Perhaps I should have titled this “Why Wasn’t it Done at Assembly?”, but here we are with cabinetry configuration that could be improved.

The cabinets are okay other than the latches mentioned in the previous post.  There is definitely room for modification though, for example, the awkward cabinet that opens to the outside and has 2 static panels on the kitchen side will.   Why not open an interior door?  This will add to the much needed kitchen cabinet space.  Although this van has tons of storage (all relative), the kitchen area is a bit tight with minimal cabinetry.

So this is what the kitchen looks like off the assembly line.  There are 2 drawer

and the rest are upper cabinets that are not so accessible for short people like me.

In both photos above, you can see on the left side that there is another cabinet, but alas, there is no door and it is only accessible from the outside.

Why, you may ask?  Good question, but instead of dwelling on this question we just decided to add an interior door ourselves.  The exterior access is great as this allows access to the under bench compartment as well, or for items that you want to access outside, but having the flexibility of accessing it inside and adding to the kitchen storage just adds to the versatility of the storage options.

We contacted Carado for the price of a door this size and they came back with C$141.90; steep for one door, so we decided to modify the existing flat panel instead of installing a door to match the cabinetry.   This is probably a better choice anyway, since there is another flat panel adjoining it already and it will look more seamless.

A word of caution.  You need to have pretty good carpentry skills to attempt this (said the woman who watched from the sidelines and handed some tools).  If you are considering purchasing this model, you might want to see if Carado, which is now owned by Hymer Group, will be willing to build it for you. Lucky for us, Tony is a is a skilled carpenter and has all of necessary tools for the job.

First, you need to remove the counter top and disassemble the two flat panels panels.

Next, the door needs to be cut out from the panel on the right and so that we are left with three pieces: one panel with a corner to attach the door, one panel for the new door, and one corner edge on the right side of the door.  No comment about the work bench, we were in a hurry.

All the raw edges receive aluminum U-channels,

Reassemble the frame pieces and counter top,

Install piano hinges on the frame and door,

Manufacture a door handle that fits under the counter and install a catch,

And voilà, kitchen cabinets capacity increased!

You can still access it from the outside as well, but now we have a perfect spot for pots and pantry items.

BY THE NUMBERS: 

• Time to modify – about 3 hours
• Cost of aluminum, misc. screws, piano hinge, and catch – C$39

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