Kitchen of the Week: Better Storage Boosts a Compact Space
Careful planning maxes out every inch of this small space for optimal organization
To rethink a small but hardworking kitchen in Washington, D.C., designer Melissa Cooley carefully measured every nook for places where she could incorporate space-saving solutions. The results of her efforts paid off in a still-small kitchen that has a creative mix of open and closed cabinetry with enough storage to rival a kitchen twice its size.
AFTER: Cooley used about 75 percent of the existing layout but moved a few appliances around. The window and light fixtures stayed where they were, and Cooley gave the room a completely new, contemporary look. She upgraded the range and hood to create more of a statement and focal point on the rear wall.
Cooley measured the homeowners’ pots, pans, cookie trays, wine bottles, cereal boxes, mops and brooms to create detailed storage. She chose cherry stained cabinetry that complemented other warm, dark tones elsewhere in the home. Porcelain tile with a stone look replaced the previous wood floor to break up the tiring wood-on-wood look.
Range: Bertazzoni; Neo Stone floor tile: Architectural Ceramics
Cooley measured the homeowners’ pots, pans, cookie trays, wine bottles, cereal boxes, mops and brooms to create detailed storage. She chose cherry stained cabinetry that complemented other warm, dark tones elsewhere in the home. Porcelain tile with a stone look replaced the previous wood floor to break up the tiring wood-on-wood look.
Range: Bertazzoni; Neo Stone floor tile: Architectural Ceramics
AFTER: Closed cabinets surround the fridge, to the left of which is a mix of open shelves, drawers and a wine rack.
Refrigerator: Jenn-Air
Refrigerator: Jenn-Air
Open cabinets to the right of the range store cookbooks within reach.
“The 1900s house lends itself to a very tasteful, traditional style,” Cooley says. Warm bronze hues in a crackled tile backsplash above the range complement the cherrywood tones.
Tile: Mosaic Tile Co.
Tile: Mosaic Tile Co.
An integrated hutch-like piece near the kitchen has a grand, hardworking, elegant look you’d see in larger spaces. This nook, with opaque glass cabinets and a small bar, lets the owners display featured wines, charge their phones and conceal mountains of china for a less cluttered look.
Project developer: Richard Rocco
Craftsmen: Jose Marano and Oscar Menjivar
See more Kitchens of the Week
More
Trending Now: 25 Kitchen Photos Houzzers Can’t Get Enough Of
10 Things You Didn’t Think Would Fit in a Small Kitchen
Stash It All: Know the 3 Zones of Kitchen Storage
Project developer: Richard Rocco
Craftsmen: Jose Marano and Oscar Menjivar
See more Kitchens of the Week
More
Trending Now: 25 Kitchen Photos Houzzers Can’t Get Enough Of
10 Things You Didn’t Think Would Fit in a Small Kitchen
Stash It All: Know the 3 Zones of Kitchen Storage
Kitchen of the Week
Location: Washington, D.C.
Size: 143 square feet (13.2 square meters)
Designer: Melissa Cooley of Case Design/Remodeling
BEFORE: Pale pine cabinetry felt dated to the homeowners, and didn’t match other tones throughout the house.