Small Apartment Kitchen Dwellers Unite!

[ErinM]

I Win!!

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Wow...how do you get your refrigerator door open? And your cabinets, for that matter?

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It's all Fairy food--whatever you want to come out of the pot, does. Three things in succession, if you choose. My favorite potful is broccoli, ice cream and espresso.

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I think I need for my actual kitchen to do that! That would save me not only logistics hassles, but I wouldn't have to do very many dishes beyond my plate/bowl and silverware.

[racheld]

Oh, Miss Maggie!!! A glimpse of your own domain. It's about time---your mind percolates out words past believing, but your kitchen has endless creative possibilities, as well.

And what with the naan? I think I'm craving some, inspired/inflicted by a small child's devouring a great wheel of it on some FN show or another recently, and by the not-quite-what-I-wanted jalapeno/corn cornbread for supper tonight.

And the wee kitchen is not functioning at the moment---it's under a big clear cakedome on the pass-through, like a sixties diorama awaiting June in her pearls. I like a fun, funky bit of lagniappe for spicing up the plain old kitchen decor.

[feedmec00kies]

Here it is...

It's part of a larger room, as I said before. So the stuff on top... large pot, the large frying pan, baking trays, cooling racks, the regular-sized cutting board (haven't found a better place for it yet), large pan lid, large metal bowls, and splatter screens up there. We also have a bottle of Grand Marnier (my boyfriend doesn't have room for it because the rye whiskeys have crowded it out from the shelf on the left outside the frame) up there, a lunch bag that I don't really use, some unopened bags of chips, and whatever extra unopened containers we might have (like 6-packs of soda).

The fridge is a little shorter than me, maybe 5'4", so it would be really small if it weren't just a one-bedroom apartment. Maybe it seems like it's too small because my boyfriend takes up a good 1/4 of it with beer and a few bottles of sake that are "on deck". Moreso, though, it's too small because, like most shelves throughout the kitchen, they're just too short for things, particularly on the door. We took off a shelf from the door for that reason. Oh yeah, that's on top of the cabinets too. Fortunately, there's a little room next to the microwave on top of the fridge, so that's where I keep the oil and stuff to cook. It keeps the 3 sq ft of counter space a little clearer.

I don't do much baking since the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder are in the cabinet with the rolling pin and the Cuisinart food processor above the microwave, blocked by other food that doesn't fit anywhere in particular. If I need one of them, I have to move things out of the way and get on a chair, so I don't really use more than one of them at a time usually. The cabinet to the right of the microwave is just our plates and bowls. The one above the stove is too high for most things, so on the bottom shelf there are glasses and some tea cups, sake cups, and beer glasses that don't fit on the exposed shelf (all tumbler-type lambic glasses, which are hardly used but traveled better than the kind we like to use with lambic). The top shelf of that cabinet has some hot sauce my boyfriend has collected, and not really anything behind it.. way too hard to get to, most of the time. The cabinets all the way to the right store most of the pantry items, with the spices in the right-most part to keep them as far from the heat as possible.

The sink is too small. It drives me nuts. I can't really lay the larger pans and pots in there, so it's kind of a battle to clean those things. I'm tempted to change the fixture to something that would give me a little more room, but I don't really feel it's quite worth it enough to do. (By the way, if you ever visit, the hot water knob is the cold water, and the cold water knob is the hot water. Yeah.)

Under the sink is the trash can, cleaning supplies, and plastic bags folded neatly to reuse at a later date.

Drawers? Those four. Not enough.

I'd kill for more counter space. I really would. Between that and the tiny sink, I am discouraged from doing things that would require the food processor most of the time. I really should get my hand blender from my parents' house, but haven't gotten around to it.

I wish we could hang things, but there isn't quite any good place to do so. I'm looking (not hard enough, though) for a paper towel dispenser to hang over the sink, since that'll free up some space. There's also no really good place to put up book shelves or anything like that... not just in the kitchen, but anywhere. Storage space is always a concern.

