Good morning, mates!
I’ve been wanting ahead to sharing at the moment’s put up for ages! I’m sharing how we simplified and arranged our English coutry fashion kitchen for final effectivity and charming fashion. And as with every kitchen, there was a little bit of storage problem-solving occurring, too… this can be a longer put up so prepare for many photos!
Within the fall of 2022, Matt & I started transforming our 1963 honey oak kitchen to the one you see within the picture above. We started with portray the cupboards. Earlier than portray, we emptied every cupboard and drawer and evaluated all of it. After exhausting purge, we stored solely the gadgets we used and loved – at the moment…since then we’ve gone even deeper to extremely simplify our kitchen.
The next photos gives you an thought of the place we began from. Some cupboards had room. Others had been full. Extra importantly, few had been actually practical. Many gadgets had been merely dwelling within the cupboard as a result of that was the place we’d put them after we moved in. Prepare for some enjoyable earlier than & afters!
For instance, this cupboard by the microwave and range was holding the dinner plates & bowls. I suppose the thought was that this might be handy for plating meals proper off the range, however it certain isn’t helpful for doing dishes!
That is the primary wall within the kitchen. By at the moment’s customary, this can be a small kitchen, however Matt & I had been satisfied that it’s good for us! It simply wanted purging/simplifying, some storage issues solved, and environment friendly group into work zones.
We have now relocated the baking zone to the cupboards by the range. The cupboards nearest the range maintain the spices. We like to purchase our spices recent and in bulk. Then, we pour them into fairly jelly jars with a quilted sample on the edges. Then, I write the spice identify with a Sharpie. This manner, we will simply change the spice identify if we have to and don’t must mess with peeling labels. We just like the jars to be seen without delay with out shifting different jars, so we retailer them on a bamboo turntable.
The cupboards straight over the range are troublesome to entry and we don’t want the storage, so they continue to be fantastically empty! The seasonal switch ware dishes are saved over the fridge. They match completely and are positioned within the order they are going to be used all year long. Additionally, the tiny dimension of this cupboard is an effective checkpoint to maintain my collections small!
Subsequent to the spice cupboard is the baking cupboard. Right here you will see that the flours, baking powder & soda, vanilla, chocolate chips, and oils. The center shelf has a bit for bag tea and occasional filters, in addition to sweeteners and dietary supplements.
Underneath the sink wasn’t too dangerous, however we needed a bit extra performance, and I needed one thing prettier than a grocery sack to retailer the dishwasher cleaning soap, and so on! The cupboard beside the range extends far again to the wall right into a deep abyss we name “the cave.”
We added a basket to the left facet to carry our dish cleaning soap and cleaners. To the best, we now have a brass paper towel holder and a wire basket to carry our scrub brushes and sponges.
This cupboard to the left of the sink is above the dishwasher and is an ideal instance of “move-in-and-put-stuff-somewhere-without-thinking.” For some odd purpose, the on a regular basis plates, bowls, and consuming glasses are by the range and never by the dishwasher. How is that practical? Humorous how we make choices after we transfer right into a home after which dwell with them for years with out rethinking them. In one other put up, I talked about how we will develop into “home blind.” Residing with dysfunction and disrepair with out noticing… Now, we had been noticing!
The on a regular basis plates, bowls, and consuming glasses had been relocated to the cupboard above the dishwasher. This has been so good and a lot simpler when doing dishes! It has additionally been nice for serving company a drink or organising a drink station on the countertop under when entertaining. One other objective was to reduce “visible noise.” By upgrading our bowls to the beautiful English Countryside sample, getting matching mugs and easy consuming glasses, we discovered utilizing the kitchen to be calming and satisfying. I extremely suggest having your kitchen gadgets in a cohesive shade palette. I’d all the time admired the ribbed clear consuming glasses and located a set on the thrift retailer for .50 every. I additionally discovered them on-line at Macy’s. Opening this cupboard daily to set the desk or to place dishes away is pleasurable! Matt & I’ve discovered that when we expect by the operate of house after which beautify it, it stays that manner!
Additionally, I’m not a fan of shelf liners, and this kitchen had three or 4 totally different patterns! Not solely had been the shelf liners dirty, however they had been additionally including to a busy feeling within the kitchen that I needed to eradicate.
We started with the plain and removed every little thing damaged, unused, and even gadgets that weren’t within the shade palette for the brand new kitchen. As soon as the “noise” of the additional stuff was gone, we evaluated what was left and commenced putting it into zones for a way we like to make use of our kitchen. Understanding how we used the kitchen helped us create practical work zones for cooking, baking, and serving for our household and company.
The objective was for our kitchen to be ridiculously simple for us (or our company) to make use of and clear. Lastly, if we had been going by all this effort, I needed the kitchen to be engaging in and out!
Underneath the island, we’d arrange a baking space since there was extra counter house. This was functioning okay, however there have been issues behind the entrance gadgets that had been troublesome to entry. Plus, I knew that the brand new kitchen accent colours can be a comfortable blue, so the purple wanted to go…
The island (technically, it’s a peninsula, however that simply sounds a bit pretentious for our small kitchen) is far lighter by way of the issues it shops. Within the two drawers, there are the massive mixing bowls, serving bowls, and storage containers for leftovers. Every part is simple to achieve and in colours that go with our kitchen.
From prime to backside, the financial institution of drawers on the left holds silverware, hand towels and oven mitts, meals wraps and ziplock baggage, massive serving items, and the hand mixer. The highest middle drawer holds the measuring cups and spoons. The ultimate drawer on the highest proper is what we name the command middle. There you’ll discover pens, Sharpies, chargers, matches, Scotch tape, and so on… In a number of of the drawers, I’ve used the bamboo organizers. Not solely do they work nicely, however I like how they give the impression of being!
Right here was spherical one for the junk drawer. I don’t have the unique picture, however nonetheless, I hope this can encourage you as you’re employed by the purging course of.
Spherical two: The way in which the “junk drawer” seems to be at the moment. I like how little there’s in right here!
These two drawers are the utinsil drawer and the miscellaneous baking device drawer. Once more, these drawers are so mild they’re simple to make use of and keep. These are the easy issues that make me love our dwelling much more!
That wraps up the kitchen group! I hope you picked up some good concepts, and inspiration for methods to higher get pleasure from utilizing your kitchen. Till subsequent time,
Take care,
Rachel
