I have been waiting 10 years for this and I can now finally show you my newly renovated kitchen….!
My little farm house has a very small kitchen with limited cupboards and bench space. A full renovation was out of our budget so I had to work with what I had and make a few smaller alterations to make the space work for us.
As you can see from the image below, the kitchen is very tight and bench space was at a minimum. I also only had two cupboards for storage, and they were corner cupboards which were incredibly awkward to use.
Before
Working from left to right, I had the fridge, then pantry, a corner cupboard (microwave above), oven, another corner cupboard (coffee etc above), sink, drawers and a deep freezer. A major issue I had with the layout of this kitchen was the lack of bench space and cupboards. So when redesigning the space, I wanted to include more work areas and more storage.
I am very lucky that my partner is a cabinet maker by trade so we were able to customise the space. But flat-pack cabinets are available from Bunnings and Ikea, as well as other small businesses, so have a look around your area. They usually come in a range of configurations and sizes to suit your space.
We decided to move the pantry and fridge to the other side of the kitchen. This then allowed us to add extra cupboards along the left side, and we added some shelving to the end panel to give easy access to recipe books etc.
We also went for open shelving rather than overhead cupboards as this would have enclosed the space in too much.
The open floating shelving allows me to show off certain pieces that I use all the time, without cluttering up my bench space. These shelves were homemade by my partner and can hold up to 100kg each (he has a thing for over-engineering), but I know that they will last and will hold pretty much anything. The shelves slide over a metal rod which is secured into the stud work in the wall. The shelves are then fitted over the top creating the floating effect. But again, you can get similar floating shelves ready-made from hardware places like Bunnings and Ikea, you don’t have to opt for custom made.
We also decided on the classic white subway tiles as it helps to make the space feel bigger with black grout.
And let’s be honest, you can’t renovate your kitchen without changing up at least one appliance, so we purchased a side by side fridge/freezer which I have wanted for ages – no more diving into the bottom of the chest freezer for me!
I have found over the years that it’s not the amount of space you have that counts, but how you use it. If an area isn’t working for you, maybe all you need to do is change up the space. Declutter, put in some good storage systems. You may not have to do a major renovation to achieve the space you want at all. Maybe just a small reno is needed, like the one I have just done.
This renovation cost us around $1,500 all up. But if you’re using a flat pack system it would be a bit more. But know your own limitations and don’t be afraid to outsource to a contractor if you need to. You may initially pay out a bit more, but you’ll have a completed kitchen that will work.
And to finish it off, a fresh coat of paint.
After
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