The room being large doesn't really help that much. The only wall space has a desk at it (really the only place for the desk to go), so we can't put a table against it to function as extra counter space for small appliances. The kitchen table is pretty multi-purpose anyway, being right at the entrance.

That all said, I love this apartment. It's in a great location, it was renovated right before we moved in, and it's really not that bad. Just... the kitchen. Argh. Almost makes me want to move out to the suburbs. Almost. (And I don't hate my boyfriend for taking up space with his beer glasses/rye whiskey/150+ bottles of beer.)

Edited February 18, 2008 by feedmec00kies (log)

[tsquare]

oh cookies, that is small. I wish I could feed you some of the cookies coming out of my oven right now!

But, is it possible to install a microwave over your range, it that space between the uppers? That would give you the two feet on top of the fridge as a surface though you already use that two feet on top of the microwave.

I think you need a small mobile island with storage.

[Domestic Goddess]

I Win!!

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I died laughing when I realized this wasn't a real kitchen. Had to squint and rub my glasses clean before realizing Rachel had me. LOL

[Anna N]

. . .

(The dishwasher hasn't worked in five years, but we'll replace it when we have disposable income.)

. . .

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So Maggie, do you put that non-functioning dishwasher to other uses such as to store your baking sheets, pan lids, cooling racks, etc?

[Chris Hennes]

I think you need a small mobile island with storage.

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These might be the handiest apartment-kitchen invention ever. I think it would work well for feedmecookies since she has an open floorplan that makes it easy to move stuff out of the way when you don't need it. I love mine (even though it's mostly dedicated that that monstrous meat slicer).

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

I don't have any pictures, but I've got a galley style kitchen. Any more than 2 adults in it at the same time is a tight squeeze. We store quite a bit of our kitchen stuff in the small dining area.

[feedmec00kies]

I think you need a small mobile island with storage.

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These might be the handiest apartment-kitchen invention ever. I think it would work well for feedmecookies since she has an open floorplan that makes it easy to move stuff out of the way when you don't need it. I love mine (even though it's mostly dedicated that that monstrous meat slicer).

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My boyfriend almost had the heart attack at the idea of a mobile island. Basically, something that could move would scream to him, "We have no storage space! AGHH!" and he'd pretty much go nuts. Good to know those things exist, though. I'd probably think about something like that for the future.

I've thought about putting the microwave up there, but I don't know how to go about mounting it. And I'd be terrified that the thing would somehow fall onto the stove while I was cooking or something, even if we had it screwed into studs and other secure things.

Basically, he and I are basically too crazy for most solutions.

[Chris Hennes]

My boyfriend almost had the heart attack at the idea of a mobile island. Basically, something that could move would scream to him, "We have no storage space! AGHH!" and he'd pretty much go nuts. Good to know those things exist, though. I'd probably think about something like that for the future.

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Hah! I told my wife that when we have room in our house I wanted two or three of them! Moveable counter space is really slick.

[maggiethecat]

. . .

(The dishwasher hasn't worked in five years, but we'll replace it when we have disposable income.)

. . .

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So Maggie, do you put that non-functioning dishwasher to other uses such as to store your baking sheets, pan lids, cooling racks, etc?

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I'm not that smart, but I'm going to move some baking equipment tonight. Thanks, Anna.

[snowangel]

Maggie, do you at least use the non-functioning dishwasher for storage?

feedmecookies: at least you have space above your cupboards. A lot of us have those silly soffits which are just an excuse to use drywall to enclose space that would be better used storing things that one doesn't need very often!

[Darcie B]

hummingbirdkiss, I'm glad to see others have long-term DIY construction projects. We are fortunate to be able to do the work ourselves but motivation seems to be scarce recently. Our basement looks much like your kitchen in progress.

I definitely don't qualify for this thread. We looked at houses for 3 years before buying ours, and we bought it basically because it had a large kitchen (13 x 16), yet was in our price range. We saw dozens of houses we could afford with closet-sized kitchens and many huge kitchens with oversize mortgages to go with them.

I almost got sick when I saw my friend's new kitchen. The kitchen must be at least 18 x 20, and he NEVER cooks. He doesn't deserve it. There I said it.

