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Kitchen conundrum

7 years ago

So this is a little two bedroom apartment above my garage. I posted about this kitchen space before, and thanks to some good recommendations from mamagoose and others I gutted the whole place and reconfigured all the rooms/walls in this apartment... Then I got pregnant and didn't even step in here for about a year. Now the baby is a couple months old and Im back to thinking about my original problem... what to do with this kitchen. I am working on it more as a guesthouse/fun project. We don't really have any plans of someone actually living here, but Its best to make a functional space so if someone eventually wanted to they could. Sorry for the mess, a lot of it was left over from previous owners and we've just kindof shoved it around instead of taking it to the street where it probably belongs.

I put a rough drawing of my kitchen plan. Due to awkward placement of windows/doors in this space this is really the only way I can think to do it. All appliances are full sized. I really don't like how the fridge would be jutting out right there in the doorway. Im wondering if I should just do a dorm sized mini fridge under the counter there instead? Which would be fine unless someone actually did move in here then Id add a full sized fridge in the laundry room for stuff that isn't used as much? Or is that super inconvenient... Also wondering if I should just do induction type range where Ive drawn the stove and then a buffet or something sitting under the 5ft window with a toaster oven. Ideally I would like a full kitchen but Im not really sure if it would be possible in this space. Im thinking open shelving to the left of the sink window then uppers everywhere else with a microwave over the stove. This is also the dining area, I forgot to draw it but I was going to do a small table/chairs in the corner opposite the living room opening. Any suggestions/recommendations?

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goodstuf73
Original Author

7 years ago

I just found this adorable photo! Im not sure that my corner is quite big enough to do something like this. I'll have to go out and measure. But what a great idea for space saving and making more countertop room. Love it!

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Comments (8)

jhmarie
7 years ago
I put a small L shaped kitchenette in my basement this past summer for guest. I already had a mini beverage fridge and a separate small freezer in the area. When one of those dies, I will get an apartment size fridge. The mini fridge is really too small to be used as the regular fridge. However, if you don't have someone using the space, leaving a large fridge unused, on or off, seems a waste. I would get an apartment fridge - guest will love it and if the decision to rent out the space ever happens, replace the small apartment fridge with a larger when it dies. Due to the small space allotted to a fridge in my older home, my family of 6 does fine with a 33" fridge. A smaller family will do fine with an even smaller one.
goodstuf73
Original Author
7 years ago
Honestly, if I go with full sized appliances I will probably get new ones for my own kitchen then shift the ones we already have out here. My budget is pretty flexible since I am on no set time frame and my Dad and I are literally doing every bit of it ourselves so there are no labor costs. And thanks for the trash reminder!! I totally forgot about that...
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love how it turned out! I remember that kitchen - it had a number of problems to work thru and around! but you did it! I love the stove - it looks like a deep orange on my monitor. and the sink and peninsula - wonderful. love that little platform in the corner of your sink for the faucet. I also love those pull out boards - those have got to come in handy for a number of uses. Wish I had 1 or 2 myself. And the BRASS - love it w/its patina. no matter the use of other metals in there - it doesn't matter. It 'evolved' - lol! yep, great job. Hope you are loving it! oh - and yes so happy you posted it. Great ideas for others to get from it. Not all of us can have or want to have a 50,000 $+ gut of our kitchen. I think the majority of people have to make do and change what they can when they can and if they can.
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In that case, if you are completely happy with the way it is set up, I would see if you can find the funds to reface or change the cabinet doors at the very minimum. But if your dream is a better, larger, nicer kitchen with better infrastructure as well as look, I would honestly wait and save. I've gone the road of minor improvements in a subpar kitchen before and it's been money to the wind. But if you are dead certain that the kitchen works great but could look better, then see if you can swing new cabinet doors or refacing.
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lazy_gardens
7 years ago
I'd flip it ... put the kitchen along the upper right, L-shaped, with a breakfast area / homework office spot where you are showing the cabinets.

It would give you some longer stretches of prep area.
homechef59
7 years ago
From an appraisal, resale standpoint, put in full-sized appliances. You will be able to rent it out if you choose.
practigal
7 years ago
I think you can schedule a pick up with habit for humanity (or similar) and they will come get it.
cpartist
7 years ago
Please don't do the sink so close to the stove like in the photo. I have that now and it's a pain to prep.

Can you close off part of the wall to the living room? Right now it's a 10' opening. Maybe make it 6' and it will give you more space for the kitchen.
goodstuf73
Original Author
7 years ago
I was thinking the corner stove would give more uninterrupted counter space for prep? Because otherwise I'd be standing in that corner chopping vegetables. You're probably right though, at least if Im standing in that corner Im right there next to the sink. Ive already closed off about 3 feet on that that wall (right where I have the fridge drawn.) I had to reconfigure the entire apartment just to help this kitchen make any sense at all. Although the layout is still not optimal its much better than before. Maybe extending that wall a just little more would help though. lazy-gardens, while flipping the kitchen would solve a lot of problems I would also have to move plumbing/wiring ect. If this was my full time kitchen than absolutely I would do that, but since its just more of a weekend project that Im working on with no plans to rent that may be a little much.

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