Kitchen sink in a drawer

[magnetman]

Do they do them?

 

I am working on making the kitchen/galley on the barge more efficient in terms of space usage and I suddenly thought maybe a sink in the top drawer of a kitchen unit might be useful because it could be opened and closed and the worktop above it is still useable. Proper space saving.

 

Are there any about anywhere? Maybe the caravans have them but I haven't seen many caravans or motorhomes. How would the waste be arranged, some sort of vacuum cleaner hose arrangement which is movable seems the best option as long as it had space behind. and the tap would be a bit technical I suppose as well.

 

Is it asking for trouble

 

I am determined to try it

[GoodGurl]

why not just put a lid on it? that way it serves as 2 spaces.

ed to add, caravan shops will do foldable taps.

Edited November 7, 2014 by GoodGurl

[pophops]

Perhaps a more practical solution would be a fixed sink with a removeable cover/worktop.

Why try to re-invent the wheel?

[magnetman]

folding taps. Thats good.

 

I suppose a recessed butler sink with a lid over it, yes, but there is the extra reasoning which is that it wants to double as a place where small children can wash their hands so it wants to be lower down than a normal worktop height while still having a standard worktop as well

 

If you see what I mean

But not so low down that it is awkward for cleaning the occasional tea cup.

 

I am going to be fitting a mini dishwasher so the existing large sink can be downsized

[RLWP]

Do they do them?

 

I am working on making the kitchen/galley on the barge more efficient in terms of space usage and I suddenly thought maybe a sink in the top drawer of a kitchen unit might be useful because it could be opened and closed and the worktop above it is still useable. Proper space saving.

 

Are there any about anywhere? Maybe the caravans have them but I haven't seen many caravans or motorhomes. How would the waste be arranged, some sort of vacuum cleaner hose arrangement which is movable seems the best option as long as it had space behind. and the tap would be a bit technical I suppose as well.

 

Is it asking for trouble

 

I am determined to try it

 

Apart from being utterly bonkers, I can't see why that won't work!

 

Perhaps use a pump to drain the sink coupled directly to the sink. Flexible water pipes to the taps shouldn't be a problem, perhaps the sort used by washing machines

 

Richard

[magnetman]

The plumbing is going to be challenging

 

Thanks for the pump suggestion RLPW !

RWLP i mean

LWP

A mini Belfast type sink sitting in the drawer. The drawer below will be a shelf so that the pump mounted on the base won't interfere too much as it is slid in and out.

Edited November 7, 2014 by magnetman

[Bod]

Just make sure you use heavy duty drawer slides!

Water is heavy, when supported at a distance.

You will be "wasting" space under the drawer to allow for plumbing, so will the drawer saving overall be worth it?

 

Bod

[Chalky]

Instead of a Belfast sink look for a laboratory sink. We've got one on the boat and the only significant difference is the size and the fact we were given it!

[MtB]

The major advantage of a sink-in-a-drawer over a sink with a lid on top is you don't need to clear all the crap off the worktop first to use the sink-in-a-drawer like you would have to to remove the lid. You just pull it out.

 

Great for when you are in the middle of say preparing a meal and have stuff all over the limited worktop space in a boat.

 

It's one of those brilliant ideas that are blindingly obvious, but only after someone else has just thought of it. All hail magnetman for such an awesome idea!!!!

 

 

MtB

[Beaker]

Someone had a sink-in-a-drawer on a programme my missus was watching last night, dunno which one.

[bizzard]

A telescopic waste pipe that goes in and out as you open and close the drawer could be made from an old telescope with the lenses knocked out.

[kremmen]

I like that idea.

There are some here.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sink+in+a+drawer&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=DT5dVIT8CqSe7gbU1YGgAQ&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=360&bih=640

 

Paul

[NMEA]

Not uncommon on sailing yachts, both galley and heads, they are less common than they used to be twenty or thirty years ago though. You should find some shallow bowls made for the purpose relatively easily.

[bizzard]

Shallow bowels for the heads.

A nice overnight trip on say the Penzance or Perth sleeping car train would be good practice in using foldaway things.

[koukouvagia]

I was quite surprised to see just how many pictures of sinks in drawers there are on the internet. Just google "sinks in drawers" for some ideas.

