Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Beauty & Efficiency in a Tiny Space?-Kitchen

I have been and planning for awhile to get one room in my house absolutely perfect, but it never quite goes to plan. I was determined for a room to be complete, or at least as complete as money would allow. There are always three forces against me. 1) Money 2) Time 3) Husband - he does not want to hire outside help nor does he want to do the work himself. I was so set these last few days to come up with a room and plan and somehow overcome the odds. The room farthest from my choices? Kitchen - too time consuming, too expensive & my husband would never go for it.
That brings me off topic for a second, but I will return. Yesterday we got a ton of snow. My husband was at work, so I shoveled the driveway. We also have a 'roof rake.' If you are in a warmer climate, I will tell you it is exactly what it sounds like. It is this enormous rake like object for getting snow off of your roof to prevent water damage in your house. My husband usually has it somewhere in the garage that is hard to get to and also I have a heck of a time manuvering it. I shoveled a path to the garage so that he could do the roof raking when he got home. I told him this. He didn't do it. In the morning he says, 'I know you are paranoid about the roof, I will take care of it tonight when I get home, even though it shouldn't be a problem.' In response I reply, 'Well I'd rather worry and take care of it now than take care of a problem after damage has been done.' I drop my daughter off at school and when I arrive back at home- guess what- water dripping in through the kitchen window all over the counter. I break all the icicles outside by the window, I manage to get out the roof rake, but it is missing part of the pole so I am too short to reach anything. I think about trying a ladder, but my husband says not to and to leave it for him. So, drip, drip, drip, all day. Finally, when I got home from my daughters cheerleading practice it stopped as it is too cold and everything froze again.
Back to the orginal topic, I suppose I will now have to choose my kitchen, which I really didn't want to do, as previously mentioned. About my kitchen - It is very small 10x10 and has to be to be an eat-in kitchen as there is no formal dining room. It had been remodeled shortly before we purchased the home, but not a very good remodel. I don't think function was well considered. My camera died recently, but I hopefully will be getting a new one tomorrow, so I will post kitchen pics in the next week or so, along with more details and ideas.
If anyone has gone through a kitchen remodel in a small space I would love your input. I would like to know things such as;
1) What were your top priorities when creating this space? Were you able to accomodate these?
2) What typy of layout did you use? Does it work well for you?
3) Was there anything you skimped on and later wished you hadn't or splurged on and later felt was money wasted?
4) What things did you do yourself? Did you hire any of the job out?
5) Any money saving tips?
6) What would you consider a must-have with space in mind?
Please feel free to add. I will be updating as things go on. You can comment to the post or send email via dreamingupdesigns@yahoo.com. Also, there is my facebook fan page! Until next time, keep dreaming design!

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