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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Any views please on pull out larder cupboards?

22 replies

Biccy · 31/08/2009 22:55

Does anybody have one of those pull-out larder thingys in their kitchen? and if so, do you like it, or do you think cupboards are just as good? I quite fancy one as I can never see what's in my food cupboard and am forever buying stuff only to find the same stuff lurking at the back next time I clear out. But, dp thinks they take up valuable worksurface space and impose too much (it's a fairly narrow galley kitchen). I'm also worried that the baskets are actually spaced rather far apart, so unless you have lots and lot of tall bottles and cereal boxes and jars of spaghetti, you will end up wasting lots of vertical space.

Would love your views. Thank you.

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 31/08/2009 22:59

I loved mine in my last kitchen - I had two. One was all tins/sauces. The other devoted solely to baking - even kept my Kitchanaid on the bottom shelf. They are thinner than normal cupboards though so you only waste a little space - frankly I think I wasted less space with them.

I found much less stuff went out of date and it encouraged me to bake more.

I miss them.

stealthsquiggle · 31/08/2009 23:00

Which sort do you mean - we have floor to ceiling narrow ones (2 of them) and they are wonderful (if now somewhat chaotic) - they are the only 2 cupboards (apart from spice cupboard) which have food in in our kitchen - they hold a lot and replace I reckon 5 or 6 'ordinary' cupbaords as there is no lost space at the back.

You do have a point about the spacing, but it does work well for us (not a galley kitchen, though).

Original poster

Biccy · 31/08/2009 23:02

Thank you Laurie.

OP posts:

Original poster

Biccy · 31/08/2009 23:07

Thanks stealthsquiggle, I mean the tall type. I'm considering just one narrow one (300mm). At the moment all our dry food (except tea/coffee type stuff and cereal) is kept in one wall cupboard (1000mm wide), and it is so hard to find what you want and I normally have to take out 5 or 6 things to get what I need.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 31/08/2009 23:10

Friend has a narrow one in a tiny kitchen, it is fab and full of stuff. Lots of stuff decanted into appropriate containers to make the most of the shelving gaps.

It's on my "essential" list when I get a new kitchen, I'm that impressed.

Original poster

Biccy · 31/08/2009 23:13

Thank you CarGirl - does that also mean you don't think it's too imposing in a small kitchen (the units are going to be cream gloss, DP allowing)?

OP posts:

choosyfloosy · 31/08/2009 23:14

NARROW ones are absolutely amazing. I have a friend with a truly tiny galley kitchen (tbh I've seen boats with bigger galleys) and the larder takes everything. So I had one in our new kitchen (which is no longer a galley HOORAY) and it is wonderful. You do have to watch the spacing a bit - I put one shelf high up because tins didn't need more space than that IYSWIM, but in fact you need a bit of extra space to be able to read the labels.

My mum has got a wide one (full unit size) and rather regrets it, it's hard to reach round. Get a full-height narrow one.

CarGirl · 31/08/2009 23:16

No it's not imposing at all, it's a narrow one and is next to her fridge/freezer

CarGirl · 31/08/2009 23:17

Friend with huge galley kitchen has 2 narrow ones side by side and they look fab too, these have fake drawers for some reason and are high gloss. Still very impressive though!

RustyBear · 31/08/2009 23:17

I have one & I love it - the baskets on mine can be moved around, so you can vary the gaps between the shelves. (I think you may be able to get extra baskets too, though I never have)

This is my second - I had one in our previous house & really missed it when we moved - I couldn't wait to redo the kitchen so I could have a pull out larder again. The first one was in a fairly narrow kitchen & never seemed to be in the way.

choosyfloosy · 31/08/2009 23:27

Oh I also have to pass on the most wonderful thing I have ever had in my new kitchen - my washing cupboard. It's a normal bottom level cupboard next to the washing machine with 2 pull out baskets, and I keep the ironing on the bottom and the dirty washing waiting to be washed on the top level, each lot in its own washing basket as well(really, that would make more sense the other way round...) I've never before had a functional place to keep laundry except way back when I had a spare bedroom! it's heaven.

