Understanding Bulthaup b3 kitchen storage OPTIONS
DESIGNED TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER
One of the key aspects of a bulthaup kitchen is to make your life easier. These changes can be obvious, like a new layout or additional storage, to those little everyday things you do that you don’t consider, including opening a drawer or reaching to the back of a cupboard.
Let’s begin with the last point, reaching to the back of a cupboard – how awkward can that be? Tins are stacked up, packets have no doubt fallen over, and the whole space seems to have completely disorganised itself since the last time you looked.
How can we make that better? Simple, Pull-out drawers within the cabinets.
PULL OUT DRAWERS
Open the door, slide out the drawer, and gain instant access to every area of the cupboard – front to back. No more peering inside or blindly feeling around. Everything is in sight, right in front of you.
This means you can quickly find what you were looking for, place new items behind older use-by dates, and give your back a break as the need to stoop and lean is taken away.
The height of your drawers can be specified to meet your requirements, enabling all of your items to be put away without any challenges. The finish of the drawers can also be designed to suit your style, from sleek metallic to decorative dovetailed wood.
POCKET DOOR / ROLLER-SHUTTER / APPLIANCE GARAGE
Are your kitchen worktops home to a number of small electrical appliances that are used frequently enough that they never get put away? I’m referring to coffee-pod machines, food mixers, Nutri-bullet blenders, and the good old toaster.
Now consider how much extra space you would have on your worktops if these things had a place to live that was out of sight, but within easy reach and powered up.
This is where a pocket door or a roller shutter garage can provide the perfect storage solution. When opened, the main internal area is at worktop height and equipped with electrical power sockets. The stainless-steel interior surface is strong and easy to wipe clean, which is great when used to prepare drinks or mix up a batch of ingredients.
Above the main space, a deep shelf offers room for associated items, cups, coffee and tea, or utensils and ingredients. Some clients have even used a pocket door to create a hide-away bar area, equipped with cocktail-making equipment and glasses.
BULTHAUP FUNCTION WALL SYSTEM
FUNCTION RAIL - The bulthaup b3 kitchen has the capability to activate the walls of your kitchen, providing the user with a variety of add-ons to further enhance their kitchen.
The most popular Function Rail accessories for Hobson’s Choice clients are the kitchen roll holder and a stand for herb pots. Each piece can be easily lifted and re-positioned to be within easy reach when you need it. Other accessories include a recipe book holder, small hooks for hanging aprons and or a shelf with storage jars perfect for housing coffee, sugar and tea bags.
FUNCTION BOXES - For the ultimate in organisational luxury, bulthaup offers ‘Function Boxes’, optional extras that combine with the ‘Function Wall Panelling’ system.
Each Function Box is designed to provide the perfect solution to a kitchen-related task, such as chopping, organising spices or storing items such as washing up liquid or oils. These shallow, task-focused units sit at the back of a worktop and open up to provide the necessary functionality. The most popular of these features a knife block, chopping board, sockets and task lighting all in one box.
SHELVING - The slender, 10mm thick shelving is embedded seamlessly into the wall panelling system, with no visible screws or supports. The result is a visual treat, a shelf that appears as if it is floating but is strong and capable of displaying lots of different items.
As a bespoke element fitted by the factory during production, the shelving can be designed in different lengths and finished in a variety of materials to contrast with or align to, the overall kitchen style.
WALL BOXES - Like the bulthaup b3 shelves, the wall boxes feature a slender, floating, design, enabled by the wall panelling system that holds them firmly in position.
With door flaps that gently rise on small pistons, the head-height cabinets provide space for lighter items such as cups and glassware. Available in multiple widths and heights the concealing panel positioned below can also be fitted with an LED strip light that is angled towards the rear, thus providing ample task lighting to the worktop below.
OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISMS
Bulthaup kitchens offer three convenient methods for opening and closing cabinets and drawers. There is no one-size-fits-all solution; our clients have varied preferences, from classic handles to touch-opening mechanisms and the contemporary grip rail design – and some even like to mix and match when appropriate!
HANDLES - A straightforward and intuitive choice. The bulthaup b3 bar handle indicates the direction the door opens by the positioning of the cutout, left, middle, and right. The middle cut out is for drawers or doors that open towards you.
For heavier items like dishwashers, fridges, or robust pan drawers a handle can provide a more ergonomic and practical option. Plus, they provide a tactile guide for those with limited sight, helping them navigate their kitchen with confidence.
TOUCH TO OPEN - The touch-to-open system offers a sleek, modern design with clean lines. However, in practical areas where contact is likely, such as next to worktop prep space, your designer might suggest a handle or grip-rail solution to avoid accidentally activating the opening mechanism.
GRIP RAIL - A simple handle alternative, that allows you to open drawers or cupboard doors from multiple positions. However, it lacks the directional guidance of a handle and may not offer as much leverage. For those with arthritis or limited dexterity, a grip rail might not be the most convenient choice.
Both the touch-opening and grip-rail systems enable a designer to create a mono-bloc style, which some clients find appealing. A potential downside to these methods of the opening is the finger marks that inevitably get left behind – especially on the darker colours, however, these are easily cleaned off.
IN CONCLUSION
When considering access to kitchen appliances, many manufacturers including Gaggenau and Miele, offer motorised knock or press-to-open systems. The motors take away the effort needed to pull open the doors, which can be quite strong when considering full-height larder fridges.
Whichever method you like, our bulthaup kitchen showroom displays will provide you with the opportunity to try them out to see what works for you.