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fixizin

Totally CLEAR (Lexan/Lucite?) cabinets would make tiny kitchen...

fixizin
13 years ago

... SEEM much bigger, and less claustrophobic, is my bright-ish idea of the evening. I'm talking not just the doors, but the ENTIRE cabinet/cupboard made of transparent materials, possibly with some strategically or stylishly placed frosting. LIGHT would infuse every aspect of it. The walls of the tiny dead-end kitchenette are suddenly 2 feet farther away, i.e. the space immediately seems 4' wider!

Plus it says "I'm not ashamed of my dishes and stemware", not to mention that it gives the false impression/subliminal suggestion that my unseen MidMod closet/pantry/dresser spaces are equally tidy and squared-away, LOL.

Alas, ol' censored and slanted Google is not bringing up anything to match my envisioned cabinets. It doesn't seem like that original an idea...? Didn't expect to find such at Blowe's or Evil Orange, but kinda thought they'd be "off the shelf" at some trendy online vendor... nope, not really.

I recently saw this "space-enlarging" effect in action in a living room, with the most interesting variation yet on the classic Wassily Chair, i.e. kept the slender chrome frame, but replaced all the leather straps with rows of transparent rubber "spaghetti" bands. AWESOME visual, and very comfy too. You could carpet the room with these, and have it still "seem" like you had a dance floor.

Anyway, any insights on makers/crafters/suppliers of the elusive see-thru cupboards and cabinets?

Comments (10)

  • TxMarti
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've never seen any, but it doesn't seem they would be strong enough to hold the load of dishes that most of of us put in our cabinets.

    I guess if you don't have many dishes it would look good, but I can only imagine a very cluttered look. Open shelving looks cluttered to me.

  • flgargoyle
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It certainly could be done. The only material that would be practical would be polycarbonate, or Lexan. Other clear plastics, like Plexiglass are not very strong or shatter resistant. 1/2" thick Lexan would be several times stronger than plywood cabinets, and would also be frighteningly expensive. Any plastic will scratch easily, so you would have to be very careful keeping them clean. I don't know if a cabinet shop could handle Lexan; it machines easily with metal working equipment, though. Certainly an interesting idea!

  • fixizin
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OK, thoughtful inputs, thanks much. I wondered where the edges of the technical and economic "envelope" were... forming an idea.

    On the visual front, the clutter issue is a key consideration. Certainly the "miscellaneous" cupboard should be frosted. Probably the exposed sides of all cabs would end up frosted too. Still, the majority of my cupboards are neat stacks and rows of semi-stylish wares, and my overall decor is very Modernist--not stark at all, a LOT of warm woods, but still very clean and geometric lines. Clear plastics can work here, in careful doses.

    I guess what I'm after, primarily, is not a transparent showcase for mundane dishes, but a visual de-bulking of the significant masses in a small space. I figured non-opaque planes might be one way to get there.

    Probably end up with sleek wood/steel frames, with sides and doors made of Lexan or tempered glass... any vendor ideas there?

    Thanks in advance.

  • kimkitchy
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Any hope of just getting rid of most of your uppers? That can go a very long way to opening up a small space. I'm guessing not, because you describe it as a tiny kichenette... but, if you've got a closet/pantry, maybe?

  • fixizin
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Uppers, yes, that's really what I'm talking about. Who needs 'em? To be truly "Mod" we must break with tradition, oui/non? There is already an adjacent built-in wet-bar+glass shelves "stack" w/ underneath storage that tastefully extends the kitchenette beyond its "official" boundaries, into the dining area. (Wet bars and martinis were certainly important in the 1950s, lol.)

    That thing could be re-architected into a more useful format. I've oft thought of re-building it's one (drywall) side panel out of glass block... would be very MidMod, and "de-bulking", yet still establish a plane... hmmmm...

    A foot-operated dumbwaiter, which brings dishes up from below floor-level, on demand, would be way cool, but I'm pretty sure the downstairs neighbors would object, LOL.

    Like pizza dough, good ideas need to be tossed and spun a bit to reach their best form. ;')

  • Nancy in Mich
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It is my experience that even neat stacks of nice objects can make a small space feel more closed-in due to the "cluttered" effect than if the objects are behind a cabinet that takes up some space. But that is me. Before investing in custom cabinets, maybe you should try living with open shelving for a while.

  • fixizin
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mocc, thanks for the lengthy reply, as I'm quite the noob when it comes to the materials in question. Usefully novel configurations you mentioned too, i.e. racks as muntins, translucent cabs, etc. Sweet ideas, all.

    Plus the fact that there's only so much homage I'm willing to pay to the 1950s, e.g. NO DISHWASHER--sick of that gig! But even a svelte 18" wide DW or Euro-drawer means the loss of a significant % of lower cab space... thus the need for radical new storage ideas.... yepper, gotta evolve, lol.

    On a related note, family member recently enclosed classic 1950s So-Fla attached concrete/CBS carport to make 1-car garage. They were so glad they chose roll-up garage door with clear panes across entire TOP row, as this preserved the "sunny sky" view out the windowed exterior door leading out to the garage, but still gives a high measure of privacy.

    Oh look, my neighbors just hoisted their martini flag... gotta go be neighborly... ;')

  • emagineer
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Don't know why I'm intrigued with this. You are right, they sure don't exist....after too many searches. It does appear though that Europe is designing such.

    My first thought is to look at display cases. There are all sizes for store uses. So they must be fairly well made. Most though have a metal framing.

    There is no second thought.....

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sort of lucite use in kitchen

  • fixizin
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My first thought is to look at display cases...

    There you go, that's the kind of "get your mind out of the kitchen" vector I need. Thanks for the great link, too. Food for thought that's both nutritious and delicious! ;')