When looking to update a small kitchen in a cottage or condominium, keep in mind a few things:
1. Look for ways to 'steal' space!
Open up a closet, a dead space or use an existing alcove that is not serving any function.
Reorganize your floor plan to work more efficiently or differently.
Build up!
2. Edit, Edit, Edit!
Before you start tearing out cabinets and walls, open all of your doors and drawers.
Give away or recycle all unwanted items.
Eliminate 'onesies' in glassware & pottery...actually, don't keep any items that come in less than a set of 4!
Keep only your very best and use it for everyday!
Old baking tins and dishes should be tossed if charred, soiled or bent.
Minimize 'go cups' and plastic containers. Substitute with glass containers.
3. When you design your new cabinets, design for only what you need to store post edit.
In a perfect world, you would be able to move functions in your kitchen to be as efficient as possible. However, sometimes the placement of water lines, drains, air vents and electrical lines could preclude much flexibility. No problem. Just remember the following:
Look to your sink area to establish your food prep area: washing, cutting and chopping. That means, locate your cutting boards, knives and colanders around this point of your kitchen.
Look to your stove area to establish your mixing center: store mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, mixers, rolling pins, etc. around this point of your kitchen. And it is also the obvious point for spices and some staples like flour, sugars and salts. Use your oven or any drawers below to store pans, pots and sheets. However, see if you have an available space for an overhead pot rack to free up any under cabinet space for any of these items.
Look to your refrigerator area to store wraps, bags and storage containers as that is usually where you will need to grab for them when prepping to store in the fridge or cleaning out the fridge.
Actually, these tips work in a kitchen of any size. Just be judicious about what you let into your kitchen. Similar rules apply here as in your closet: if you haven't used it in a year, give it to someone who needs it!
Finally, why not try a built-in look to your refrigerator? It will set you apart from standard building options and make your kitchen look like you spent a million when you only spent hundreds! Build a cabinet that sheaths your refrigerator. Extend that pesky upper cabinet that is recessed and difficult to reach to be flush with the refrigerator cabinet proper. And, the piece de resistence, select a refrigerator (panel-ready model) where you can add panels to match your cabinet doors to make it look totally professional! You can use it to store trays, baking sheets and other odd/hard to store & oversized items. At last, you can have a space to store your punch bowl!
Enjoy your new kitchen!
Finally, why not try a built-in look to your refrigerator? It will set you apart from standard building options and make your kitchen look like you spent a million when you only spent hundreds! Build a cabinet that sheaths your refrigerator. Extend that pesky upper cabinet that is recessed and difficult to reach to be flush with the refrigerator cabinet proper. And, the piece de resistence, select a refrigerator (panel-ready model) where you can add panels to match your cabinet doors to make it look totally professional! You can use it to store trays, baking sheets and other odd/hard to store & oversized items. At last, you can have a space to store your punch bowl!
Enjoy your new kitchen!
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