Sink for a corner kitchen: 9 tips for choosing

Features of corner kitchens

The kitchen set can be installed in one line, and this option is often used in narrow small kitchens. It can be U-shaped - a good solution for spacious kitchens. In separate rooms it would be appropriate to arrange kitchen furniture in two parallel lines, and in some places to additionally use a kitchen island. Corner sets are great for square kitchens Among their advantages:

compactness and spaciousness . You will be surprised how much useful stuff fits in a relatively small space;
the ability to place the sink, stove and refrigerator - key elements in any kitchen - in the corners of the triangle. This arrangement will greatly simplify the daily work of any housewife;
the ability to zone even a small kitchen. The kitchen corner leaves enough space in another corner of the kitchen to accommodate a cozy dining area. Even in a Khrushchev house a compact table and several chairs will fit, and if the space allows, then you can put a soft corner.

The corner kitchen, alas, is not universal. In some cases it will not work, as it has some disadvantages :

a corner set is not suitable for long narrow kitchens;
the corner part of the kitchen can be compared in capacity to a small pantry, but in order to organize convenient access to it, it will be necessary to provide special fittings, and this will certainly affect the price;
if the kitchen has niches, ledges and other complex elements, then a corner kitchen will have to be ordered, i.e. the furniture will be more expensive than standard furniture.

And yet, for a small square kitchen, a corner set is the ideal solution. The sink, in fact, can be located anywhere, but in 99% of cases it is installed in the corner so that the desired working triangle is formed. Therefore, when considering the choice of sink for a corner kitchen, we will keep in mind the angular location of the sink.

Corner sinks: pros and cons

If you place the sink in the corner of the kitchen unit, you will be able to get a lot of benefits:

there is a lot of space left on both sides of the sink;
it will be possible to arrange an ideal working triangle, when the distance between the sink, stove and refrigerator is as comfortable as possible for movement;
Under the sink there is a spacious place for storing dishes or household chemicals. There will fit a water filter and a disposer for grinding waste, a small water heater, large kitchen utensils - at your discretion. True, the space will need to be properly organized so that there is access to the farthest corners;
Ease of use;
wide selection of different models;
aesthetics.

Before deciding to install a corner sink, you should take into account some of their disadvantages :

if one person washes the dishes, then it will be very problematic for the second to approach the sink;
difficulty in accessing communications, since the door under the corner section is smaller than the space that is hidden behind it;
corner tabletop elements are more expensive than straight ones;
The corner behind the sink can become a dead zone, so you need to carefully consider the organization of the space.

Shape of corner sinks

What can be considered a corner sink? If it’s just a sink that is placed in the corner of the set, then it can have absolutely any shape. Some experts are of the opinion that a real corner sink has the shape of a trapezoid. We will not be tied only to the trapezoidal shape and will consider the whole variety of sinks for corner kitchens:

round and oval sinks They look aesthetically pleasing, there are no corners where food and moisture residues can accumulate, which means it will be much easier to keep it clean. A round sink takes up minimal space on the countertop, but there is not much space inside either. Choose a diameter so that the largest pan can fit, otherwise the process of washing dishes can turn into daily hell;
square and rectangular sinks - a real classic. Even though they take up more space than their round counterparts, their bowl is larger and can accommodate more dishes. If the corners of the sink are straight, without any roundings, then you will have to more carefully monitor the cleanliness of the sink surface;
A trapezoidal sink is ideal for corner kitchens. This form allows you to maximize their potential. The models are distinguished by the presence of several bowls, space for drying plates and food, etc. Bowls in a trapezoidal sink can be round or square, less often they have a triangular or other shape.

How not to make a mistake in choosing - shape and dimensions

When choosing the size of the sink, you should proceed from considerations of ergonomics and what kind of cabinet is installed in the kitchen. A small sink would only be appropriate in a small kitchen with a small cabinet.

The most comfortable sink, according to experts, is rectangular. So, any ordinary sink can be placed in a corner if the set has a pentagonal corner cabinet 90x90 cm. In general, the corner becomes the most convenient working area if a module with five edges is placed under the countertop. In the next photo you can see the difference.

There are also square, triangular, and oval bowls, but they often act only as an element of a sink consisting of two bowls.

Combined sinks of this type are often used where there is a need to save space - one part of them can be used for dishes, and the second for vegetables, fruits, defrosting food, which is very convenient. And the shape of the bowl must certainly correspond to the general style.

Advice! It’s good when the product is supplemented with a wing for drying dishes.

