Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Kitchen plans

Remember our kitchen?

That's a view from last August, before we painted and moved things around. But the general idea is the same. To the right there, there's a window. The window looks like this.

When you take a step closer and peer out the window on a sunny February day, you see this.

And all that is well and good on its own. That's enough, really, to make me happy. But the even better part is, if you turn to the right from the window, what you have is this.

This is where the dryer used to live. Soon, I hope, this is where my pantry will live. Can you see it? Wide yellow pine shelves lined with mason jars full of dried beans? A few rows of canned tomatoes? Maybe even a braid of garlic hanging from a nail? (And it goes without saying: new flooring that isn't grungy vinyl, and a patch over the dryer vent opening.) I am so very excited to get started on this project.

I'm still tossing around some ideas for the space. Since it's very deep, and we don't want to make what's at the back of the shelves inaccessible, I'm toying with the idea of having some shelves on runners, so they slide out. Maybe just the lower ones. Maybe I'll scrap that and have bins on the lower level instead-- bins for potatoes and onions, or bins for recycling, or bins for cat and dog food. What are your thoughts? How would you use this space?

5 comments:

chasing keegan said...

I am sure you have thought of it. But what about creating an L shape of shelving. Picking one of the large walls for the main run of shelving (floor to ceiling) where the lower shelves match up with the back wall they form the rest of the L. The on the other wall you could use it to hang your garlic, aprons, a little towel rack, or even add a little display of vintage molds/cake pans/pie pans. I am sure that you would come up with something. Then you could also have your bins for food or recycling on that side.

Just an idea, since I am only going off a picture and not sure of your exact dimensions of the space.

Regardless, I am sure you will come up with the perfect working solution.

Kristina Strain said...

Thanks Kelly! Wow, you're a genius with thinking up creative plans for space! I've considered running a counter-top all along that wall with the window, which would sort of cut the window in half--BUT!-- I could stand at my window-counter and knead bread and look into the yard, and, my in-laws have the same setup in their kitchen and I love it.

Laura said...

I've seen that little building in several pics. What is that? Could be a perfect little chicken coup for Genevieve:-)

Anonymous said...

Is it a big enough space to make a walk-in pantry? I'd want to put deep shelves on both sides and the back with just enough aisle down the center to pull out big tubs or bins of cat food/dog food/potatoes from the bottom shelves and floor. Then I'd put a door on the front. It would mean the window is at the back of a little alcove - but having a dark pantry will help preserve the color of canned goods and make potatoes last longer.

If it's not deep enough for all that then maybe shelving along the two walls and cabinets with pull-out shelves/drawers along the back.

Kristina Strain said...

Laura-- that little shed is a delightful mystery. We have no idea what it is/was, but it's obviously quite old. It may well become a chicken coop!

Becky-- that is an excellent, excellent point about darkness. I'm not sure the space is deep enough for that, but I'll definitely plan in some drawers/things with doors to keep some supplies in the dark. Jars of beans notwithstanding!

Post a Comment

Thank you, so much, for taking the time to chime in here. Your comments make my day. Let's do our best to keep the snarkiness at bay and be a happy, friendly place in the interwebs.

Related Posts with Thumbnails