I am short. Never made it to 5’4" — thus my dreams of becoming a long-legged, ballet dancer at Julliard turned into an application for culinary school. Nevertheless, there is still lots of dancing and constant choreography my kitchen. I can create a sauce with poise and handle a knife with equal aplomb but there is nothing graceful about the kitchen tool I use almost as often as my knife — my kitchen stool.
Is a stool a tool? Well when you use it as often as I do to get the job done — it most definitely is. Our kitchen has tall top cabinets that reach the ceiling. As a requisite for the job and an obsession with kitchen goodies from glassware to cake dishes, I have managed to fill them to the top (not to mention all the canning equipment, ice cream machine and food processor we keep in the cabinets above the fridge). The items we use most often are easily accessible but we regularly cook and entertain, so we use everything.
My habit was to jump up on countertops and walk them like a balance beam to get what I needed. But I realized right quick this was a very, very bad example to set for my little boys, not to mention I was banging up my knees in the process.
On a typical Saturday yard sale outing, I came across three, beaten up wooden stools. For $2 each (they wanted $3, but I negotiated — you know that’s half the fun of junking) I was quickly on my way to higher ground. I use these kitchen stools numerous times a day. With each and every climb I feel completely uncool. For the rest of you vertically challenged cooks I know you can relate.
Can I make this must-have, uncool kitchen tool cool? Maybe some paint? I’m thinking something bright. Right now the kitchen really needs a splash of color, so maybe someone cool out there can tell me what color would make this kitchen tool cool?
Related: Take a Seat: Stools and Chairs in the Kitchen
Maureen C. Petrosky writes what she knows, food, booze and parties. Author of The Wine Club, she appears regularly on The TODAY show to share her vices, and advice with the world. For more info check out www.maureenpetrosky.com or follow her on twitter @maureenpetrosky.
(Images: Maureen Petrosky)
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Another shortie here. I have one of those library-ladder/chairs/stepstools that I use the same way. Wonderful tool.
Astonishing fact: when some people hop up on the counter, their heads touch the ceiling!
I'm six feet tall and also have a kitchen stool I use. It's about a 2-foot library stool on wheels (that lock in place when you step on it) and I use it for everything from reaching stuff on high shelves in my pantry to sitting on when painting baseboard trim.
I have a little stepladder that folds up super flat (2" or so wide) and tucks beside the fridge. Best kitchen purchase ever.
Your story makes it sound cool already! I'd go for pastel sea green or shell blue, maybe. Would make it look modern. I never got, by the way, what made someone tall. I'm 5'5" and I've been called both tall and short. Hm.
I'm four foot nine so my stepladder is my bestie. Even so, since I got my kitchen renovated my cupboards are so high now I either have to stand on the counter to reach the top shelf (I live alone) or ask my boyfriend to get stuff for me. Needless to say only rarely used items go up top!
Yet another shortie here. 61.5". Ha! I also climb up on counters. I need a new step-stool.
My husband made a beautiful stool for our daughter that now lives in the kitchen so I can reach upper cabinets!
5'2" here, love my stool and my tongs. sometimes i need one, sometimes both! i would paint your stools the blue delft color behind your stove, or maybe the bottle green above or do the ombre red of you kettle?
Ha! I thought I was the only one who actually stood on the counters to get stuff down! At 5'0" I also have a trusty wooden spoon to flip the wall light switch across the "peninsula" which is just. out. of. reach.
The stool is great. Those jeans are *awesome.*
Been climbing on counters since I was six! Now all grown up and five feet tall with kids of my own, I still climb on counters. Glad to hear I'm not the only one.
Another cabinet climber here. I have a one step folding stool. I reach things, but I'm still deciding what is what by touch. Hey, it saves on the power bill at night. I DO know what is what by touch.
But tongs? I must go get tongs. I have knocked things to the floor with my metal spatula.
What tong styles work well as grabbers? The metal ones with shell-like spoons on the end?
(Why, no, I've not had my tea).
My mom has a kitchen stool and it's one of my favorite things about her kitchen! She has a kitchen table and chairs, but that stool is where I would always sit and talk with her while she cooked. In her case I would definitely consider it a tool. It sits above a register, and when she needs to soften butter somewhat quickly she sets it on top of the stool. It softens it much more evenly than in the microwave, but more quickly than if it were just on the counter!