The option of making custom-made kitchen furniture is the most popular among consumers. Here there is room for your imagination to run wild, to determine the required dimensions, shape of each item, where to install them, additional elements, you can even specify and order decorative items. In this case, your kitchen with a pencil case will look exclusive and will be the envy of your friends and acquaintances.

The pencil case should not be installed in the middle between wall cabinets, as the geometry of the set will be disrupted. It is best to place it on both or one side along the edges, since the top edge of the remaining pendant modules will be aligned with them.

Types of facades - materials, shapes and decor

To make the facades of single-door cabinets, the following types of materials are used:

By request, the next note will be on the topic - a corner built-in wardrobe in the hallway photo. We believe you will like it.

• solid wood;
• MDF and chipboard;
• glass;
• aluminum profile.

Part of the facade of a narrow kitchen cabinet differs not only in the type of material, but also in configuration. The following forms of door leaves are distinguished:

• straight;
• radius.

Straight doors are used in the designs of trapezoidal corner cabinets. A curved facade can be concave or convex. In the designs of free-standing columns, radius facades with an outer radius are used.

For finishing work, paints and varnishes are used on parts of the facade made of solid wood. MDF facades and chipboard are covered with thermal film or plastic.

By request, the next post will be on the topic - a corner wall sliding wardrobe in the guest room. We believe you will like it.

The outer side of the facade can be decorated with a pattern. A corner kitchen with a pencil case with glass doors decorated with stained glass painting or laser engraving looks great.

Selection rules

When ordering or purchasing cabinets, you must take into account their intended purpose, whether household appliances will be installed in them or only a lightweight version is intended - for storing dishes and various household small items. Photos of kitchen cabinets and pencil cases of various designs, types, and designs can be seen in the catalogs of furniture stores. A few selection rules:

• the height of the cabinet must correspond to the height of the entire set of furniture as a whole;
• the depth of the column is not less than the depth of the other cabinets (preferably the same);
• high-quality material will guarantee a long service life of the product.

Manufacturers have recently been delighting customers with interesting design developments. In production, glass door elements on the facades of kitchen units are increasingly being used. Choose the most ergonomic option, with a niche for installing, if not large, then at least small household appliances, because progress does not stand still, more and more various kitchen appliances are being offered to help housewives, and in our small-sized kitchens it is difficult to place all this .

An interesting new idea is the rational organization of the workspace, when tall pencil cases are not offered in the form of separate modules, but are boldly integrated into the entire kitchen wall. All the insides of the cabinets are hidden behind a blank facade, which looks like a single wall, and the internal compartments are quite spacious: there is room to put household appliances, place all the available utensils and household items. The design is spacious and unnoticeable; you can decorate this “wall” at your discretion, in different colors. The kitchen cabinet pencil case is a very convenient, useful piece of furniture in any kitchen, even a very small one, when the space does not allow increasing the number of furniture modules, the pencil case is quite capable of solving this problem.

Photo