Ah, someone's just beaten me to it.

Edited November 7, 2014 by koukouvagia

[fudd]

Someone had a sink-in-a-drawer on a programme my missus was watching last night, dunno which one.

I've seen James Martin pull a sink out from under the worktop and rinse his hands.

[ditchcrawler]

A telescopic waste pipe that goes in and out as you open and close the drawer could be made from an old telescope with the lenses knocked out.

Or just a length of flexible pipe

[magnetman]

I rather like the telescope idea but the seals might be a bit awkward to achieve.

flexible o's from a vacuum cleaner might work but would be a trap for crud.

[davey b]

Have a look at folding (as in fold up rather than collapsible) sinks as used in ships and sleepers of the past. Google images of Folding Sinks shows similar options to sink in a drawer... there is even a fold down toilet under sink unit pictured.

[magnetman]

Thats an idea yes but if a sink were designed to 'fold out' under a normal height worktop it would be quite low down once it was in place. Maybe it could be made to 'fold out and up' but I think the sliding version is going to be a better height for using as a sink as it will be immediately below the level of the worktop so a similar position to a normal recessed sink.

 

All ideas are welcome

[BlueStringPudding]

folding taps. Thats good.

 

I suppose a recessed butler sink with a lid over it, yes, but there is the extra reasoning which is that it wants to double as a place where small children can wash their hands so it wants to be lower down than a normal worktop height while still having a standard worktop as well

 

If you see what I mean

But not so low down that it is awkward for cleaning the occasional tea cup.

 

I am going to be fitting a mini dishwasher so the existing large sink can be downsized

 

Surely an easier solution is to fit a regular sink with a chopping board or worktop lid (as suggested above) and make a drawer low down below it, that pulls out and becomes a step for the kids to stand on to reach the sink. That way adults don't get a bad back when using the sink and you don't have to faff around with flexible waste pipes or pumps that may block with food debris and grease.

 

And dishwasher or not, you wouldn't want to downsize your sink below the size of your largest saucepan/collender/frying pan otherwise draining hot water from cooked food is going to get dangerous

Edited November 9, 2014 by BlueStringPudding

[blackrose]

why not just put a lid on it? that way it serves as 2 spaces.

 

 

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. You can buy wooden chopping boards made to fit the top recess of some kitchen sinks. Or just make one yourself from a piece of wooden worktop off-cut. Seems like a lot less hassle than fitting a sink into a drawer and it would serve the same purpose.

 

Edited November 9, 2014 by blackrose

[magnetman]

Yes. But

 

MtB hit the nail on the head earlier on.

 

A worktop which can be -used- while the sink is still available is the object.

 

And I have my eye on a solid piece of mahogany 6ft x 2ft6 which I definitely don't want to cut a hole in

If the si.k were in a drawer immediately under the worktop it would be at the same height as a sink which was recessed into the worktop anyway

Si.k=sink

[blackrose]

Yes. But

 

MtB hit the nail on the head earlier on.

 

A worktop which can be -used- while the sink is still available is the object.

 

 

 

I see. But

 

How do you plan to use the worktop while the sink is pulled out? Lean over the sink? It doesn't sound very ergonomic to me. If you push the sink back in while it's full of water so that you can use the worktop, then the sink can't actually be used at the same time.

 

Also I can see all sorts of other problems with a sink in a drawer. For example, it's going to have to be a very substantial drawer system to support the weight of a full sink of water while the drawer is open, and if you close the drawer too quickly while it's full you may end up with a cupboard full of water.

 

I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but the whole idea sounds completely impractical to me. Are you sure you haven't been watching too many episodes of George Clarke's Amazing Spaces? A lot of those "space-saving" ideas and interiors look like they would fall apart if anyone actually lived in them.

Edited November 9, 2014 by blackrose

[magnetman]

I don't have a telly Mike and who is this mr clarke?

 

Your points are good ones I will take theminto account. I am going to try it.

 

When using a sink I do not have the plug in (nor do the wife or infants) so closing it full won't happen.

I think RLPW's suggestion of a pumped waste is good.

I never use a sink and worktop - at the same time - but a occasional use of a sink while using a worktop, ie small pause as I only have 2 hands, is definitely not unknown.