Home Design Interior: Small but Mighty: My Love for Tiny Kitchens

The first apartment I lived in in Boston was a tiny efficiency on Beacon Hill which was basically a single small room with a closet, a bathroom, and a "kitchen" unit not unlike the one above which featured a sink, 2 burners and refrigerator. Although, truth be told, the one above is a Sub-Zero or a Wolf compared to the one in that apartment, which some previous tenant had painted bright red. I tried to cover the red with white, which resulted in a poorly executed pink. Part of the inside of the unit was also painted red, but I'd left that alone. It was quite a sight. Amazingly, I did a lot of cooking in this tiny space. I also had a very nice DeLonghi toaster oven that was large enough to cook small chickens and bake muffins. While it was fun to live on the Hill, I was happy to say good by to the place.

It seems I am destined for small kitchens and I've come to realize how much I actually prefer them to large ones.

The small kitchen in my last house - which I'll always love! Photo by Michael J. Lee

I've been collecting images of tiny kitchens for a while and decided to share some of my favorites!

This Phillip Mitchell design appeared in in House & Home magazine and is one of my favorite tiny kitchens. The rich wood work, the checkerboard floor (a favorite!). Below is another view of this kitchen. I suppose this could be a butler's pantry as well, but it makes a fantastic tiny space as well.

This slightly modern, yet soft and gentle space features the work of Leslie Sinclair's Segreto Finishes company in Houston. We had Leslie on The Skirted Roundtable last year.

This charming kitchen belongs to designer Michael Penney and was featured in House and Home. Photography by Donna Griffith. Many would have ripped out the old fashioned cabinets, but I think the soft blue is just so sweet. Per the article "They wanted a bistro/farmhouse feel, so they painted out the cabinetry in a soft blue with a touch of grey, and splurged on new stainless-steel appliances, an American Standard farmhouse faucet, and Carrara marble counters."

I'm just in love with this Lake House kitchen designed by Thom Felicia. What an awkward space to work in, yet with a beautiful mix of materials and finishes, it's unique and special. The whole project is pretty spectacular, as a matter of fact.

I love the use of art in this space, it really punctuates the black and white palette and gives depth to a very narrow area.

And one of my favorite kitchens by Stephanie Stokes via House Beautiful. Love the narrow counter top and mirrored back splash. See links and credits for all the above images here.

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