And just to rub it in, not only do we have a large kitchen, we have space in the basement for a second kitchen, which we may get around to building one of these days. Before anyone gets too jealous, there isn't any other advantage to living here. There isn't a really good restaurant closer than a four-hour drive, the economy is stagnant, and there are few too many meth labs for my taste.

[sparrowgrass]

Feedmecookies, that hot water/cold water thing is probably really easy (and cheap) to fix.

Send me a pix of the underside of your sink, and I will tell you how to fix it.

[abooja]

I wish I had taken photos of my sad, little Astoria kitchenette. It had a tiny stove directly next to a tiny sink, and a refrigerator shorter than I am (I'm 5' 7") to the right of that, with cabinets above and the requisite one below the sink. That was it. It literally had zero counter space. I used the edge of the sink to dry glasses on, and the grates of the stove for dishes. If I had to guess, it was maybe 7' x 5', max. I used to say that it couldn't fit two people hip-to-hip, perpendicular to the stove. I found it a cruel irony that I was made to live with this kitchen for six whole years. If it weren't for the high ceilings, hardwood floors and proximity to the subway and NYC (15 minutes), I would have passed on the place.

Still, I managed to crank out the food. A small, wooden island from Crate & Barrel in the living room opposite the kitchen helped a lot. That, and a strong desire to cook and bake. You don't really need a big, fancy kitchen to be a good cook, as many of us here already know.

This is the one photo I have of that kitchen, and it's only of the window. I joked that would close off the door, stick an exhaust tube through that tiny window and turn the whole thing into a smoker.

[feedmec00kies]

feedmecookies:  at least you have space above your cupboards.  A lot of us have those silly soffits which are just an excuse to use drywall to enclose space that would be better used storing things that one doesn't need very often!

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It's true, I do at least have the over-the-cupboards space. We'd really be in trouble without it. Unfortunately, stuff that's infrequently used needs to be washed with soap to get grease from frying things before we use them, but I've realized that that's the case with ALL flat surfaces above the stove in that area. I try not to think about it because then I'll go on a cleaning frenzy.

Feedmecookies, that hot water/cold water thing is probably really easy (and cheap) to fix.

Send me a pix of the underside of your sink, and I will tell you how to fix it.

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Yeah, I know it'd be easy, since it's probably just a matter of shutting the water off under the sink and using a wrench to loosen and switch the flexible pipe-things that are hooked up. We've actually gotten so used to it, though, that we don't really care anymore. We just have to tell any guests we have the first time they use the sink. Thanks though, for the offer, and if I decide to do it I'll certainly ask your advice!

[Pierogi]

(By the way, if you ever visit, the hot water knob is the cold water, and the cold water knob is the hot water. Yeah.)

FeedMeCookies, my shower stall in my 3/4 bath has the same issue. But the supply pipes are sunk into the concrete wall !!! If I ever move, I feel beholden to leave a message for the new owners not to wait for the hot water in that shower for too very long....

[hummingbirdkiss]

sometimes I think I am afraid to move to a bigger more functional/comfy kitchen..I want to do this new one but really I have cranked out some meals from the one I am in ..some times ranging up to 40 people ..I replace appliances they distruct ...(sometimes min before a huge gathering )...

here is usually some kind of discomfort behind the best of kitchen creations

people suffer for thier art/science or what would be the challenge?

DarcieB if you want to start a support group for people who DIY while living in a house......I am your woman !!!

I am going to pledge to finish this kitchen in 2008

Edited February 20, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[Fengyi]

From a small but perfectly functional galley kitchen in the UK (hey - it had two wall ovens! Not bad!), I've moved to this:

The only thing missing is the sink - next to which I am taking the picture!

Living without an oven has prove interesting...also the total lack of storage - the cupboard at the end doesn't even function because the fridge stops the door from opening fully and they put drawers inside the cupboard.

They are the only drawers in the whole kitchen - go figure...

After our UK-China move, I've gone from cooking at home every day (with elaborate meals -up to ten courses at weekend dinners) to frequent restaurant eating!

