Beware the un-staged photos... this is how we LIVE!
I've been pondering beauty and function (and the balance between them) ever since we moved in. The house we bought is truly beautiful (for which I'm thankful and DO appreciate) but there are some functionality issues that need to be addressed. If left to my own devices, I'm afraid I lean to the utilitarian side of things so I have a pretty critical eye when it comes to wasted spaces. Perhaps this comes from having a big family and all the years of needing to make the most of every inch of space in our home?
It takes some time to get a "new" house set up to work in. I've had some trouble in my kitchen because there are a lot of decorative elements in it that detract from the workability of the space. Yes, it's a very pretty, spacious kitchen and I'm not ungrateful to have it, but I think we need to tweak a few things to make it function better for us. We heavily USE our kitchen and my priority is always FUNCTION over AESTHETICS.
Have a look at the plate rack on the right side (which I've never had). It's handy but not efficient in that it holds plates in a much larger footprint than a stack would. I could store 6 TIMES the plates (or other items) in the same space with shelves or a cupboard.
On the left side, there's a decorative arched valence that serves NO useful purpose other than taking up valuable room (in a prime location) that could be put to use storing baking equipment. The upper cupboards above the arch are quite high up and are hard to reach (I'm short) so I'm really missing the reachable space above my mixer and grain mill. This area is where I do all my baking and I'd like to have some shelving installed so I can make use of that space.
Notice the high number of glass cupboard doors. I'm NOT a fan of them when used so liberally, because I like hidden, functional storage of useful kitchen items, not glass shrines for "pretty things". One set of glass doors makes sense to me but more than that is hard to work with.
In the photo below, you can see more glass cupboard doors above the fridge and microwave/oven which are another example of beauty over function. I have this area full of oversize, utilitarian pots, pans and larger items like my dehydrator and wok. It's hard to see in the photo, but it looks very untidy and not very "pretty" to see all my equipment through the seed glass. I don't STAGE my kitchens, I work in them and need them to serve me as I cook, bake, preserve and ferment.
Warning - I'm fully aware of the fact that I sound like a miserable, ungrateful curmudgeon! I LIKE the kitchen and find it beautiful. I'm truly grateful and fortunate to have such a lovely place to work in each day but I want to PUSH the space to its full potential to function better for me. I want to do this without spending much money and I'm asking for your help.
So far, I thought about putting up fabric or coloured paper behind the glass doors. That's an easy fix which won't cost any money because I have a stash of both. The glass shelves (which are somewhat rickety and unstable) inside the 2 upper cupboards flanking the arch on the baking side of the kitchen can be replaced with solid shelving for a small amount of money (and we can do this job ourselves).
The "arch" could be removed and a decorative shelf or two could be installed to hold baking items. I'd prefer to have new upper cupboards put in that come further down, but I won't spend the money on it so I think shelves will be a compromise that will help enormously. We MAY remove the plate rack and install matching shelves (like I proposed for the other side). I could put ALL our plates (all sizes) on those shelves and this would free up cupboard space in the area (where the rest of the plates are).
Shoot me with your best ideas to frugally adapt this kitchen! I'm all ears :)
It is a beautiful kitchen, but I see the problems for function in an actual "working" kitchen :) I would remove the plate rack and put an open shelf (cheapest). You can get film at Home Depot to put on windows to give a frosted effect. There's also an aerosol spray that does the same. You could apply something like that to the inside of the glass on those cupboard doors to hide what's inside without replacing the actual doors. I would just be concerned about it looking cheap or sloppy. It might do for a couple years while you save to just get a few new doors made? As far as things being to high, a compromise might be getting an antique/beautiful stool that you like to look at that you could keep out for decoration and also use to reach those higher shelves. I keep a shabby chic milking stool for that. Good luck settling in! Sometimes it's just that things are different and everything will find its place given time :) this is our third year in our house and I'm just now feeling like everything in my kitchen is where it should be!
ReplyDeleteGREAT idea re: the film for glass. That might do the trick!
DeleteOh my goodness, it really is a gorgeous place and congrats on finally getting there!! I see what you mean about the functionality - I'm impressed you've already spotted the problem areas. I've been in our home almost 7 years and it's taken me the better part of that time just to realize what's not working LOL. I find I've had to try different arrangements and live with them for awhile and then adjust...sorry, not much help from me on beauty or function, but it sounds like you're on the right track :)
ReplyDelete-Jaime
I'm sure I'll be tweaking things for years.... it takes AGES to get a kitchen "just right".
DeleteLovely but totally get your frustration. Glass shelves make me roll my eyes. What could possible go wrong with glass shelves?
ReplyDeleteLOL! No kidding! One of them already came off the little support pegs and the glasses all came tumbling down onto the counter!
DeleteOh my goodness what a dangerous hazard! I hope no one was hurt. :(
Deletexx
Thankfully, no but the wood counter was dented quite badly.
DeleteFirstly what a stunning looking kitchen...magazine worthy!
ReplyDeleteSecondly you are not whinging...it has to function well, it's the heart of the home, and nothing runs well without a well functioning heart!
I can see your amazing permaculture knowledge has applied itself to this space, as it should, it's all part of the bigger picture.
I've never liked plate racks, all I "see" is dust collection depot's and hard to clean spaces! Shelves would be a much better idea.
