[Strawbale] Natural, inexpensive kitchen cabinets

[Michael K. lough]

>For one thing, you might consider whether you really *need* the upper 
>cabinets

well said Bill… or create the necessity and invention is sure to follow…

"cabinets" as in North American kitchen cabinets are in the evolution of the 
"kitchen space" a bend in the road  and probably reached their peak 40 years 
ago  but they  have been tenacious in their hold on the suburban mind in NA 
as being necessary to have installed in order to describe a space as a 
"kitchen" . If a space doesnt have cabinets hanging off the ceiling over  
work counters then how can it be a kitchen?
Well about a nundred years ago they didnt have hanging cabinets in kitchens 
they had pantries to store food stuff and no doubt these pantries with 
shelves could hold whatever clutter cabinets hold now or even one large 
cupboard OR one simple free standing unfitted "tall boy" and a cupboard…As 
was pointed out if it IS  a kitchen and you have appliances designed to look 
good then why not keep them on metal shelves and look at them ?

It all depends on what you mean by "kitchen" if it means like a suburban 
home with granite and carved doors on acres of cabinets or like a real 
restaurant kitchen with tools only and everything else not used every day in 
another space somewhere  not so far away…

I like walk in pantries off the kitchen area but the pantry could be down 
the corridor or downstairs or up…

"Counter" tops are another convention over stated The current vogue is for 
porcelain double sided sinks with maple draining boards on either side Use a 
dishwasher? (you shouldnt) then you dont need as much drainage area…Need DRY 
counter tops then reclaimed wood is good …Wet/sanitary ?  then  anything 
goes as long as it can be sealed,  slabs of  slate with epoxy grout and  
sealed or perhaps even concrete pavers stained and sealed …All of this with 
a wooden table or I  suppose with an "island" with under shelf storage Hang 
pots (Its a kitchen) lots of possibilities Stainless steel is nifty How 
about using tool cabinets? Those bright red ones  with sliding doors…?

You dont need prosaic wooden cabinets The fifties are over.

Michael Lough