Your kitchen may have limited workspace and square footage, but you still long for the cooking and entertaining capabilities of a much larger space. Your mind races as you envision yourself in that glorious large culinary space, cooking and creating those recipes from those unused cook books sitting in some drawer or cabinet. Your stove, fridge, dishwasher and microwave are from pre-Flintstone era and you can already feel those new appliances fitting in this god-awful space that you call your kitchen. Does this sound familiar?

I’m asked by many of our clients that walk into our showroom with “what is the main reason people want to do their kitchens over when they have such a small space.” More counter and storage space top the answers to that question followed by outdated appliances and cabinets. Cabinets falling apart are also a good reason and this will be the reason that will cost you the most. Why is that, you might be thinking? If a kitchen is that far down the life cycle, it’s pretty much a given that plumbing and electrical have not been updated since that kitchen was put in years ago. Cabinets and counter tops can make up a large portion of any kitchen remodeling budget but plumbing and electrical can run a close second in the cost. As soon as a kitchen gets remodeled, all plumbing and electrical will have to be brought up to the codes of today. As bad as that sounds, the good news is you will be updated and have no worries of any unexpected surprises.

I have good news though. At least you are dealing with a kitchen that is smaller and there won’t be as many cabinets and square footage of counters to put your money towards. That usually gets a smile out of our prospective clients. There are also many great design ideas that will help your small space that unleash the extra counter work area that you long for and also make for better and much-needed storage. Corner sinks are also a great idea with the utilization of your small space. They get rid of that awful corner storage that most people hate and in turn, free up much more valuable straight cabinet storage where the sink was before. Getting creative on storage ideas can also open up your world to having those many new gadgets that you been wanting to buy. If planned and positioned properly, they will open up other means of bulkier storage. You could also choose smaller but powerful appliances to open up counter and storage space like a good 4- burner pro-style range. There are a lot of nice built-in, less-deep fridges available also. These appliances will be more expensive but they help in the scheme of a better working kitchen. If you still need more cooling space, you could put a nice under-counter fridge somewhere off the kitchen to keep your kids away from your work space when they want a drink while you are busy preparing for a meal.

If money is a little more available, walls and doorways can be moved, taken down or eliminated. When I go out for a home evaluation at first, I have a habit of tossing around many options for the client to ponder on as they go through their remodeling process. It’s good to get other ideas thrown at you when you are in those early stages of planning. Words like “wow, I never would have thought of that or I didn’t know that could be done” come out of most client’s mouths. More opportunities of making it a better work space should be on the top of your list when starting a remodeling project. We would never know any of the possibilities if ideas were never shared. Moving appliances and sinks strategically also will open up many other possibilities for your smaller space. Moving the electrical and plumbing in this situation will be more costly but the benefits might outweigh the financial costs.

No matter what situation you might be in, work with a professional that will help you through the maze of ideas and product selections. If you don’t get a chance to dream first, you might end up with the same, cramped and ugly space again, only with newer cabinets, counters and appliances. If the old workspace design works then great, but if not, you will be unhappy and frustrated every time you enter your space to cook, clean and entertain. Don’t get aggravated with your small space, take the time to make an appointment with that kitchen professional and create that space that you have been dreaming of and truly deserve. If they can gain your trust in the beginning then you are well on your way to a fun and exciting experience that will not only make you smile but contribute to a beautiful space that you truly deserve.  Bon Appetit!!

Tim Holick

This entry was posted in Kitchen Design on February 25, 2015 by THblog.