This year's small, cool kitchens are inspiring because of what many of them don't have—namely, a big budget for custom renovations and details. That's my lot as well, so I'm usually on the lookout for clever, budget, and renter-friendly kitchen solutions. But sometimes you want a little out-of-your-budget eye candy— you know, to pin to your "When I Pay Off My School Loans" board. This galley kitchen may be small, but the custom details make it more appealing and efficient than kitchens twice its size.
Designed by Phillip Mitchell and featured in the August 2009 issue of House and Home, the key to the swanky small kitchen life is customization. (Shocker, I know!) Appliances, including the fridge, freezer and dishwasher, are hidden in custom cabinetry, shallow storage drawers hold less used items like fine silverware, and leaded-glass panes in the cabinets make the space look larger.
Interested in seeing more of this kitchen? Check out a video here of the architect's apartment, including video of the kitchen and its design details.
Related: Is It Custom? Or IKEA? A Swedish Architect's Kitchen
(Image: Ted Yarwood for House and Home)
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What a stunning use of small space!
That kitchen has lovely materials and style, but wow does it make me feel claustrophobic just seeing the pictures... It's not just that it's a small space, but that it's so closed in by all of the cabinetry. I think I would have a panic attack trying to cook in there.
The floor-to-ceiling cabinetry in the foreground is too much for me. When a room is this long and narrow, you need to use horizontal lines, not vertical ones. Think counters. The people who live with this kitchen need to have A LOT of stuff to put away to justify the vertical cabinetry.
Although I wouldn't be claustrophobic, I totally get what Lynell says.
Ditto on the claustrophobia. Maybe a wall of cabinetry on the fridge side and open shelving or plain wall space on the other side of the room would make it better. As it is it's just oppressive, even with the light colors. The cabinetry is beautiful, though.