Kittie lives in a 170 square foot studio, so you can imagine how small her kitchen must be. The original Pullman kitchen dated from the 1920's and was like a narrow closet behind french doors.
When Kittie renovated her apartment, she knew she wanted to build a working kitchen regardless of how miniaturized it would have to be. Unlike many New Yorkers who use their micro apartment as an excuse to eat out every night, Kittie feels strongly that it "is possible to make real meals in a tiny studio kitchen, even with no range and minimal equipment." So she does.
To prove her point, upon my arrival at her apartment, Kittie handed me a list of dishes she creates, using only her microwave, single-burner cooktop, crockpot, and immersion blender:
BREAKFASTS: BACON & EGGS, FRENCH TOAST, PANCAKES, HOT OATMEAL
SOUPS: CARROT & GINGER, CREAM OF LEEK & POTATO, CHICKEN VEGETABLE
BEEF & BARLEY, BROCCOLI CHEESE, MINESTRONE, SPLIT PEA, LENTIL VEGETABLE
CASSEROLES & STEWS: BEEF IN RED WINE, CHICKEN CASSOULET, VEGETABLE CURRY
CHICKEN & RICE, BEEF STROGANOFF, VEGETARIAN 3-BEAN CHILI
PASTA: FETTUCINE ALFREDO, SPAGHETTI PRIMAVERA, CHICKEN & MUSHROOM RIGATONE
MEXICAN: CHICKEN FAJITAS, BLACK BEAN NACHOS & HOME-MADE QUESO
DESSERTS: JAM SPONGE PUDDING & CUSTARD, NUTMEG RICE PUDDING, LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES, CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Kittie's Response to The Kitchn Survey
What's your cooking style?
Simple, easy-to-fix healthy meals.
What inspires your kitchen?
Memories of "baking day" with my Mum
What is your favorite kitchen tool or element?
I love the fact that I was bold enough to create a kitchen that looks like a stylish cocktail bar, and that I can actually cook real food in it using only a small microwave, a single-burner cooktop and a crock-pot
Best cooking advice or tip you ever received:
Learn the basics before you get creative! (I've eaten a lot of "experiments", not all successful!)
Biggest challenge in your kitchen:
The size - it's a 51" wide x 21" deep recess in a 10' x 17' studio!
Biggest indulgence:
The natural stone tile, and the granite counter that looks like clear ocean water rippling over sand.
Dream tool or splurge:
Someone else to actually do the cooking for me
What are you cooking this week?
Spinach Breakfast Omelettes, Home-made Chicken Vegetable Soup, 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili, Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
What cookbook has inspired you the most?
"The Farmhouse Book of Cookery" given to me as a wedding present 32 years ago by a lovely, elderly family friend.
What's the most memorable meal you've ever cooked in this kitchen?
Pear, Gorgonzola & Walnut Salad, Pasta Primavera with Light Parmesan Sauce, Steamed Individual Raspberry Sponges and Custard (not healthy, but a yummy treat!)
Resources
Wall Tile: Daltile natural stone brick mosaic in champagne gold
Granite: Sourced locally
Lighting: Natural onyx pendant lights, sadly now unavailable
Cabinets: Thomasville from Home Depot, natural maple
Cabinet Pulls: Mosaic satin nickel
Filler Pull-out: Rev-A-Shelf
In-cabinet pull-out drawers: Custom from customdrawerboxes.com
Bar Stools: Lattice from homedecorators.com
Refrigerator: Avanti 19"w under-counter with real freezer
Cooktop: Sunpentown portable single burner ceramic cooktop, fitted into custom pull-out drawer so it doesn't take up counter space
Sink: Inexpensive Kindred bar sink, fancy Danze faucet and deck-mount, soap dispenser from Overstock
Microwave: Haier, the smallest available to fit in my 12" deep island cabinets
Small Appliances: Toaster, small crock-pot, immersion stick-blender, stock/soup pot & frying pan
Dishes: Overstock
Glassware: Mikasa Cheers Pastel
• Check out the rest of Kittie's Home on Apartment Therapy.
• Kitchen Tour Archive: Check out past kitchen tours here
We're always looking for real kitchens from real cooks.
Submit your kitchen here.
(Images: Jill Slater)
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This is a woman who enjoys her booze. And to that I say cheers!!
Also I've been inspired by the food list, chicken and mushroom soup in the crockpot this weekend. MM.
i'm impressed
love her silverware storage!
love the silverware drawer wow!
Now THAT'S how to live in 170sf! Excellent.
What a great (little) space! Nice and compact, everything within easy reach. That narrow 'drawer' is great.
On an unrelated note; Kittie, I LOVE your hairstyle!
what a fantastic little useable nook! That tile is fabulous. I'd hate to have to wash dishes in that tiny sink though!
