This was a very special project for us because these homeowners reached out to us after we had renovated their son’s home (Renovation Rekindle S1E1: Narrow Minded Kitchen)!
They had been living in their 1960’s ranch for over 20 years and were ready for a change. The small kitchen was challenging because it lacked storage space and the center wall made the space very tight. Our clients were looking for ways to be creative with some small kitchen design ideas to open up the space, get more storage space, and have a layout that would be more comfortable for family and holiday gatherings.
BEFORE: When the home was originally built the front room was the home’s main living room. At one point a larger living room was added onto the back of the house, so this room can now be converted into a dining room. In this space the one small built-in is situated over the basement stairs, so the floor is slanted and storage is minimal.
AFTER: This wall in the new dining room was converted to a buffet station with gray cabinets to match the kitchen, glass doors, a wood countertop, and oak shelves.
A view showing the entire wall with a new full depth closet, painted to match the cabinets. With the wall between the kitchen and front room gone the new accent wall is visible. The old closet over the basement stairs was converted to a full depth closet, accessible from the kitchen. Ideas like these in a small kitchen design add organization and much needed storage.
BEFORE: The old kitchen had outdated cabinets, a microwave over the range, and the wall to the right of the refrigerator is enclosing a working chimney.
AFTER: While the main “L-shape” of the kitchen remained similar to the old layout, removing the wall between the kitchen and the front room gave us enough room to add a large square island with seating on 2 sides. The new island gave us room to house the microwave, add a trash cabinet, and additional storage. A square island in a small kitchen is a design idea that helps to maximize seating. Now that it’s open to the front room there is plenty of space for large dinners and gatherings. The newly vaulted kitchen ceiling also helps to make the space feel bigger. To the right of the fridge we were able to sneak in a broom closet (next to the chimney that’s behind that wall). Even though it’s not large, adding a small closet like that is the perfect way to organize things like brooms, mops, and cleaning products in a small kitchen.
The view from the front room looking into the kitchen.
Looking into the new dining room and catching a view of the bar cabinets.
