Thursday, January 5, 2012

Small inventions

Nothing pretty today, but I had to share with you the coolest feature of my apartment in Paris. The trash can was located under the sink on the back of the kitchen cabinet door, with a string connecting the lid to the side of the cabinet.

When the door was opened wide, the string would pull the lid open! I had never seen anything like this (do I live under a rock?). Simple but ingenius! Have you seen anything similar?
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16 comments:

  1. DavidJanuary 5, 2012 at 10:13 AM

    That's pretty ingenious. And I'm always for hiding the trash bin as long as its easy to get to.

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  2. JosjeJanuary 5, 2012 at 10:22 AM

    You crack me up! I think you wil find similar waste bins in 90% of all kitchens, ours has different compartments for green waste, normal household waste etc.
    I remember about 30 years ago my dad didn't want to spend the money on a bin made to go on the cabinet door like this, so he mounted our old waste bin on the door under the sink, with a little rope, same as on your photo.
    IKEA sells them (along with every DIY and kitchen company I imagine).
    Isn't it great what you find out on your travels? (still laughing).

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  3. ArchitectDesign™January 5, 2012 at 10:27 AM

    David -it was great for cooking because the door was easy to open with your foot and so you woudln't have to touch anything with your messy hands!
    Josje -this must be European because I haven't seen anything like it in the states. I have a feeling the kitchen was from Ikea though so this makes sense. My own trash can at home I keep below my sink but no lid, etc.

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  4. Paisley CurtainJanuary 5, 2012 at 10:35 AM

    I have never seen this mechanism before, I do have the trash can under the sink that you have to slide out to put trash in, which is very common. The ones that u press with your foot to open are good when new and as they get into old age the lid opens at it's free will. French are very smart people, this is a very simple system. I am going to try this :)

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  5. ArchitectDesign™January 5, 2012 at 10:37 AM

    Paisley -thats what I liked about this -so simple! I'm goign to have to see if I can find something similar for my own apartment now. Ikea here I come!

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  6. My Notting HillJanuary 5, 2012 at 10:37 AM

    I want this!! Our trash can is under the sink but no lid & certainly no cool string to pull the lid open. Can't wait to show this to Dan...one more project..

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  7. KarenaJanuary 5, 2012 at 11:35 AM

    I have never seen anything like this!! I like to trash as I cook; throw packaging etc as I go (my kitchen is tiny and how perfect this would be.

    Okay now Stefan you must do a tutorial for us (who need step by step) Ha!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  8. home before darkJanuary 5, 2012 at 12:20 PM

    I have given up the trash can wars and settled on the simple human butterfly design. It sits at the end of the counter (not seen from the non working part of kitchen) and allows for easy use and like you say not touching hands on cabinets. It's stainless, easy to clean and does not talk back.

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  9. AustenJanuary 5, 2012 at 1:13 PM

    There are a lot of variations on the theme available:
    http://www.thenicecompany.co.uk/online_store/appliance_store/product_details/under_sink_waste_bin,_16_litre_201wh.htm
    I'm sure there will be at least one manufacturer who will ship them to the US.

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  10. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2012 at 2:19 PM

    I've never...but it is kind of excellent. Love your blog, btw. Discovered over the holidays and just love it. Thanks and Happy New Year!

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  11. katiedidJanuary 5, 2012 at 5:31 PM

    Clever!

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  12. ToddJanuary 6, 2012 at 6:05 AM

    Wow - I have never seen this either! Pretty cool. I just did a search because I think this might work in my apt. too. There are different types but they're easy to find. Thanks for the tip, Stefan!!!

    http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21761

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  13. KwanaJanuary 6, 2012 at 8:31 AM

    Love a good idea!

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  14. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2012 at 9:21 AM

    Hello, I am from Croatia and I remember that everyone I knew had this type of cabinet under the sink in the kitchen since I was a child up till now (and I am 30).
    In general I think all the kitchens had this, you couldnt buy a normal kitchen without one.
    And I remember that ours was broken or something, and then we took the whole thing out to make room for bowls, detergents and stuff...

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  15. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2012 at 6:15 PM

    As in coratia this type of trash is actually pretty common here in Germany.

    However, when I was in New York I was so amazed when I signed my credit card bill on a touch pad on the first day. It was only until the second day that I realized that this was standard procedure of signing :-)

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  16. Renée FinbergJanuary 8, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    that is indeed cool!!

    i miss Paris and it's apartments.

    xx

    ReplyDelete

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