With her down-to-earth approach to food, and a dash or two of snark, Liza enjoys eating, reading, cooking, dining and writing on a daily basis. By day, she's an insurance professional, by night she gracefully (or not sometimes) barrels through life keeping up with her blog (a)Musing Foodie, other freelance writing jobs, non-profit work, Twitter and Facebook, her kids, her husband, and whatever else happens to fill her plate. Read her blog here: http://www.aMusingFoodie.com
With her down-to-earth approach to food, and a dash or two of snark, Liza... More »
Despite my wish for an expansive, professional-grade kitchen one day, I make due (very well, thank you very much) in my small cooking space. I'm always looking for ways to maximize the area without feeling cluttered, and these are some of my current favorites — along with a few wishlist items. — Liza from (a)Musing Foodie
I first saw this on Chef Giada De Laurentiis' kitchen counter, and I have coveted it ever since. It's a little pricey, but it would tuck perfectly into a counter's corner.
Williams-Sonoma Pantry Dinnerware is perfect: simple, clean, easy to dress up, just right for a casual lunch. When you have a small space you need just one set of good dishes, and these fit the bill without breaking the bank.
I've had a shelf like this for 10 years. It's followed me from my first small kitchen to my current small kitchen. It's perfect for a few favorite cookbooks, as well as storing baking dishes and mixing bowls.
My future plans include replacing the living room/dining room carpet that flows into the kitchen with hardwood floors — a trick for making a small kitchen appear bigger!
Not everyone's budget has room for this, but if yours does, it could be a good investment. As Alton Brown would say, no one-trick ponies! This does the work of four different ovens, including a microwave and a convection oven. And it's built in, saving counter space. Beautiful.
It gets hot in a small kitchen, so being able to keep the air moving is key. I like to crank the ceiling fan and open a window in the spring or summer if the oven is going strong.
This drying rack is great for a sink without a window above it, but you can also buy Grundtal hooks to hang other things from the rail: ladles, oven mitts, tongs — the options are endless. Thank you, Ikea.
Paper towel holders that sit on the counter not only take up space, but also are quite unstable and tip easily. A sturdy wall-mounted holder is awesome, especially when you only have one hand to pull a towel off.
grammachris Re: Over the cabinet single hook. These look better than their function. They tend to pull up and off when you try to remove a towel, pot holder, etc.
lorimcbon2012 Love the spices on door!! I have a lazy Susan that takes up a whole corner space. This is a great space saver and will be on my to do for my new kitchen. Seems very I expensive as well. Brilliant.