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Show me your undersink drawers!

Peke
11 years ago

If anyone has pictures of drawers under the sink instead of the usual doors, I would love to see them.

Thanks, Peke

Comments (41)

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    Oh!!!
    I don't have pictures yet.
    I'm making it, though. It's in progress.
    It's a 36" sink base and I'm making beaded inset drawer fronts.

    I refuse to crawl around on the ground to find something under my sink.
    Oh - and my sink is a Kohler undermount, too.

  • Peke
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    They sound wonderful! I am with you on crawling around! It is a black hole under the sink.

    My cabinet guy (as usual) says he hasn't every heard of anyone doing that....like it can't be done! He says that about everything I mention!

    Post pics when you get them! Thanks,
    Peke

  • lee676
    11 years ago

    It can be done, but you need to choose a sink with the drain at the far rear and run the plumbing behind and/or to the sides. And obviously there can't be a drawer directly in front of the sink (unless the sink is pushed far back into the cabinet, or you have a very shallow sink, neither which is usually desireable), or if the top drawer appears tall from the outside with a tall drawer front but is actually quite shallow. Usually a tilt-out tray takes up the top 6" to make use of the small unused space between the sink and the drawer front.

  • maryl1
    11 years ago

    I've seem some where the drawer front looks like a normal drawer, but when you open it, there are two areas to the drawer with a cutout/indent for the drain pipe area. It can be done!

  • muskokascp
    11 years ago

    I have undersink drawers. It was not a problem for our cabinet company and they seemed quite versed on this as an option. The key is to have the plumbing in the right spot so as to allow a u-shaped drawer. I don't have pictures right now but I will try to get some tonight for you.

  • muskokascp
    11 years ago

    Peke I apologize for taking so long to post the pictures, but here they are. The top drawer is false of course, the second has scoop sides to accommodate the sink and the third drawer has normal straight sides.


  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    Oh, ho, lee676. But guess again!

    I don't have "appropriate" plumbing, either.
    I, however, took a different approach, keeping in mind mine is a farm/apron sink.

    I have a drawer that fits my 36" base. It's going to be inset, so the drawer front is the full height. I had the sides slant downward to the back of the drawer, which is only 5" tall, so it comes forward underneath the garbage disposer, etc.

    I like the cut-out design, but I couldn't figure that out to do myself, so I took the next best option: the Magazine storage shape.

  • beekeeperswife
    11 years ago

    A couple I have saved from Pinterest

  • laughablemoments
    11 years ago

    Thank you so much for asking this question, and thank you both for posting pictures. We are planning drawers under our cleanup sink, so this post is very timely for us, too.

    We're planning a 7' run with a dishwasher on either side of a sink in the middle...and no drawer stack nearby for the silverware. We're thinking of putting it in the drawer under the sink. Maybe not ideal, but hopefully workable.

    Thanks again!

  • Karen.1288
    11 years ago

    Just out of curiosity, does this make fixing leaks more difficult?

  • muskokascp
    11 years ago

    Karen - nope you just pull the drawers out.

  • Peke
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Perfect! Thanks for the pictures! Wish I could get those metal drawers, but my cabinet guy will have a difficult time trying to make these cut outs.

    Thanks again!
    Peke

  • kitmu
    11 years ago

    I'm trying to figure out how to do this with the bathroom vanity. Muskokascp, who was the company that was so understanding about cutouts in the drawers? Anyone else have any good leads on who to approach with the concept? (I can't even count the times people have looked at me like I have two heads when I propose something off the menu!)

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    I think I look great with two heads.
    Perhaps they're the nut cases if they're seeing people with two heads, come to think of it.

    There are a lot of drawer box makers online that will pretty much do any shape you want! You just have to make certain your measurements are correct, because it's at your own risk.

    I admit, that before I knew my ears from my elbows, I had a drawer box made. WAYYYYY too big. No room for the drawer glides!
    So. In my more educated brilliance I'm cutting it down, putting casters on it and it's going to be underbed storage.
    Sometimes I amaze myself.

  • raehelen
    11 years ago

    kitmu, I am going through this process now with my Master Bath vanity. I found that it is far more reasonable, both cost wise and being treated like you're making sense, to go with a custom cabinet maker. My leads came off my local Craigslist. Maybe that would work for you too?

  • carolml
    11 years ago

    We have drawers under both main and prep sink. My husband spent hours fitting various pipes and elbows together and essentially ended up with the drain going to the back of the cabinet (on a slight slope, of course) and the u-trap against the back wall of the cabinet. For the smaller, prep sink cabinet, the cabinet maker made me one deep drawer (made to look like three) and I put my trash, recycling and large container of bird seed here. For my main sink, I have two functioning drawers. Because my sink is very deep, the top drawer is full depth but narrow and the bottom drawer is full depth and 12" deep. I love it. I am currently away from home until the end of the month, but could send photos on my return, if you need them.

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    11 years ago

    Kitmu, look at the instructions for installing a bathroom sink for wheelchair accessibility. That will usually put the plumbing in the best configuration for drawers, too, although you may still need to do a cutout for at least the top drawer.

  • kmmh
    11 years ago

    Anyone know of a cabinet manufacturer that makes these drawers?

  • Peke
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    carolml, I would love to see pictures when you get back home.
    Thanks, Peke

  • springroz
    11 years ago

    Christine, you ALWAYS amaze ME!!

    Sorry, Peke, had to reply!!