Could you store your hardly used/seasonally used items in your overhead cupboard, to minimise the climbing up and down. (I'm short to so I get what you mean on this one)
Could you store all your pretty preserves in some of the glass cupboards, and put the "ugly" stuff somewhere else? LOL
Love the fabric curtin idea behind the glass, don't go paper, I think it will look funny.
Good luck with all your plans, I know it's been a stressful time, but I think it would be fun to start all over again, especially with the knowledge you now have.
I never thought about it in that way, but you are right - permaculture thinking permeates in my kitchen, too. :)
DeleteLovely kitchen. Can you remove the glassdoors and just have open shelves on some of those cupboards? I think open shelves would look better even if you still stored the same things in there. I agree about the arch thing, just looking at that made me feel claustrophobic, can it easily be removed and a shelf added?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new kitchen and your new home.
I will try removing the doors to see if that helps. It's a simple thing to pop them off as the hinges simply accept them with a snap and I can easily put them back if I want to. Yes, the arch is nuts, isn't it? What a waste of "prime real estate"!
DeleteRemoving the doors would create shelving that collects more dust (especially on not often used items) - which requires more cleaning. I therefore like doors better!
DeleteHannah
Good thinking about the dust.
DeleteLovely kitchen but I agree on your comments. At 157cm height I would be battling to use those cupboards and the thought of keeping all those individual panes of glass clean gives me a headache when if they were regular painted wood doors a quick wipe over would clean them in a fraction of the time. I'm basically into practical not pretty. When you remove the arch could you place adjustable shelves there? Vertical wooden struts with holes in them that lugs sit in so you can alter shelf heights. Painted the same colour as the wall behind, with the shelves same colour as the cupboard, they should blend in well and as your needs change you then have the adaptability to rotate what you immediately need because you can alter/remove the shelves. Weight limit would be a consideration though dedpending on how many vertical supports there were and the type of lugs. No ideas for the glass doored cabinets except selling the doors and using those funds for new solid wooden doors. Maybe that could be a future consideration when you have further finances and time.
ReplyDeleteThe glass is seed glass so at leasts it doesn't show any fingerprints or believe me, they would have been off ages ago. I am proceeding with the shelves for sure. It seems like the cheapest, most practical option. I'm going to go to the re-use centre to see if I can find some materials to use.
DeleteWhat a beautiful kitchen Sherri.
ReplyDeleteAnother pretty idea that might cost a little more than paper inside the glass would be some little curtains. On some of that stretchy wire. Even just netting/lace to defuse the glass.
I think shelves would be wonderful above your baking area too.
ps where does that door lead to to the right of the fridge?
Becci xx
Great idea re" some lace or fabric. I think I'll try a few of the suggestions here and see what I like best. I'll do a few doors differently and then I can compare.
DeleteThe door to the right of the fridge leads into the sunroom which is my office/seed/plant area, too.
well, must admit it is a magazine worthy kitchen (probably is from one too) either the previous people didn't do much cooking or ate out, as one already said here, would hate to have to clean all those little panes of glass! everyone here has mentioned what i was going to suggest anyway, concerning the paper, generations ago women used to cut fancy lace paper to adorn their shelves, it looks very effective. perhaps some ideas from Pinterest or somewhere may help too?
ReplyDeletesorry i couldn't be of more help, good luck & we look forward to seeing what you come up with
thanx for sharing
I will check pinterest - great idea!
DeleteHmmmm, I would take the permaculture approach and live in it for 12 months before making any changes.
ReplyDeleteWiser words were never spoken. XO
DeleteI would not use fabric or paper but I would buy this adhesive non-see through plastic. If you have lighting installed in your cabinets, you would still be able to use that. The lighting can create nice soft light in the kitchen. But the adhesive plastic would hide all your utility items.
ReplyDeleteI am fully with you though: use over aesthetics!
Hannah
Yes, a few people I know have suggested that film as well. I'll look into it, thanks :)
DeleteWhat about putting the cookbooks above the fridge in the glass cupboards..
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, that cupboard is too high up for me to use for cookbooks. I can barely reach it, so am forced into putting seldom used (or very oversized) items in that cupboard.
DeleteI have been having a ponder about this....can you paint some ply and slot it in where the glass sits? Creating a detailed but solid door? Not sure how easy it would be to blend in without looking at it in person.
ReplyDeleteAdding a film to make to glass clouded is also good, and so is the fabric. I would be hesitant to have too many open cupboards in the kitchen, though we live in a dry state and summer gets very dusty here. Also the steam from cooking makes everything stick.
We nearly put glass cupboards in our kitchen, but so glad we didn't. Like you it would have driven me crazy as our kitchen is functional.
I have very tall cupboards, deliberately as I wanted thing to be in them rather then on them and our new kitchen is quite compact. I put my preserving jars up high, and things we don't use much. The preserving jars are generally used for a big cook up, so worth the effort of getting them down as it in not dialy or even weekly most of the year. I keep a small wooden step in the kitchen.
I like the idea of a couple of wooden shelves to fill wasted space. And I'm with you with the plate rack. I would put shelves there, put plates in the cupboard and pop books along there. I had a plate rack in the last kitchen, which we removed and made into shelves for cook books.
I think its a pretty good space, though it always takes a while to get a space working how we like it. Do you have a walk in pantry?
Good luck with your problem solving!
xx
Yes we do have walk in pantry which has terrible shelving (not nearly enough). That's an easy fix, though as hubby is super handy and can easily add a few more courses of shelves.
Delete