An important factor in choice is size, including depth. After all, if the sink is too deep, you will have to constantly bend over when washing. An overly small, shallow model is also inconvenient - when washing dishes, splashes will fly out of it in all directions, leaving stains on the furniture and countertops. The optimal size here is 20 cm.

Material of manufacture

The operational and aesthetic properties of the sink depend on the material from which it is made. The following solutions are popular:

Stainless steel sinks have a low price and a solid set advantages. They withstand high temperatures well, are not afraid of impacts, are easy to care for and durable. The steel can be matte, glossy, semi-gloss and even patterned, so the sink can easily fit into any interior style. Main minus steel sinks - noise when water falls from the tap. To reduce discomfort, it is better to choose a sink made of thicker steel. Connoisseurs of silence can pay attention to products with rubber layers. In operation, sinks with a matte surface perform best, since on a glossy surface scratches and traces of water drops become more noticeable;
A sink made of artificial stone will decorate any kitchen. Such products are made using slightly different technologies, but the general principle is the same - a binder (usually acrylic resins, up to 20%) and dyes are added to the stone chips (up to 80%). The result is a product that is visually indistinguishable from natural stone. The variety of colors and patterns is huge; any natural stone can be imitated. In addition to aesthetics, pros Composite sinks include absolute noiselessness, strength, resistance to high temperatures, ease of maintenance, durability and maintainability (scratches can be polished). Artificial stone does not conduct electricity, and in the kitchen, where there are a lot of household appliances, this is important. Basic flaw - high price. It is also worth considering the decent weight of the product (this is the load on the tabletop). Resistance to high temperatures depends on the quality of the product: good sinks can withstand 2800C without any problems, but bad ones cannot withstand temperature changes (they are even afraid of food coloring). No matter how expensive and high-quality the sink is, very hot objects should be placed on its surface with great care - white marks may remain;

Artificial stone sinks GranFest

Domestic sinks made of artificial stone GranFest have proven themselves to be excellent. On the company’s website https://granfest.ru you can see the widest range of GranFest and EWIGSTEIN sinks. The catalog presents models in various colors with one and two bowls and a wing. You can find the optimal solution for kitchens of different sizes, decorated in different interior styles. Suitable mixers, dispensers, grinders and other accessories are also available. The high quality of products is confirmed by compliance with all European and domestic standards.

Ceramic sinks are an option for those who do not like standard solutions. Ceramics have proven themselves to be resistant to high temperatures, scratches, excellent appearance, hygiene and ease of care. Such a sink will not make noise, even with a strong flow of water. But why have such products never gained much popularity? It's all about their fairly large weight and tenderness. If a more or less heavy object falls onto the sink (and in the kitchen the probability of such an outcome is high), the product may crack, and then it will have to be completely replaced - repairs in this case will be impossible. Plus, such sinks are not cheap;
Enameled sinks are used less and less. Today, this solution is more likely for those who want to create an interior in a retro style than for those who value the special performance qualities of such products. However, enamel sinks are not short of practicality. The product is a bowl made of steel or cast iron, coated with a thick layer of protective enamel, which protects the metal from corrosion and makes the product more aesthetically pleasing. Enameled sinks are inexpensive, easy to clean, durable, resistant to high temperatures, durable, and due to the many shades of enamel, the sink can fit into any interior style. The products have almost completely left modern kitchens due to low mechanical strength - chips and cracks may occur when pans and pots are dropped. Traces of food coloring may remain on the enamel, but with normal care it will be possible to maintain the surface in its original form for a long time. Please note that not all products are suitable for cleaning such a sink - metal brushes and acidic detergents can damage the enamel. Like stainless steel sinks, enameled ones make decent noise when water falls;
A wooden sink is a rare beast in the kitchen. Yes, this product looks more than solid. There will be no noise when water falls, the material itself is durable, and scratches can be easily polished, but the sink will need regular maintenance. A tree that is exposed to water and temperature changes every day will quickly become covered with cracks and mold without special means. Is it worth talking about the high price of such sinks? A wooden sink is an option for kitchens where cooking is done infrequently, and it is not the practicality of the material that comes to the fore, but its aesthetics;
A sink made of natural stone is very beautiful and very expensive. The advantages of the solution include high strength, resistance to moisture and temperature changes. No amount of impact will damage the surface of the sink, but many performance characteristics depend on the type of stone. Granite, for example, is an example of strength, and marble, due to its high porosity, can become colored over time by food coloring. In addition, a stone sink weighs a fair amount, which will significantly complicate installation.

