[pennyworth]

Is there a way that anyone has devised with Ikea cabinets in mind to use the 4 inch space that is usually relegated for a toe-kick as drawer space instead? One interesting idea put forth by kitchen designer Deborah Krasner is to raise the bottom cabinets 4 inches higher than they would normally be and to put a 6-8 inch drawer underneath. Apparently, European appliances would work with this scheme. Can one use Ikea cabinets to take advantage of the otherwise "empty" space of a toe-kick?

[LilithNS]

hi, I'm afraid I can't be much help, other than to say that I have seen Ikea toe-kick drawers. I know they exist. It may have been on the UK site tho. It was (I think) a stainless s. numerar drawer. I'm sure there is someone here who will have more info than I! Good luck.

[GardenOfDarwin]

Lilith--you're thinking of the Varde drawers. They do exist, but I don't think they'd go well with most Akurum installations.

I have been thinking of doing the same thing myself. I have a couple of 12" drawers that I picked up in the AS-IS room for a pittance, and I want to attach a piece of toekick to the front and use them for extra storage under the Akurum cabinets, between the legs. I can take some pictures of what I'm talking about if it would make more sense.

Does anyone know any reason this wouldn't work? I guess pulling them out would be an issue unless you use some specialized hardware--I know I've seen it mentioned, and recently too. I think Rockler carries something that allows you to kick or push something in to release it...for mystery or secret drawers or hiding places.

I'll check the Rockler site...

Susan

[Lisa]

I think in the Rationell line they have a toekick drawer (or at least the stock picture shows them).

I'm off to investigate.

[GardenOfDarwin]

Really? Please do report!

Susan

[Lisa]

The appear to have them, but not listedfor sale online. Does anyone have a catalog? I might have the Woodbridge Rationell master sheet somewhere in my bright red "Kitchen Planning: Do Not Remove Anything Under Penalty of Death" folder.

I'll look when I get home.

[Lisa]

Okay, yes. They exist, but like so many things, IKEA in the US doesn't carry them - except for use with the freestanding kitchens (VARDE and TALBO).

Why is it that the US market is missing so many cool Euro items?

[GardenOfDarwin]

Catalogs, I've got. Do you remember where? In the Kitchen catalog or the main one? I'm so looking forward to the new one coming out.

I'll take a look, since I want to look at the Rationell wire baskets to see if there's a 12" wide by 12" deep one for my upper cabinet. I don't think so, but you never know...

Meanwhile, any thoughts as to why you couldn't use a regular drawer fitted with toekick in the front under the cabinets? I've been looking for the toekick push latch hardware thingie...I think Hafele makes one, but I've been out of luck so far. I've also seen it done with a regular handle on it (hardly a secret) or a slimline pull at the top that disappears at regular viewing angle. Something like the Grip handle. My thought was to make a box for the drawer/glide to sit in, and attach the piece of toekick to the front, aligning the whole thing with adjacent toekick for a (hopefully) seamless look.

pennyworth,how were you thinking about doing it?

[pennyworth]

Mumble, mumble. I have to say that you are way ahead of me in thinking this through -- I only got so far as to think of the question! And the only reason I thought of the question was that I saw a layout in a magazine. Shameful, I know. If you go to the Homemag website and look at Deborah Krasner's kitchen, she has done an interesting thing by raising her bottom cabinets an extra four inches, and putting another set of drawers at the bottom. This way, she didn't need upper cabinets at all. It just seems a shame to lose all that space, unless you like the look of space under cabinets perched on legs...

[Lisa]

Well, with 4" legs you can't really see under the cabinets at all. Don't know about 6" - how do you adjust for countertop height? Or am I missing something? Are the cab boxes shorter?

The picture of the toekick drawers is online - go to kitchen accessories ----->RATIONELL and you'll see a picture of a Euro kitchen boasting all the interior fittings. And there are toekick drawers.