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| Hasselbrink makes the most of her space by keeping things crisp and clean, accenting with simple but quirky accessories. "Hidden storage is my answer most of the time, unless the object is both useful and attractive," Hasselbrink says. Drawer dividers, racks on the inside of cabinet doors, and attractive bins and baskets are all great solutions for renters with little room for storage. Private Comment
Tip: Less is more in a small kitchen. Hasselbrink often cleans out her drawers, getting rid of unnecessary, broken or duplicated items and donating those that are still functional. |
| Although she'd be the last person to call her kitchen professional, the dishes that Hasselbrink whips up for The Year in Food imply otherwise. She's constantly creating fresh, colorful and deliciously simple dishes. Private Comment
"I love to cook with seasonal produce, so that's usually my starting point," she says. Hasselbrink made this fig and blue cheese crostini in August, the peak of fig season. Tip: Get good tools. If you feel confined by your small kitchen, try investing in a few new kitchen tools to inspire the culinary genius within. A new baking dish or cookbook might be just the thing to push you beyond the microwave. |
| Like any cook, Hasselbrink isn't just inspired by what produce is available, but also by what she's craving. Often, her recipes are simply great comfort foods reinvented with a healthy twist. "The weather influences my cooking a lot too — cozy, warm foods when it's cold and light salads when it's warm," she says. This roasted cornish game hen is the perfect dish for chilly weather. Private Comment
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| "I'm kind of late to having helpful gadgets in the kitchen, but now that I do, it's hard to imagine doing without," Hasselbrink says. Her immersion blender is a must-have, and a recent splurge on an electric mixer is completely reshaping her previous experiences with baking. Next on her wish list: a food processor. All of these items make cooking just a little easier. Private Comment
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| Although there wasn't really a final vision for her kitchen's décor, Hasselbrink has been able to give her kitchen a cohesive, polished look by sticking to a simple white color palette for her dishes and storage containers. "My attempts to decorate my kitchen so far have been a little haphazard," she says. "It's mostly based on when there's been time or a little extra money to invest. I'm limited by the fact that it's a rental too, which can be frustrating at times." Private Comment
Tip: Choose a simple palette. Even if you're not able to paint or replace cabinetry in your kitchen, you can define a color palette through art and accessories. Sticking to a simple like theme gives your kitchen a polished and more cohesive feel. |
| Hasselbrink's kitchen is open to her home's dining room — one of her favorite parts about the space. "Otherwise it would be a pretty dark and dreary place," she says. Her crisp all-white palette helps diffuse the great natural light that filters in from the dining room. Private Comment
Tip: Make the most of your light. Even if your kitchen is tucked away in a dark corner, using light-colored accents and adding task lighting can help it feel cozy rather than constrained. |
| A collection of cookbooks in various styles sit on a table just outside the kitchen. Hasselbrink's collection includes a mix of old classics and new must-haves, as well as several from well-known Bay Area restaurants — including Mission Street Food, Chez Panisse and the Zuni Cafe. She found the retro owl bookends at a thrift store. Private Comment
Setups like this are a great way to visually extend your kitchen space beyond the actual kitchen. Tip: Borrow space. A small table, console or shelving provides additional storage and carries your kitchen's workspace beyond its originally defined area. |