Design

Let's return specifically to my kitchen. As I already wrote above, the choice of the concept of my set was influenced by a washing machine, the main feature of which is the vertical loading of laundry. That is, unlike most washing machines, my “working” plane is the top plane, and all the rest can be hidden from the eyes of an outside observer. This is how the idea of a corner kitchen was born, where the sides of the corner are cabinets and the top is the machine. This arrangement is the most rational and provides maximum functionality.

In the photo above you can already see a new window installed without a window sill and in a reduced opening. The old opening, in my opinion, was too large for such a room, and I refused the window sill because I planned to fit a tabletop in its place. At the same time, electrical wiring was done and socket blocks for household appliances were installed. Later, tiles were laid on the floor and walls, and wallpaper was hung. I approached the final design of the headset with the following picture.

I started drawing the kitchen in AutoCAD because I wasn’t trained in any PRO100, and I didn’t set myself such an initial goal. Although I will not hide that if you master this specialized program, then in the future it will, based on your finished dimensions of the cabinets, itself carry out their detailing and even suggest the optimal fastening element. My AutoCAD drawing turned out to be much simpler, but at the same time quite visual.

Editor's note: for design, you could also use the online designer on our website. No special knowledge is required to use - just take it and draw.

Let's go over the main points regarding the cabinets I got:

I decided to place the floor row on decorative aluminum legs, with the ability to adjust them in height. In my opinion, aesthetically it looks better than a solid base, and besides, there remains (albeit limited) access under the cabinets (for a mop or rag, for visual inspection for leaks from the water supply or sewerage system). The presence of decorative legs must be taken into account when further detailing the cabinets (see detailing).
The facades of cabinets 1 and 5.6 (in fact, this is one cabinet, like 2.3, I just thought in its original form that it would be two cabinets, and already left the numbering as is, so as not to change) will open upward using gas elevators.

The facade of the drying cabinet (2.3) will open upward using the Aventos HF system.

The doors of cabinets 4 (above the washing machine) and 8 (under the sink) will be hinged on regular door hinges with a closer.
An oven will be built into cabinet 9, so it will be hollow, with only a small drawer underneath for storing baking sheets and a grill grate.
Cabinets 10.1-10.3 are three identical cabinets with drawers that will be secured with intersection bolts. Why drawers and not just shelves? The fact is that the contents of the retractable drawer are easy to glance at. To get to things located in the depths, you don’t have to carry out archaeological excavations. Shelves often turn into a “cemetery” of dishes and supplies, which the owners simply forget about.

Corner sink installation type

The choice of installation method depends on the material of the sink, the material of the countertop, the layout of the kitchen unit and the skill of the person who is going to install the sink. There are few installation options:

overhead sinks They are used less and less, although they are the easiest to install. The sink is simply mounted on top of the corner cabinet instead of part of the countertop and fixed accordingly. The weak point is the joints between the sink and the countertop, where moisture may remain and mold may appear in the future. If you treat the joint with a sealant, then the unpleasant consequences can be reduced to nothing. An overhead sink is a good solution for those who assemble the kitchen and install the sink on their own;
drop-in sink will require making a hole in the countertop the size of the sink, and jewelry precision is not needed when performing this work. The sink is inserted into the hole, its sides cling to the countertop, and at the bottom it is fixed with special fasteners. As with countertop sinks, the area where the sink and countertop meet requires sealant treatment. The installation process is not particularly complicated, therefore, if you have the necessary skills, it can be done with your own hands;
integrated sink mounted under the tabletop, fixed with special clamping mechanisms and brackets. This is the most aesthetic and hygienic installation option: since the sides of the sink do not extend onto the countertop, there will be nowhere for moisture to accumulate, which means there is minimal risk of mold. Installation of an integrated sink requires special skill from the performer - this cannot be done on your own. In addition, the kitchen will have to be made to order, because the hole in the countertop for the sink must be cut with millimeter precision.

Detailing and fittings

Let's imagine that the dimensions of your cabinet should be 600x700x300 mm. You take and order parts 600 mm wide, 700 mm high and 300 mm deep, and then try to fit them. Naturally, you won’t get anything good out of it, because you don’t take into account the thickness of the part and how these parts will be joined together and located in the finished product. This is exactly why it is necessary to do detailing - dividing the finished product into its individual components.

Before I move on to the large table with ready-made parts for my kitchen, I’ll explain a few more points about what comes from where and how.

