Open for Coffee, Closed for Company: Kitchen Convenience the Sugatsune Way
Kitchens are busy places. More than just places to cook, they are often the hub of the modern home. A space to eat, a space to socialise, a space to entertain, a space to kick back and unwind over a beverage of choice.
Kitchen design has evolved accordingly. Kitchens have grown in size to accommodate multiple functions. Along with the necessary culinary amenities, breakfast bars, dining tables, coffee tables and lounge-like seating areas are commonplace.
For kitchen designers, the immediate priority when planning multi-functional spaces is to avoid clutter and preserve functionality. But the aesthetic is important, too. This is something that came up repeatedly in discussions at this year’ s KBB Birmingham show. How do you balance the separation of spaces with functional convenience and flawless design?
One of the things discussed was the trend for using cabinets and shelving around a kitchen as convenient on-hand storage for each space. So instead of having all the hot drinks accessories – the cups, the saucers, the cafetière, the teapot – kept with all the other crockery, you keep them adjacent to where they are needed, right next to where the coffee table or sofa is. Same principle with breakfast things by the breakfast bar and so on.
But this creates a dilemma – what to do about doors? The convenience of having items you need to serve coffee or breakfast right there is great. But what about when that area is not in use? Having cups, coffee jars, cereal boxes and breakfast bowls on display isn’ t a great look. But a standard swing cabinet door isn’ t ideal when the area is in use. You either have to leave it open and in the way or keep opening and closing it.
As we demonstrated at KBB, attracting plenty of interest, we have another solution in our pocket.
Doors That Know When to Get Out of the Way
The Sugatsune ALT-ST and ALT-SN pocket door systems are purpose-built for situations where you want the flexibility to leave cabinet doors open or closed as you choose. They allow doors to swing open in the conventional way. But once open, they slide backwards into a pocket alongside the cabinet. You can leave them open for as long as you need without the doors getting in the way. And then close them when finished.
What caught the attention of delegates at KBB was the flexibility and simplicity of installation. A lot of the pocket door solutions available on the market for cabinets are for full-length cupboard or wardrobe-type installations. They can also be pricey and tricky to fit.
The ALT-ST and ALT-SN work on a flexible system of hinges and slides. Rather than being built for a fixed size of door, you simply change the number of hinges and slides to suit the door size. A minimum of two slides is required, up to a maximum of four. The ALT-ST15 and ALT- SN15 accommodate doors from 500mm to 1600mm high, with load capacities up to 15kg depending on the size and configuration. For taller doors, the ALT-ST20 accommodates heights up to 2400mm and weights up to 20kg. Maximum door width is 600mm across these ranges.
You can choose whether you want the slides on the inside of the cabinet( ALT- ST) or mounted outside the carcass or on a middle frame between cabinets( ALT- SN). Both types have inset and overlay mounting options. An inset door sits within the cabinet opening when closed, while an overlay door covers the edges of the opening. In either case, the open door slides back into its pocket alongside the cabinet.
Now With a Push
Flexibility is a big part of the appeal of our ALT pocket door systems. Across a wide range of cabinet sizes, a pocket door becomes an option. This opens up a huge range of possible uses, both in the kitchen and beyond.
Our ALT products are used for utility cabinets so washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers can be shut away when not in use, while allowing unrestricted access when they are. We’ ve seen them used for clothes wardrobes, creating a walk-in feel. And we’ ve seen them used in bathroom cabinets where space is limited, to avoid collisions with open doors.
But flexibility isn’ t the only advantage. All of our ALT products feature soft-close hinges, providing smooth, controlled closing motion for a premium final touch. Recently, we added push-to-open versions to the range. Closed doors release with a push, allowing designers to dispense with handles for a seamless look. This is especially desirable if you want to build storage cubbies into panelled walls or wall-to-wall cabinets. When the doors are closed, you barely know the storage is there.
A kitchen designed for cooking, eating and relaxing needs storage that works around all three. With Sugatsune pocket door systems, designers can put everyday essentials exactly where they’ re needed, without leaving either the contents or the open doors to spoil the view.
Contact Sugatsune UK to find the right configuration for your next kitchen project.