apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

orange!!!!

While I completely appreciate that there is only so much one can do in a rented space/kitchen, I'm not sure this qualifies as a smallest, coolest for me. You've definitely organized your variety of cooking tools and ingredients well but it all looks a little too cluttered. I really like open shelving in kitchens (that's what I have too) but reserved more for tableware and cooking vessels. I think doors on the cabinets containing pantry items would create a cleaner look, leaving the doorless cabinets for tableware/serveware. That's just my 2 cents.

I love the bits of orange though! I think my ocd for fronting & facing (from my retail days) is rearing it's ugly head!

Well organized, but still cluttered looking, even for a small space. - cupboard doors or curtains would calm it down a bit -- also clearing a bit more counter-space for dedicated prep would be wise.

Also doesn't seem to follow their adage of quality over quantity -- I see several space hogging pots and pans that could be edited down to a few key pieces with multiple uses. This would save a space and reduce the clutter.

To me, this looks like a well-organized, hardworking kitchen. Cupboard doors would just get in the way when you need to grab something quick while you're cooking. And I don't really see duplicates as far as the pots and pans are concerned--they all look like they would serve different purposes to me. Yeah, the overall look is a little busy, but I think that's part of its charm.

Yay Heather! A cute, bright kitchen and great renter solution to crappy 80s cabinet doors!

Hi Heather!

Love your kitchen, it’s an instant finalist in my books. Tell me did you paint or paper?

I have been trying to achieve a similar look in my kitchen but am a bit reluctant to paint the insides of the cabinets for fear that the landlord will take it out on me when I leave the place. But I have also read that lining shelves with paper, especially in the kitchen, attracts, ugh, roaches. I have hence procrastinated. What was your solution? Thanks.

Since I have those same cabinet doors (except in almond), I can really appreciate what you have done with your kitchen. It looks like an energizing place to cook.

Nisha -- we used one roll of banner paper from Dick Blick and lined the back wall of the shelving. I was able to pull the shelves away from the wall and drop it down, rather than cut and trim each section separately. After more than a year, I'm happy to report no roaches!

The cabinet doors are warped and the wood trim edging falling off, so deciding to remove them was the first decision we made. There was also a collapsible wall-mounted table where the orange and yellow banner is behind the prep station which was also in disrepair and not fully-functional,so we removed it, too. The banner hides the hardware and holes in the wall.

Thanks!
-Heather

I love the orange cabinet backs, and like a certain amount of open shelving. However, I'd never do open shelving here in NY -- the soot/dust collects too quickly, so everything needs to be washed *before* use. Not so in Chicago?

Your kitchen looks so great. "Form follows function and that is the law" is too often interpretted as necessitating peculiar angles and materials in design. This kitchen has a lot of personality, with the much-commented-upon orange racing stripe/shelving back, and it's also one where you can really see what's there-- so you can actually cook in it with ease, and without worrying you'll scratch or stain something fancy. This gets my vote for coolest smallest kitchen. It looks great, and I know it must function too.

love the orange kitchenaid:0)
my fave kitchen by far

LOVE the orange. This is fabulous, very happy and comfy. I'm admittedly no minimalist, but it doesn't seem too cluttered to me at all.

Ooo - lots of 'stuff' on Ikea shelves.

Nicht impressed.

There seams to be many comments by a lot of people who know alot about kitchen design. As a chef that works in a submarine I think your kitchen is palatial. I could give two pooh's for opinions about color, design and space issues. It makes you happy. The test is what comes out of the kitchen. I'd much rather eat happy food than that sterile obsessive compulsive no character chow. I know the difference. I'd rock this kitchen. Believe this. Listen to me now, hear me later. Come to this kitchen if you want to live! Bow down and beg for mercy. Seriously.

haha. i like the borat photo on the fridge!

..god, i hope thats borat. :/

kitchens get cluttered! looks like a loved, lived-in, utilized space.

This kitchen is the exact opposite of Manolo's which I really liked. Nevertheless, I like this one, too. It's for people who are cooks. Is it styled? No. It's a real kitchen. You guys rock!

It's a great kitchen. It feels comfortable and liveable. The kind of place I could see myself having fun cooking in.

Cute, colourful and homey. I wouldnt be afraid to cook in this kitchen while the others, although stylish, were just a bit too sterile and lacking in personality. Love the orange napkins and the large format photographic print.

Though it may be well-organized, it ended up looking very cluttered. Those open shelves don't really work for your spices, etc. Except for coordinated dishware, I'd avoid not having real cabinets.

Thanks Heather, I think its time for me to paper too :)

One thing I'm noticing about these contests is that places that work well don't always photograph well. A couple of people have commented that this kitchen looks cluttered, but I can imagine that while cooking there, it's a joy to be able to see and access exactly what you need at any time. Definitely a cook's kitchen--nice job.