Height of the floor row cabinet. The recommended standard height of the floor row is 860 mm. The thickness of the tabletop is usually 28 or 38 mm (mine is 38 mm). The height of the decorative legs is from 70 mm and above (I have 100 mm). So it turns out that the height of the cabinet (the box itself) in my case is equal to: 860 –38 – 100 = 722 mm. For the convenience of further calculations, I simply took 720 mm.

Drawers can be of several types:

The drawer box is assembled from the same material as the rest of the kitchen (chipboard) and is mounted on roller or telescopic guides. As they say - cheap and cheerful.

Tandemboxes

Metaboxes, tandemboxes, etc. In fact, these are ready-made boxes with fastening and adjustment systems, for which you just need to adjust the bottom and back wall (cut from chipboard). These systems are not cheap, but they are simple and easy to install. Plus they look very solid. Each manufacturer has schemes for calculating installation dimensions, additives and installation of their tandem boxes. Be sure to download them from the Internet, or take them from sellers, study them and start detailing.

Diagram and installation dimensions of the Boyard tandembox

Gas elevators and Aventos are mounted on top row cabinets and are designed to open and hold facades suspended. At a construction market or in a store, the seller will advise you about these things; you just need to tell us the material and dimensions of the facade that needs to be opened/held.

So, I present once again the kitchen diagram and the detailing that I ended up with.

Number of bowls

The number of bowls is selected depending on the size of the kitchen and the requirements of the housewife:

a single-bowl sink is the classic and most popular option, suitable for small kitchens as it takes up minimal space;
double bowl sink allows you to organize your work process more productively. In one bowl, for example, you can soak vegetables or herbs, defrost meat, and use the second for washing dishes. Trapezoidal sinks are usually equipped with two bowls. The bowls can be the same or vary in size. Alas, it is almost impossible to use such a solution in a small kitchen;
sink with three or more bowls (up to five) - a privilege for owners of large kitchens. This is an option for avid cooks who constantly wash, soak, rinse, and defrost something. The range of such sinks is not so large, and the prices are higher than for models with one or two bowls.

Color

Color is a factor that does not affect the technical characteristics of corner sinks. But, nevertheless, even color can greatly facilitate or complicate the life of the housewife.

For example, although white sinks are at the peak of popularity, over time they begin to turn yellow and absorb pigments from coffee, berries or beets. You have to acquire strong household chemicals.

Dark products are also not the best option, since every crumb and grain of sand will be visible on them. What to do then? Choose not monochromatic models, but with a pattern - at least speckled or stone-like.

This design will hide most small dirt, which means you won’t have to wipe the sink every five minutes.

The most common colors for corner sinks at the moment are:

white,
metallic (stainless steel);
black;
grey.

With the variety on the market today, you can find a sink of almost any color. The main thing is to make sure that it matches the rest of the interior.

Corner sink size

Finding the right size sink is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Firstly, it must correspond to the dimensions of the room, and secondly, it must meet the requirements of the owner. Alas, it is not always possible to fulfill both of these requirements, since domestic kitchens rarely boast a large area. In this case, it is better to start from the dimensions of the room, since a sink that is too large in a tiny kitchen will look out of place, and it will take up so much space that it will be impossible to work with food on the countertop.

Pay attention to the depth of the sink . The optimal depth is 15-18 cm. If this figure is more than 20 cm, then along with the increased capacity you will get a lot of inconvenience - you will have to bend over more, and if you wash dishes often, then back pain is not far away. Sinks with a depth of less than 15 cm will not be particularly spacious, but if the kitchen has a dishwasher, then this option will be sufficient.

How to choose?

To ensure that the chosen sink is as practical and convenient as possible, pay attention to additional factors that distinguish a model that is suitable in color and size from all others.

For example, the presence of side “wings”, on which you can conveniently lay out dishes that have already been washed or are waiting their turn, is perceived by most housewives rather as an advantage, and one should deny oneself such a component only in that case.

If the model simply does not fit into the corner allocated for it or you have to cut down the area of the cutting tabletop.

The complete set of the sink directly affects its cost, but if you choose an objectively better model, you won’t think about replacing it for a long time, so sometimes it makes sense to overpay once.

For example, in recent years it has become popular to equip the sink with a waste chopper - this is very practical if you often work with cutting vegetables and fish and are afraid that small, but at the same time not too small pieces will fall into the pipe and cause it to clog.

In addition, manufacturers have finally responded to the widespread trend of installing additional taps for drinking water, where the liquid enters separately, after first passing through a filter - some sinks today are specifically designed for the presence of excess spout.

Some leading companies have gone even further - they produce sinks complete with cutting boards.

