SMALL Kitchen Ideas
Remodel of modest kitchen meets couple’s needs.
By Helen Berkenbush, Clifton, New Jersey
I still sigh with joy every time I step into our remodeled kitchen. It’s not fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but it proves that a tiny kitchen can be redone simply and beautifully.
My husband, Roy, and I moved into a two-family house in 1962 and raised two sons in our little four-room apartment. After buying the home from our landlady in 1998, we hired a carpenter to do some updating for us. We called on him again two years ago when I retired from my secretarial job with the board of education. As a retirement gift to myself, we decided to renovate the kitchen.
Our kitchen was (and still is) very small. Originally, one wall housed the refrigerator, sink and six cabinets. The opposite wall had room for just a stove and a portable microwave cart. The only counter space was on either side of the sink.
Wall Extension
We would have loved to open up the space, but the bearing wall between the kitchen and dining area could not be removed. Instead, our carpenter added 18 inches to it to allow for additional cabinets alongside the stove.
The entire kitchen was gutted to make room for the new cabinets and appliances. Every inch of space was used.
Lightly stained oak cabinets now wind around three walls from the sink to the stove. With handy turntables in the corner cabinets, there’s more storage space…and I can reach everything. A narrow cabinet next to the fridge holds trays, cookie sheets and cutting boards. An appliance garage stores my toaster and mixer, and a built-in microwave is located right above the stove.
Neutral colors complement the wood cabinetry, including a beige backsplash, sand-colored countertops and laminate flooring in a tan-gray marble pattern.
Under-cabinet lighting and a ceiling fan brighten the room as does the sunlight that pours in through our frosted-glass window. The sun throws pretty rainbows all over the room!
Our compact set-up means I don’t have to take a lot of steps to prepare meals…I just turn around. Everything’s at my fingertips.
I think we’ve made great use of a very small space. This little kitchen is my pride and joy!