    Nancy

  • carolml
    11 years ago

    Hi Peke,
    Home again. Here are the photos I promised you. As you can see, the main sink, which is quite deep, has two drawers, one shallow one - note the small cut out at the back to accommodate the drain, and a standard 12" one below. The counter is 27" deep, so the drawers are full depth.
    The prep sink has a very shallow cabinet - only 21" deep because of a book case built in the gable behind it. The drawer here is only just big enough to fit my trash, compost, bird seed and a few cleaning products. We have put it on a servo drive, so the door glides open with just a touch. It is fantastic when preparing food on the adjacent counter. The cabinet maker built a shelf to raise the level of the compost bin so that it comes just under the sink bowl and does not require bending to deposit green material.
    There are also photos with the drawers removed to show you how the plumbing pipes are pushed against the back of the cabinet.
    We love this set up. For the first time ever, the undersink area is fully functional. Hope this helps.
    Carol








  • muskokascp
    11 years ago

    Our cabinets are by Cabico and as long as we gave the desired dimensions for the drawers, they had no issue making them. I would think any custom cabinet company would be able to do the same.

  • purrus
    10 years ago

    How do you guys handle a disposal in this situation? It seems like that'd really get in the way. It looks like muskokascp doesn't have a disposal. Anyone worked around this before? I am dead-set on having drawers under the sink!!

  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    I am so jealous - I want to swap my doors for drawers....

  • Holly- Kay
    10 years ago

    Wow! I just called my kd. That poor man is probably sorry he agreed to sign on with such a PITA but I saw this and thought we just have to find a way to make drawers work even if the cabinet is already made we should be able to do some pull outs with the cab doors opened. I am using the Kohler Whitehaven that has a right rear drain. That should make using drawers easier.

  • purrus
    10 years ago

    Holly-kay, as soon as I saw this thread I knew I had to have a drawer down there. Nothing, absolutely nothing (well---nothing having to do with kitchen cabinets, at least), is grosser to me than the under the sink area. I decided I am just not having it. My KD also seemed to think I was a little weird but whatever. I am paying a lot of money and I am getting WHAT I WANT! LOL!

  • mommaklee
    10 years ago

    Awesome! This might just solve my "where to put the trash can" dilemma! I mean really, I've been mulling it over for days and if we put cabinets where we want...well there's no floor space for garbage or recycle and I was worried about trash smell in other cabinets, but under a sink makes great sense...I'm going to go geek out about this for a while now.

  • Holly- Kay
    10 years ago

    Purrus, Exactly my sentiments! Under the sink is a big, old, black hole. That is the one space that I am dreading cleaning out. I hope they haven't constructed the under the sink cab yet but I feel so strongly about this that if he says the cab is already made and they can't retrofit I may just tell them to make another cabinet and I will give that one to hubby for one of his garages. I am worried about not having enough drawer space as it is and why let good usable space go to waste?

  • PRO
    modern life interiors
    10 years ago

    bump

  • erinsean
    10 years ago

    None of your pictures show a disposal under your sink or am I missing something? We have a wastebasket attached to one of the doors under our sink. The other side door has a small shelf with sides for dish soaps and other more used items. In front of the sink, above the doors, we have a tip down drawer for scratchers, scrub brushes and other small things.

  • cevamal
    10 years ago

    My KD is going to hate all of you.

    Ditto the questions about a garbage disposal. Non-negotiable for me!

  • firstmmo
    10 years ago

    Where are the garbage disposal people? Need pics of that :)

  • miruca
    10 years ago

    I so wish we did this in the main kitchen... defintely going to do it in the MIL space!

  • mary451allis
    3 years ago

    Enjoyed reading these old posts. We’re planning a master bath remodel with vanity with drawers only. I love this floating vanity with no cabinet doors.


  • darbuka
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    My contractor resisted, (“In my 30 years of business, I’ve never seen this!”), and insisted we’d never know if there’s a leak. Water sensors solved that. He was not happy about having to McGuyver the back of the top large drawer, to accommodate the pipes. But, after reading this thread, oh so many years ago, I insisted. So glad I did. The drawers fit so much, and with such easy access. Click to enlarge.


  • Peke
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Oh, I love those drawers!


    I started this thread 7 years ago, and I never got my under sink drawer in my utility room. My cabinet maker said it was impossible with it without a garbage disposal. I still don't have a clue why.


    It still has a hole just waiting for a drawer.





    With bottom drawer pulled out. I wish someone would explain why it can't be done.


  • Peke
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Can you post a picture with the drawer pulled out? I just don't understand why I can't have one. Thanks

  • darbuka
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    You mean, remove the drawers? Hmmm, I’ll have to see if my husband is willing to do that. They are large, heavy drawers. I’ve had several surgeries, and cannot do it on my own.

    Btw, to accommodate the drawers, I chose a sink with a rear center drain, so the pipes are as close to the wall, as possible.

    Oh, and two things...we do not have a garbage disposal, so I don’t know what your cabinet maker was talking about. And, it was my contractor, not the cabinet maker, who cut the back panel of the drawer, and configured a notched encasement to accommodate the pipes.

    Peke thanked darbuka
  • mary451allis
    3 years ago

    Your comments inspired me to push for my master bathroom vanity design with drawers only. I’m just in the planning stage and your pictures and others confirm that a “U” shape cut out in the top drawers (left and right sides) can clearly accommodate a special interior cut out to provide great, convenient, contained storage without cabinet door under sink storage (where things get knocked over, etc.) Six big drawers with organizers will be a welcome change over a standard vanity...which are still lovely. Just want something different.

    Thx for your comments.

    Peke thanked mary451allis
  • Peke
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    It must be how he made the cabinets. I can see a box that he put the drawer glides on. I have seen the u shaped drawers on face frame cabinets like mine so I can't figure it out. I installed a sink with the drain in the back.


    Can you see where your glides are installed? On the side walls?