Look, I get it. You’re staring at that awkward kitchen corner wondering why architects seem to think we all have magical storage powers. Those dead spaces mock us daily while we’re trying to find room for our ever-growing collection of gadgets we swore we’d use more often.
Believe me, I have been there – piling things into crevices only to lose what’s behind there. However, here is the point: those corners are not your enemy. They are the untouched goldmine that is in need of the proper approach. Several years of experimenting (and, admittedly, failing) helped me to unlock secrets of turning every square inch to my advantage.
Corner Pantry Solutions That Actually Work
Pull-Out Corner Drawers
Have you ever opened your corner cabinet only to become played at hide-and-seek with your jars of spice? Corner drawers pull out have the answer to this nightmare. I had put lazy Susans in my previous apartment believing that I was so smart, and like I found that half of my stuff could be lost back there.
The game-changer? Full extension deep pull-out drawers. You are allowed full access to all and nothing slips away in the corner abyss. This is what is brilliant about them:
Can see all items stored in full view without twists and turns • Can find what is stored easily without twists and turns • Maximizes corner storage space • avoids the forgotten food graveyard syndrome.
Corner Spice Racks
Small kitchens should contain intelligent spice shelves, rather than attractive Instagram-friendly shelves, which take up valuable counter space. Corner spice racks are magic wonders in the tight areas of the house, more so the rotating racks that can get everything in reach.
My own kitchen disasters have had a pro tip that I intend to share with you: Do not use the magnetic spice jars on the fridge. They are adorable yet tip over all the time (aknd I found this out with my pricey saffron ouch).
Clever Corner Cabinet Configurations
The Magic Corner System
This is where I will blow your mind- magic corner cabinets are not actually magic but seem like it. These clever apparatuses draw corner contents to you with a pull. No longer do you cower in the cabinets and feel like you are in the cave.
I have changed my old corner cabinet with one of these beauties, and all at once I was able to use that space not only to stash my broken dreams and my expired cans goods.
Diagonal Corner Drawers
Fight the corner, why not hug it? Diagonal corner drawers do not oppose but rather go with the space. They’re perfect for storing:
Knife boards and baking sheets • huge serving dishes • kitchen towels and linens • those giant pots that you use twice a year.
Corner Appliance Stations
Coffee Corner Setup
Be frank, coffee should be given its own special area particularly in small kitchens where there is a high premium in terms of counter real estate over real estate. Corner coffee stations make an effective morning command center that does not need to crowd your primary prep space.
My corner coffee system consists of a small shelf system that has the items like beans down to filters. By the way, such an arrangement rescued my marriage since my partner does not have to grope through my coffee mess, every morning.
Microwave Corner Placement
Microwaves are such a relative that everybody has but nobody speaks about them: needed, though embarrassing. Corner microwave positioning would remove this appliance out of the way and leave it available.
Consider these placement options:
| Location | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Corner Counter | Easy access | Takes counter space |
| Corner Shelf | Frees counter | Requires proper support |
| Under-Cabinet | Space efficient | Height limitations |
Creative Corner Storage Ideas
Floating Corner Shelves
Dead wall space can be converted to storage gold with floating corner shelves. I mean those clumsy upper corners that normally only accumulate dust and condemnation of the visitors. These shelves are particularly suitable with:
Utensils and crockery that you use day to day and glassware that has a purpose behind it and decorations such as cooking books that you ever need to consult (not on display) and plants that have a way of outliving you.
The trick? Put them up where they are practical to your activities and not only in a place that looks good.
Corner Pot Racks
Putting pot racks in corners not only open up room in the cabinets but also make the kitchen look almost professional. Corner pot racks are especially effective in a galley kitchen where centimeter counts.
Only thing to remember is that this will only appear good when you actually use those pots frequently. Nothing can shout “they are trying too hard” like dusty display cookware.
Corner Seating and Dining Solutions
Banquette Corner Seating
Small kitchens are mostly associated with loss of space to dine, but when it comes to corner banquette seating, things are different. You make a cute little dining area and make a storage space beneath it – who does not need more storage?
I have watched friends turn their kitchens into built-in corner banquettes where four people can sit comfortably storing all the seasonal foods, extra linen and all those just in case kitchen appliances.
Corner Breakfast Nooks
Corner breakfast nooks allow small kitchens to seem purposefully small and not accidentally tiny. The trick is to select the appropriate size table and the comfortable circulation of traffic.
Round tables are better in snug spots since they remove the sharp corners that bruise hips (this is speaking out of painful experience here).
Lighting Corner Solutions
Under-Cabinet Corner Lighting
Dark corners kill the functionality of the kitchen quicker than milk that has expired kills the cereal plans. Incorner LED strip lighting is used to illuminate those dark areas where accidents occur and ingredients conceal themselves.
The best part? Contemporary LED strips are less expensive than your monthly coffee habit and last longer than most trends in the kitchen.
Corner Pendant Lights
Corner pendant lighting brings focal points and gives you the task lighting where you need it. These pieces of furniture are particularly effective around corner sinks or breakfast nooks.
Select fixtures that match your space and do not overpower it- you are dealing with a small space here.
Budget-Friendly Corner Hacks
DIY Corner Lazy Susans
There is no need to have costly bespoke solutions to enable corners. Simple turntables can be turned into DIY lazy Susans and turned the corner cabinets into an effective storage space under 20 dollars.
I fashioned one out of a pizza pan and a few ball bearings – it has been rotating well within three years and counting. The easiest things are sometimes the best.
Tension Rod Corner Storage
The corner tension rods form immediate storage of cleaning supplies, dish towels or spray can. It is not glamorous, it is brilliant and it costs you practically nothing.
This hack is particularly effective in the cumbersome corner under sink storage where normal storage would be a complete failure.
Corner Organization Systems
Modular Corner Units
The modular storage systems don’t need the kitchen to be changed to suit your ever-changing needs. These expandable options expand with your storage needs and food preparation.
It is the beauty of customization: begin small and add a detail when it is necessary. It is like adult play blocks that adults need more room in their cabinets.
Corner Drawer Organizers
Even the finest corner drawers do not work without any order. Special drawer organizers keep all things in their niche and avoid the notorious junk drawer syndrome.
In my opinion, it is worth investing in a good organizer than investing in a high priced gadget you will use twice and forget.
Making It All Work Together
The following is the reality check, not all corners solutions are applicable to all kitchens. What is reasonable in your space will depend on your cooking habits, family size, and day in, day out activities.
Begin with the most important pain issues. Is it storage? Counter space? Traffic flow? Solve those, then construct your corner solutions around what is needed, not what is possible on Pinterest.
The most suitable small kitchen is the one that utilizes all the space without becoming crowded and/or complex. Corner solutions are practical when they make your life easier and not when they make a problem out of nothing.
Keep in mind, small kitchens can be big personalities, when created with proper thinking. The corners which you previously found annoying can be turned into your kitchen secret weapons- those corners that then work harder and smarter than you had ever imagined.
Their transformation is in the corner of your kitchen. The question is: are you willing to cease fighting them and to begin making them work on your behalf?