Who couldn't use another 25" of cabinet space and another couple of linear ft. of counter space in their MH kitchen? I think I've found a way to do just that! It won't work for everyone, but I wanted to share it with you guys in case it might work for you too.

Portable dishwashers are making a comeback. Who knew? This turns out to be a cool thing for me. When you step into my home, you are immediately in what I've dubbed the "great room." (Or will be, as soon as I knock out the china cabinet that acts as a room chopper-upper.) It will be a totally open space of living room and eat-in kitchen. The flooring, area rugs, LR accent wall and coordinated backsplash, wallpaper, and lighting fixtures will tie it all together and will, I really really hope, evoke a light, breezy, spacious, big-but-cozy great room.

However, the reality still exists that I have approximately 8 linear ft. of counter space and 6 corresponding cupboard/cabinet space area. Only 6, not 8. Yes, because 2 linear ft. of counter space has a dishwasher under it, rather than a cabinet. (Actually, I'm not doing base cabs, they'll all be drawers of various depths, but that's a thread for another day.)

See where I'm going with this? :-) If I could get rid if the built in dishwasher, I get another base cabinet/drawers! So I took a drive down the Internet highway and ended up at Sears. I picked out a Whirlpool 24" portable dishwasher, black, butcher block top, obviously on wheels!

Due to the conducive layout of the eat-in kitchen, I can "park" my dishwasher out of the way, unobtrusively in a space that otherwise probably wouldn't be used. AND...remember I mentioned the top of said dishwasher is butcher block? Whirlpool did that intentionally, so it can be used as a mini prep space, a teeny island, if you will! YAY!! I get an extra cabinet AND a 2 sq. ft. butcher block prep surface! THAT'S what I call working WITH your MH space!

Of course, there are cons, as with everything. One is cost. This particular model is on sale right now for $620; it's regularly $690. Ouch! Actually quite a bit more than a comparable built in. And your kitchen/dining layout has to be such that you can park it in a space that's convenient for use, but not in the way. And you've got to be OK with rolling it over to the sink to load it up and then connecting to the faucet to run it. This Whirlpool model is Energy Star compliant.

Not really a question here; just wanted to share my ah-hah! moment in hopes it might help someone else. I'd love to hear other folk's ah-ha! MH moments too!