Downsize the fridge?!
Smallbath5
13 days ago
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
12 days agolast modified: 12 days agoSmallbath5 thanked Patricia Colwell ConsultingRelated Discussions
HELP! How Small Can I Make a Kitchen?
Comments (43)NKBA? The people paid to put in these things? Consider the source. The National Beet Board reports a study that everyone should eat one every day. Nice rule of thumb, maybe, but don't lose sleep over it. I agree, your diagram helps a lot. My existing kitchen is not much bigger than your future kitchen, and it's really not that bad. I have more space in my cabinets than I can use. Your kitchen may not be spacious, but it has room for everything you need, and room for 2 people to do it in. A restaurant I used to go to a lot had a chef, 2 sous and a dishwasher in half that space. And some REALLY fiery and dangerous equipment. I don't think you need to add structurally to your plans: I think you can add function to the space you have, and "borrow" space from existing areas. People who add on and shift without considering the overall plan end up with weird houses that they don't like and they can't figure out why. Move furniture, not walls. For example: Put up a couple of short shelves or hang a stack of bins on the wall to the basement stairs for can/pot and/or potato&onion storage. NOT enough so you have to lean out, just open the door. They make cutting boards that slide out from under the counter, either freestanding or supported by a drawer, that add extra "counter" space that goes away when you're done. Or cutting boards that go over the sink. Depending on how the window is, you may have room for a shelf for cook books and decorative/seldom used items above the window. Are you familiar with Carl Larsson's paintings? He's a Swedish painter who painted his house and family a lot. You can notice all kinds of low-tech storage nooks and ideas if you scan his work. The style, if you like it, is called Gustavian. If you have a door between the kitchen and the living/dining room, you can put a cabinet right around the corner, just a step outside the kitchen, with dishes (it looks like that's where you're eating anyway, right?) You could probably tuck a few pots or kitchen extras on the bottom of the cabinet if you absolutely had to. They'd still be nearer than some people with huge "efficient" kitchens. But I honestly don't think you'll need to. This could be in addition to or instead of the one you'd planned for your good china. It sounds like you're only feeding two people most of the time, and you sound disciplined and like you don't have a million appliances. It also sounds like you're making use of the basement for some things. Is there something SPECIFIC you're worried about making room for? I know vegetable prep takes a lot of chopping and counter space, and room for a compost bin or vermicomposter of some kind. And you shop once a week, so you need a bit of actual food storage space. Two ovens: you presumably bake or roast a lot: are you concerned about a place for proofing dough, or cutting out large batches of biscuits? These may spawn ideas here. Part of the problem may be that you're, understandably, thinking about what you have now and what you're giving up. That's always frustrating. Once the side-by-side comparison is gone, and you only have what you have, it'll be easier....See MoreRefrigerator size - downsizing?
Comments (40)What a great thread! My old refrigerator was a 18.1 cubic foot 16.5 year old almond Whirlpool refrigerator that was dying on me and not energy efficient. Due to the layout of my open kitchen, my kitchen table's chair was always being hit by a 29 inch big door and no one could sit at the table by the chair no the side of the refrigerator if I needed to open the door. I wanted a French door refrigerator with a bottom freezer to have only a 17" door to avoid this problem but most of these models were almost 36" wide and to me despite being able to squeeze into my space set up for the refrigerator, I felt it would look so big looking in my kitchen. Also opening the doors to be on the side of my body was a little wide for me since I am not quite 5 feet tall. I found that LG made a 22.4 cubic foot model only 32 7/8th inches wide that was almost 2 inches shorter and 1/4 inches less deep. I fell in love with the Titanium one I saw at Samman's Electronics and the way it felt so comfortable when I opened and closed the refrigerator doors. I did not like that the big drawer was missing and the freezer side bin was not there but the fact that it felt like it was made for me and did not look so wide I knew it would look good in my kitchen. Then I found out I could not order it without the water on the door and the ice in the freezer (could pay more and get ice on the door). I liked the clean sleek look of nothing on my doors but loved the set up of the compartments inside the refrigerator and how it felt when I opened and closed the doors. It looks wonderful in my kitchen looking like it is the right size despite the 3 inches of space on one side of the refrigerator. I put it against the counter and let all of the space be on the side that I do not see too much. A bigger unit would have filled the space and looked maybe for a few minutes better but I think it would have overpowered the kitchen and also been not as comfortable for me to use to open and close the door as my smaller unit. Postnum, so you felt 31" wide looked too big so you can imagine how big the almost 36" wide model looked to me that I was able to accept the almost 33" model as not too big in comparison. :) I am having a problem with the new filter leaking that I will call LG up on since I just got the refrigerator and just had the plumber install a water line last night. But I do love the refrigerator so much so I will try to not let this bother me too much knowing it is under warranty and I am glad I hooked up the water line now rather than skip having the water so I found out this problem right away. Of course I would like the refrigerator more if it did not have anything on the door other than the pretty stainless steel finish. I do not like the way water on doors look but I felt nothing is perfect in life and for the price (high enough for me to pay since it was expensive to me for a refrigerator)and the comfortable feel for me and the pretty stainless steel color, feel it was the right choice for me....See MoreSanta all I want for Christmas is Kitchen Advice
Comments (30)I'm not sure which wall is the "west wall"...is it the top wall? Trash under sink...I've never liked having trash under a sink. Yes, it can be an issue when someone is working at the sink (prepping, cleaning up, etc.) when someone wants to use the trash. However, the bigger issues I have are the small size of the can and the overflowing trash (above or on the floor) that gets on the door, the items stored under the sink, etc. I'd rather have a stand-alone trash can than a can under the sink...which is what I had in my old kitchen. If you had a prep sink in the island, it would become your main Prep Zone b/c it would be so easy to take food out of the refrigerator and pantry and place it directly on the island. Then, walk over to the island and everything is right there and ready for you to begin prepping...no making one or more trips b/w the refrigerator & pantry to the wall counter...you're prepping right where you placed the food and across from the range and very near the trash pullout (just brush things into the pullout...no need to carry it across the aisle), which is also very convenient. It's the lack of water on the island that keeps it from being the main Prep Zone. An empty island can be used as large workspace for baking, crafts, homework/school projects (if you have children), wrapping gifts, sewing, staging food for a buffet, for appetizers, snacks, etc...including prepping when you don't need water. Don't worry, your island will get plenty of use even w/o a prep sink! Regarding prepping over a DW...Isn't it amazing how adaptable we humans are! Even inconvenient or uncomfortable things are "livable". Yes, we can adapt to almost anything...but if you can avoid things like that, it makes it so much more pleasant! I used to prep in a 24" space b/w the range and sink and really disliked it...but it was "livable". While I knew our new kitchen would be better laid out, I was still surprised how much nicer it is to work in it now. I spend more time in the kitchen puttering around, etc. b/c it's such a pleasant place to be...even my family does! I also find that we all cook more than we used to and do more "from scratch" cooking as well...all b/c it's so much nicer and easier to cook in a well-designed and thought out kitchen! Good luck and keep us posted!...See MoreMy little socal Spanish kitchen remodel - before
Comments (69)oldbat2be (I am lol'ing at your user name): Thanks! That isn't actually a grout sample, its a tile. I ended up going with a cream to match the stars. But I think I might do light grey with the white backsplash tile. Haven't yet decided....See MoreSmallbath5
12 days agoBlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
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