Where to store numerous products, pans, pots, cutlery and other household utensils in the limited space of a small kitchen is an urgent issue for many housewives. Modern furniture designers have proposed the optimal solution to the dilemma - kitchen cabinets under the ceiling.
Kitchen with cupboards to the ceiling - features, advantages and disadvantages
Cabinets for the kitchen to the ceiling - a new-fangled global trend that allows you to effectively use the usable space of a small room.
The furniture is characterized by a large capacity, since its height allows you to place a large number of shelves and compartments inside the kitchen.
Along with saving square meters, floor-to-ceiling furniture greatly simplifies the cleaning process, the lack of free space between the cabinets and the ceiling eliminates the need to remove dust from the upper surface of the furniture.
Equipping a kitchen with a ceiling set is an excellent design technique that allows you to visually expand the space of a small room. Such a solution will save money on the purchase of finishing materials, since floor-to-ceiling furniture occupies the entire surface of the wall, creating a single ensemble.
Despite many advantages, kitchen cabinets in the ceiling have some disadvantages:
- difficult access to the upper shelves,
- high price of furniture.
In addition, it is not always possible to use tall cabinets in the interior of the kitchen, the peculiarities of the configuration of the ceiling or communication systems can serve as an obstacle.
Floor high cabinets under the ceiling in the kitchen
Floor models are cabinets-columns, occupying the entire space from floor to ceiling. Kitchen pencil cases in the ceiling can be used as a storage system for kitchen items or used to install household appliances. So, for example, a refrigerator may be hidden behind the facade of a cabinet-column.
A popular constructive solution is three sectional floor cabinets to the ceiling. The lower and upper part of the furniture is used to store food and household items, the middle is used to house appliances - microwave, oven, coffee maker and more.
Typical cabinet sizes:
- height - 210-240 cm
- depth - from 45 to 60 cm,
- width - 40.50 or 80 cm.
Wall-mounted kitchen cabinets
Mounted modules are located in the upper row of the headset and are used to store bulk products, spices, tableware and other small items. The top line of the kitchen set can consist of single high modules or cabinets arranged in two rows. Double row placement significantly increases the number of storage systems.
The hinged kitchen cabinet to the ceiling has the following standard sizes:
- height - 90-120 cm,
- depth - 30 cm
- width - from 30 to 100 cm.
How to choose the right cabinet for the ceiling in the kitchen - features and selection criteria
A cupboard to the ceiling is a piece of furniture that is purchased for many years, so it is very important to choose high-quality modules that are ideally combined in design with the overall style of the kitchen.
A certain number of requirements related to operating conditions are put forward for kitchen furniture:
- resistance to temperature extremes,
- moisture resistance
- resistance to mechanical damage.
When choosing cabinets, special attention should be paid to the materials from which the structural elements of furniture are made, and the quality of the fittings. Important criteria are attractive appearance, internal content, door opening systems.
Storage systems for kitchen cabinets - which are
The functionality of kitchen furniture directly depends on the internal content. The following storage systems are used in the designs of tall cabinets:
- stationary shelves,
- drawers
- retractable mesh baskets,
- swivel shelves
- magic corner
- extendable columns
- Bottles.
Stationary shelves and drawers are standard equipment for storing various products and utensils.
Retractable mesh baskets are internal filling elements installed under the sink. The U-shape of the shelves allows you to bypass communication systems and effectively use the free space under the sink.
Carousel shelves and the “magic” corner system are used in corner cabinets. Storage systems are equipped with special rotary mechanisms that provide easy access to the contents of the compartments.
Retractable columns - a system consisting of several mesh compartments equipped with a ball extension mechanism. The storage system is characterized by high reliability and large capacity. One mesh basket can support up to 20 kg of weight.
Bottles are a narrow compartment designed to store food in bottles (vinegar, sunflower oil, sauces) or tall narrow containers.
Types of cabinet door opening systems
Swing opening system - a budget and simple mechanism on furniture hinges. The disadvantages of the system include the need for free space for swinging door leafs. Open doors of the upper row may threaten the integrity of the head of inattentive owners.
Lifting opening systems are a great alternative to swing doors. The gas lifts included in the design of the mechanism securely lock the door leaf in a horizontal position. Lifting facades are used in the construction of the upper modules.
Sliding doors are applicable both in the construction of high kitchen cabinets and in hinged modules for the ceiling. Door leaves move along special roller guides; in the open state they absolutely do not occupy the kitchen space. The disadvantages of the system include limited access to the interior of the cabinet.
Lifting and folding opening systems are an ideal solution for equipping top row modules. The principle of the mechanism is based on the use of a special hinge, which simultaneously raises the front part and folds the doors according to the “accordion” principle.
Facades - materials and decor
The modern furniture market offers a rich assortment of kitchen facades. Today in the manufacture of facade parts of furniture used:
- natural wood
- MDF
- Chipboard
- aluminum profile with inserts.
To improve the performance of particleboard and MDF, the facades are finished with a coating of their PVC film or a thin layer of plastic.
The following materials are used as decorative inserts of an aluminum profile:
Features of the selection of colors for the kitchen with cabinets in the ceiling
So that the kitchen set under the ceiling does not look bulky, you need to correctly approach the choice of color of furniture. Glossy surfaces and light neutral shades will help to avoid heavy weight:
Add high furniture lightness will help built-in lighting. The backlight looks spectacular behind the glass facades of the cabinets. And halogen or fluorescent lamps, built over the upper cabinets, will serve as additional light sources.
Photo of kitchen sets with cabinets to the ceiling
Modern design solutions allow you to organize a functional modernized space even in a small kitchen. The path to success is to use tall cabinets and a well-planned room design!