This is a testament to both my kitchen and the cheapness of eating out (meal for two for under USD 10 and no tips!)

Of course, I should just bite the bullet and move the fridge into the living room like most people here do, but I somehow just can't face it!

EDIT: to add, I forgot the most depressing part. When we went away this year, the electrics in the kitchen ceased to function. The result was we returned to a summertime temperature mess of rotten food in the freezer. I still haven't managed to get rid of the smell....so the freezer is off limits as well

Edited February 21, 2008 by Fengyi (log)

[potsticker]

After our UK-China move, I've gone from cooking at home every day (with elaborate meals -up to ten courses at weekend dinners) to frequent restaurant eating!

This is a testament to both my kitchen and the cheapness of eating out (meal for two for under USD 10 and no tips!)

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Ooh, you're in Beijing? My dad lives there. I went to go visit him last year (for a month!) and I ate my brains out. I would take the subway from Chongwenmen and jump off at a random stop, walk around, see good food to eat, stuff my face, and then jump back on the subway for another random stop. 5 weeks of that and I LOST weight. The best part being, of course, I may have only spent like USD $40 on food the whole time.

[feedmec00kies]

Fengyi, I feel so bad for you. I think having no oven is pretty far up there on the list of sad kitchen situations. Plus the freezer. Eghhh.

Potsticker, how the *()*#%)( did you LOSE weight????

[Jujubee]

Oh damn, I wish I had a picture of my old kitchen in a closet! It would handily beat out every kitchen in this thread. It was literally a kitchen in a closet. With the door closed, it looked like a closet with those sliding doors that sort of fold in half. (Sorry, I'm not describing this well, but basically the kind of closet that is not a walk-in.) The refridgerator fit under the counter, so it was just the size of a larger dorm room beer fridge. The stove and oven were tiny and narrow: the stove only had two burners and the oven would barely fit a 9 x 13 pan. There was a tiny patch of counter space where we also kept the cooking utensils. Above were two cabinets. The entire thing couldn't have been bigger than 5 feet wide by 2 feet deep.

[Smithy]

Y'all wait. Pretty soon, someone who lives on a boat will one-down you with a shot of their galley. Failing that, I'll show you a photo of my mother's apartment, next time I get there for a photo. I was really proud of myself, last Christmas, cranking out some fine braised short ribs, rice'n'sauce, and steamed vegetables, with about 2 square feet of counter space.

[helenjp]

I posted these a while back, but here's my sad truth...

Floor plan

The other end of this room houses the dining table. It's actually the largest room in the house, and a Japanese real estate would call it not just a kitchen, and not just a "dining-kitchen", but a "living-dining-kitchen".

Unfortunately it has 4 doors off it, and a lot of through-traffic. 30cm = roughly 1 foot, so the main counter/stove area is 265 cm across (less than 3 yards), and most of that is gas range or sinks, so my counter space is just under 80cm, or around 2 1/2 feet.

Husband in kitchen (photo shows counter area on left of floor plan above).

[Chufi]

When I was living in Hamburg as a student, I shared an apartment with a friend. There were 2 bedrooms and one kitchen. While the kitchen would have been big enough to be nicely equipped, it wasn't.

There was NO counterspace. I mean, really NO counterspace. There was 1 tiny freestanding sink, attached to one of the walls, with a mirror above it which was handy, because this kitchen sink doubled as bathroom sink.. because the kitchen was ALSO our bathroom (though we did have separate toilet )

So there was this little sink, with no counterspace around it, a stove and a fridge. The only area that you could do any prep on was the top of the fridge, or the kitchen table, but the table was usually covered with newspapers and books etc. ..

there was also no storage. NO cupboards or anything. Just 2 shelves that held everything we owned: pots and pans and plates and glasses and the big breadbox that was always filled with lovely German sourdough bread.

It was the worst kitchen I've ever had, or seen. I guess It was a good thing that I survived on crackers and cheese and full-fat German dairy products, and wasn't much of a cook back then. Serious cooking in that kitchen would have been a serious challenge.