Having been a renter most of my life, I totally sympathize with those faced with cramped kitchen dilemmas. Kitchens that lack storage and work space can be seriously frustrating, especially when you’re renting because landlords and cost can make even the smallest reno impossible. All is not hopeless, though. Thanks to ingenuity, clever products, and good design, renters and homeowners working with a tight budget can personalize and customize their kitchens to make the most of what they have.
Use Your Wallspace
Instead of relying solely on your cupboards and drawers for storage, branch out onto your walls. Hang hooks from towel rods for your ladles and spatulas, or hang hooks from particle board to display your pots and pans. Think outside the kitchen box, and extend your storage with open shelving in your dining area! Pretty and practical.
Add Counterspace on Wheels
Many of us can’t sacrifice the money (or space) to install a permanent island in our cozy kitchens. So why not add a small cart on wheels to give you extra prep space or to create a coffee station or bar. Just bring it in when you need it, and wheel back into your pantry or closet when the job is done. A cheap and easy way to create counterspace without renovating.
Show off
Don’t hide all of your lovely dishes and expensive gadgets behind cabinet doors. Put your kitchen treasures on display with open shelving, or simply take off your cupboard doors to reveal your collection of cookbooks. Landlord won’t let you hang anything from the walls? Show off your prized china right there on the countertop, or better yet, on an underused appliance! It’s your space, use it as you see fit.
Like a good blogger, I plan on taking my own advice. We’re going to install some open shelves above our antique cabinet to display my collection of milk and green glass, and I’m going to start looking for a rustic industrial shelf on wheels where I can keep cookbooks, vintage Pyrex dishes and any other trinkets I want to keep close at hand. What other suggestions do you guys have for maximizing space in a cramped kitchen?
