The Need For Creativity In Dealing With Small Kitchens

Small spaces always present special challenges in design. And when that small space happens to be a kitchen, the challenge becomes even more peculiar. That was precisely the situation I faced recently with the Mtambisi family kitchen in Kempton Park.

 

Now, it's true that I have worked with small spaces before. At Kapele Freight & Logistics (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of the JSE-listed Rohlig Grindrod Group of Companies, I was tasked with designing and installing two small kitchens—one on each floor, back to back—alongside the main kitchen facilities and bar in the staff canteen. However, apart from very minor differences on one wall, those two small kitchen spaces were basically identical. The Mtambisi kitchen, on the other hand, was a different story altogether, and I'll explain why.

 

To begin with, we were dealing with a truly cramped space. Two walls measure 2400 mm long, while the other two are just 1900 mm long. One of the 1900 mm walls is an exterior wall that holds the kitchen's single window. The opposite wall forms the boundary between the kitchen and the apartment's arrival area. As for the remaining two walls, one separates the kitchen from the balcony, while the other is the second exterior wall. From that description, you'll agree that calling this a tiny kitchen is, if anything, an understatement.

 

Nevertheless, I proceeded to help the client see the best way this space could be utilized. The biggest challenge was ensuring we would have enough working space—wiggle room—in the middle of the kitchen. The cooker peninsula would need to move back a little into the arrival area. The wall opposite the sink would have no cabinets on it, and the fridge would not be enclosed. This way, the kitchen would be better lit and ventilated.

 

We would also make use of the overhung wall that forms the entrance to the kitchen, fitting it with extra open-overhung 450 mm wall units. These additional storage spaces come in incredibly handy for items like cereal containers, portable kitchen appliances such as electric kettles, toasters, and pressing irons, as well as other sundry items.

 

To complement the increased lighting, we fixed light-colored rectangular tiles on the wall, finished with plain white grout. Initially, we had gone with the light grey grout that the tile outlet had recommended, but the grey simply clashed with our goal of brightening up the kitchen space. So, we removed the grey grout and replaced it with white, and the effect was immediately dramatic, to say the least. We also removed the existing gallery light fitting and installed about ten down-lights in its place.

 

We then moved the washing machine from the corner where the corner unit was meant to go and re positioned it near the fridge. The existing galvanized steel piping was removed and replaced with in-the-wall copper piping, running all the way to the back of the washing machine and terminating into two angle valves—one each for cold and hot water. And, of course, a dedicated 50 mm wastewater piping system runs all the way back to the outlet, connecting the kitchen sink drainage along the way.

 

Next, we tackled the cooker isolation unit. We moved it from the wall below the single kitchen window and rerouted it under the floor to the newly proposed cooker peninsula, where the cutlery drawer unit is also located.

 

After that, we ripped out the existing archaic straw ceiling and laid a new rhinolited (that's to say skimmed) ceiling in its place. This was painted the usual white, and as mentioned earlier, brass-plated down-lights were inserted into the finished ceiling. Two more down-lights were installed above the only double-door wall unit. Initially, standard solid melamine doors had been fitted on this unit, but the client requested glass cut-outs. So, we removed the two doors, made the cut-outs, and the effect—just like the down-lights—was breathtaking.

 

The overall result of all this work is that what was once a cramped space has been transformed into a truly lively, cosy kitchen that redefines what creativity in tiny spaces really means.

 

You can view a photo album of this project, from start to finish, on this photo album. A short movie has also been uploaded on YouTube for an even more intimate look at this near-groundbreaking piece of small-space kitchen design work. Please, enjoy watching it.

 

For further details on my BIC (Built-In Cabinets) services, offerings, and related home-improvement services, feel free to contact me via SMS, call, or WhatsApp on 063 888 5573. You can also email me at aaronphir@gmail.com.

Every Project has its quirks. Let's discuss the ones your space might hold, and how we can transform them into real advantages.






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