This option is definitely worth exploring, because purchasing a set is always cheaper than buying two components separately, and sets are also beneficial in that they look holistic in aesthetic terms and make owners less concerned about the uniformity of the created interior.

If you want your sink to not only be practical and beautiful, but to cause real delight, consider installing an LED strip into the cabinet.

Recently, such a design move has gained unprecedented popularity, because it can revive even the most bland kitchen, but at the same time you need to carefully monitor compliance with waterproofing, because contact of electrical wiring with water is fraught with serious negative consequences.

Having decided on the model you like, you should check with the seller for the availability of all the necessary documents and certificates that prove that no harmful materials were used in the manufacturing process, and also give you the right to warranty service.

Furniture under the corner sink

A corner cabinet can accommodate a huge amount of kitchen utensils, appliances and other household items, but this is subject to proper organization of the space and convenient access to it. Ergonomics largely depends on how the door under the corner cabinet is made:

beveled door - the most popular option. The corner part of the tabletop has a rectangular shape, in front it has a bevel at an angle of 45 degrees, the door is equipped with a swing mechanism. Despite the widespread use of this solution, it cannot be called the most convenient, since the dimensions of the door are much smaller than the space of the cabinet - difficulties may arise with access to the most remote areas;
radius door in terms of operation, it is no different from the beveled one, but it looks more interesting;
with two doors, which swing open to the sides or fold like an accordion. In order to open the corner cabinet, you will need to use more space in front of it, but you will get maximum access to all parts of the cabinet.

The organization of the internal space depends on what you are going to store in the corner cabinet. If there are several trash cans there for separate waste collection, then you won’t have to come up with anything. But if you plan to use this part of the set for storing pots, detergents, etc., then the following ideas may be useful to you:

a roll-out mechanism facilitates access to the entire space of the corner cabinet;
shelves can be made rotating;
On the door you can organize a storage system of hooks and small shelves.

Due to communications under the sink, minor difficulties may arise when arranging storage areas.

Accessories for corner sinks

If space and financial capabilities allow, then a regular kitchen sink can be made more functional by using the following accessories:

an automatic valve allows you to close the sink drain with one click and turn it into a small bathtub to conveniently wash vegetables;
side wings for drying dishes, vegetables and herbs;
cutting boards, the size of which completely matches the size of the sink. With their help, you can increase the working area, which is especially important when two housewives are cooking in the kitchen at the same time;
colander – a bowl-shaped tray with a lot of holes, designed for defrosting frozen foods. Relevant for sinks with two or more bowls;
the washing basket also follows the shape of the bowl and has a lot of holes, but is deeper than the colander;
a drinking water tap will allow you to separately supply clean filtered water, while the filter resources will not be spent on purifying the water used for washing dishes. Economical;
detergent dispenser with a dispenser under the sink, it greatly simplifies the process of washing dishes, but requires you to allocate space in the cabinet and constantly replenish the supply of detergent;
The waste shredder is installed under the sink and reduces the risk of sewer clogging. At the same time, it will rid the kitchen of unpleasant odors, because organic waste can simply be crushed and sent to the sewer - it will not rot in the trash can and stink.

Finally, we note that it does not hurt to also pay attention to the name of the manufacturer. Good stainless steel sinks are made by Blanco, Omoikiri, Franke, Alvenus, Zorg. You should look for high-quality artificial stone products in the collections of Granfest, Longran, Schock, Telma and others.

The article was written for the site.

Tags:Kitchen, Kitchen sink

Mounting methods

It must be taken into account that the system can be attached in different ways.

According to this criterion, accessories are:

Invoices. This option is only for the cabinet. There is no need for a tabletop on it, since the entire surface will be covered. You can install overhead structures yourself. They are made with different shapes, dimensions, and shades. There can be 1 or 2 bowls. The overhead system is compatible with any countertops. The downside is that it must be selected strictly according to the dimensions of the cabinet.

Mortise. You can do the installation of the item yourself. You need to cut a hole of the correct size and shape, and if the edges are uneven, it will be hidden under the edging. The disadvantage of mortise structures is the need for waterproofing. You can use special tape or sealant for this. The mortise item saves space, comes in any shape and size, and has -3 capacities.

Integrated. They are also called monolithic and are installed when the working surface is made of artificial stone or acrylic. The sink is made from the same material and merges with the countertop. Only a master can do this. Installation is costly, but the integrated item eliminates the development of bacteria and mold fungi.

Under-table. This design is below the working surface. This option is only suitable for countertops that are not afraid of moisture. The under-table system looks beautiful and is hygienic, but is expensive and difficult to install.