Original poster

Biccy · 31/08/2009 23:35

Thanks everyone, that is really useful. Am definitely going to do more work on the designs which include the larder.

I know I am extremely lucky to be getting a new kitchen, and I'm desperate to get it right - it's so easy to moan about the kitchen you've inherited... but I'd hate to moan about the one I designed for myself!

OP posts:

stealthsquiggle · 31/08/2009 23:42

chosyfloosy I would be of your washing cupboard except that we are lucky enough to have a utility room (aka the cat's bedroom/ general dumping ground) and anyway I know my laundry piles would end up overflowing there as they do everywhere else

OP - our two tall narrow units hold everything - vast stores of pasta, tins, jars, flour etc (lots of baking supplies), cereals, biscuits (on top shelf out of reach of DC) and everything else under the sun as we cook a lot and live a long way from the nearest supermarket.

Definitely go for it, but go and jump up and down on some samples from your supplier - they need to be strong.

charlieandlola · 01/09/2009 00:00

Some are really crap quality- and you need adjustable height baskets for versatility.
They take a bashing every time the cupboard is opened so please don't get a flimsy one>

HerHonesty · 01/09/2009 06:38

yes brilliant but didnt hold the big packets of cereal (the really massive ones) but i changed my shopping habits.

Original poster

Biccy · 01/09/2009 07:43

I am envious of the washing cupboards and utility rooms... I am trying to fit in some sort of broom cupboard as well so I can hide the ironing board, broom, mop etc.

Probably getting the kitchen from Howdens. someone I know a little bit is having one fitted right now, so I'll try and take a peek at the quality of it, and hope she's having a larder!

OP posts:

bloss · 01/09/2009 08:29

Message withdrawn

ABetaDad · 01/09/2009 08:52

Biccy - I think those pull out larder cupboards are fab. I saw one once in a house we looked at to rent. It was a cream gloss kitchen. We did not rent the house but I still want THAT kitchen and especially the larder cupboard.

As it happens, I am rearrangng the contents of our kitchen cupboards in our new house today and am sat here now looking at all the kitchen cupboard doors and the larder cupboard door thinking how inconvenient they are to use and what an inefficient use of space. The cuboards are to deep to reach the back of very easily and not really full. Loads of horizontal and vertical space wasted.

Everyone should have a pull out larder and especially in a small kitchen.

GrendelsMum · 01/09/2009 09:19

You know what's really brilliant in a new kitchen - drawers instead of cupboards. It's incredible how much more usable space you get from a drawer rather than a cupboard (because there's no lost space at the back), and we store everything in them (cutlery, glasses, mugs, spices, plates, etc etc). Our old kitchen was tiny and we got almost double the storage space by replacing all the cupboards with drawers. They're much more expensive than cupboards, but if you're tight on space, they are worth it in every way.

HerHonesty · 01/09/2009 19:01

agree with you re draws GM. ABD know what you mean about cupboards. current kitchen has completely unusable double cupboards which i have managed to make more useable by getting a load of ikea wire baskets which slot easily in and then they become more "drawer" like and you can get to all the stuff at the back. worth trying, the baskets are about £1 or something. but you do have to go to ikea!

ABetaDad · 01/09/2009 21:36

Good tip about Ikea wire baskets. My parents are havng a new kitchen made for them and they have two very deep L Shaped cupbaords in two corners of the kitchen. There is a sort of mechanical swing basket arrangement that brings the contents of the cupboard out toward you as you open the door.

stealthsquiggle · 03/09/2009 10:37

Our drawers are great - they hold all crockery and pans. Again, though, they need to be strong so check out the quality (and guarantees) of whichever kitchen supplier you are looking at.

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