I love the bar also. The kitchen cabinet drawers are awesome too. I'm jealous!
I love it.... except... How do you wash dishes in that sink? Especially cookie sheets, etc.
I love how compact it is -- great use of space.
I also adore the paint colour! What is it? It's so soothing.
Thank you, kind commenters all!
Replies:
Yes the sink is small - only way I could fit both the refrigerator and a cabinet next to the sink.
But it works - I wash & dry dishes after every use, one at a time, which is also nice b/c I don't have to look at dirty dishes!
I don't have a cookie sheet (or an oven to put one in) - I have a fab microwave recipe for real shortbread cookies, baked on a paper plate. My 'rolling pin' is that nice bottle of Grey Goose Vodka, taking multi-purpose to a new high (or low, depending on your point of view)
Thanks again,
Kittie
SarahBerneche - I'm glad you like the paint colour! I wanted something 'receding' in such a small space, and a colour I would find serene after a busy day in the city.
The paint colour was arrived at painstakingly by me, mixing acrylic craft paint on poster board, about 30 trials!
Then I had it matched at the local Benjamin Moore in eggshell finish.
Many people have wanted the same colour, so I have painted some samples on board, and would be happy to mail you one if you'd like to email me your address from my website contact page:
http://www.lifestylespacedesign.com
Thanks again,
Kittie
Super cute kitchen, you did a great job with it Kittie! I like how when everything is put away, it looks like a nice wetbar. I wish we could see the rest of your place, I'm nosy and curious about the layout lol
sauceykat (great name!) - thank you so much!
Indeed, I didn't want a proper kitchen to dominate my tiny 10' x 17' studio - much nicer to have a nice cocktail bar!
You can see more pics of my apartment on apartment therapy - new york - house tours, and also on my website http://www.lifestylespacedesign.com which has photos of several of my other projects too.
There is also a link in the comments to my floor plan on flickr
Thanks for looking!
Kittie
the slide-in burner scares me. I'd be afraid of fire or scorching the underside of the burner. Where are the pots stored, the towels and cereals, the dishes and other kitchen necessities?
Iona, thanks for your comments!
The drawer for the hotplate is on an 'over-extension slide' so it slides out far enough away from the cabinets, and the counter is granite, so heat is not a problem.
You can see more of the kitchen and the whole apartment on my website http://www.lifestylespacedesign.com under gallery-kitchens, but here is where I keep cooking stuff:
Cooking equipment is in the island in the cabinet to the right of the hotplate, right where you need it:
Pull-out drawer - cooking knives, chopping board, peeler, can-opener, spatulas etc
Bottom shelf:
non-stick frying pan
all-purpose tall soup/stock/pasta/rice/sauce pan
small slow cooker
immersion stick-type blender
toaster
table napkins
Middle shelf:
canned goods, olive oil, pam, flour, baking powder, cider vinegar, box grater, paper plates
bread box, health crackers, nuts, raisins
Top shelf:
dinner service for 4
porcelain tea set for 4 with teapot
'company' cookies
Cabinet doors:
spices, doggy treats, sunflower seeds, little measuring cup
The Beloved's stash of Jujubes!
vintage linen 'company' napkins & doilies
Cabinet to left of refrigerator
4 kinds of tea
coffee, creamer, sugar
cereal, v-8, lemon juice, dog nibbles
freezer containers
Daily kitchen towels are on the pull-out rack to rt of sink.
Hope that helps!
Kittie
Fabulous! I'd be afraid I'd bump the slide-out drawer with the hotplate while it had a pot on it, sending the draw zooming back in and the pot crashing to the floor! Is there something that locks it into the open position when you're using it?
Jane, the slides for the hotplate drawer are particularly 'stiff', not like a regular drawer - it takes some effort to pull the drawer out or push it back in, so it stays in place when it's pulled out.
Glad you think my little kitchen is fab!
Kittie
Kittie - what you've done in that small space is nothing short of AWESOME! I just love the kitchen and tiled wall. And I love the bathroom and all glass in it, especially the sink, and yes, the shells too. if you don't mind, can you give a ballpark figure on the cost of the renovation?
Hi vsimonton1,
Thanks for the compliments!
The whole reno, including replastering all walls & ceiling, refinishing floor, stripping doorframes, replacing doors, demolishing old kitchen, bathroom, closet & murphy bed, new bathroom, new kitchen, new closet & desk, was about $60,000.
Since we paid $160,000 for the studio 5 years ago, the renovation cost will more than pay for itself when it comes to resale, and of course you can't put a price on having a lovely, highly functional living space to enjoy!
Kittie
that is remarkable and gorgeous!
absolutely love this kitchen. amazing, thank you for sharing
beautiful tiles in your kitchen.