A small kitchen may require ingenuity
Getting tight spaces to function often requires thinking outside that box. Planning a very small bathroom, laundry room or kitchen demands you research all options and be willing to invest in the best solutions.
Often a corner wall-hung sink that is just the right size might be a little more expensive, or the best stacking washing machine and dryer might cost more. But it's important that you place enough value on what the right equipment can do for your petite area.
If size isn't significant, the appropriate design solution is easier to achieve. But when space is at a premium, like on a yacht, then each component becomes critical.
The Internet gratefully allows for much easier product searches in the comfort of your living room. It's harder to reconcile paying more for a smaller appliance or fixture. However, these are considered specialty items and this is why the price is often a bit of a shock.
Sometimes it is the designer of the space who is challenged to think about working with minimum dimensions. In other words, they must specify the minimum kitchen sink or the smallest wall-hung bathroom sink that they can find.
Designer Kathy Weiss worked on the Carriage House kitchen for the Symphony Designer's Showcase. Reclaimed spaces like barns, lofts or carriage houses are not huge spaces. By angling a modest sink into a corner, the space is likely more user-friendly and flows.
There is more space on either side of an angled sink when compared to what might have been if the sink had been centered under the windows. Obviously, a large, farm house sink or a double sink wouldn't work well in this same situation.
Another accomplishment is that by creating an angle, two separate spots for appliances can open. Use the right equipment for your particular situation.
Consider 18-inch wide dishwashers instead of the typical 24-inch models. Investigate apartment-sized refrigerators or fully integrated models that can accept cabinet fronts.
It occurs to me that many people are frightened when a designer suggests an asymmetrical design or a solution that is not common. Some worry about resale appeal. What one should worry about is the ultimate function of any given space. Does your somewhat unorthodox design solve a problem well? Does it work? Is it made up of good quality pieces and workmanship? Those are more legitimate concerns in my professional opinion.
Avoid anything that will appear to be rigged and not durable. Fortunately, with the popularity of tiny houses and lofts, we are seeing an increase of excellent products.
Look at tankless water heaters as a way to potentially free up a little space in a laundry area or on a back porch. Tankless water heaters heat water only on demand and take up minimum space. They can often be positioned in lower cabinets.
If you alter a counter height to be 35-inches above a finished floor in any bathroom, you can have seven, 4-inch drawers. That is far more useful than three deep drawers. It's something I always use in my bathroom designs for clients and they love it. Tiny items are stored in the typical bathroom and these drawers are perfect for medicines, makeup, nail products or other toiletries.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
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