MAKING THE MOST ...
... of a small kitchen area
In my former Plateau pad, my kitchen was essentially part of the hallway. Relegated like an afterthought toward the back of the apartment, one side of the wall had all my cabinets, counter space, the sink, and two gaping holes where my appliances were supposed to go. The one consolation was that most of the people I knew had similar hallway- kitchens.
When I moved into a condo a few years ago, I ( somewhat) upgraded to a U- shaped kitchen. All told, it isn’t much larger than what I had before, but at least it truly is its own space.
I’ve always been curious about maximizing these typically tiny Montreal rooms, but I don’t see things the way a designer does. So I took these two common kitchen scenarios to Luca Fellini, founder of Fellini Designs which has been specializing in kitchens and bathrooms for 10 years, and asked him what he’d do with them.
“The most important thing is to start with a good design,” he said.
What that means is to start from scratch, see the space some other way, and rebuild the thing from there.
So my U- shaped kitchen, if Fellini had his way, would now take the form of an equal sign. In losing the base of the U, which usually houses an appliance like a fridge or range, you gain floor space. This makes it easier to access the counter spaces that were formerly awkward corners around the appliance, so you can work deeper into your kitchen.
Then you start working on the form, and storing as much as you can inside the cabinets and drawers. Fellini likes sleek, uniform surfaces, so the cooktop and oven are integrated into the cabinetry, instead of being bulky protuberances.
He also prefers having the range and fridge on the same side of the kitchen — though not right next to one another, since it’s rarely advised because of the colliding hot and cool nature of each appliance.
The most important thing is to start with a good design.
This strategy provides more counter space on the other side of the kitchen. Where possible, Fellini would also build the pantry next to the fridge.
Now, it’s time for clever storage. Showing me a LeMans corner unit inside a cabinet, the shelves have been replaced by sliding baskets, allowing you to go deep into the space and retrieve what you need without asking a small child to dig it out for you. He shows me a similar setup for a pantry, where baskets are integrated into the door, and may even double the amount you could usually store in the pantry.
“Instead of having corner cabinets, you could also have a set of 36inch drawers,” Fellini proposed.
These can be outfitted with plen- ty of integrated features to ensure a much smarter storage of utensils and kitchenware. They can also be deep, so pots, pans, and small appliances are easier to access.
What of the hallway- kitchen? Fellini proposes some of the same strategies — streamlined surfaces, sliding storage — but he also recommends thinner fridges and stoves.
“If we take 30- inch appliances,” Fellini said, “it won’t leave us with much space. So why not move into a more European style of design, with 24- inch appliances?”
Not only would you free up more counter space, 24- inch fridges can be taller, so you gain in length what you lose in width. Once again, the oven, cooktop, and dishwasher would be integrated into the cabinetry for smooth, clean lines.
The finishing touch? Make the kitchen look bigger by avoiding dark colours. Fellini prefers lighter hues like white, off- white, and light grey. Stone surfaces, like ceramic or quartz, are also a favourite. They ’re solid, long- lasting, and easy to maintain. Because a smart kitchen should make your life a little simpler.
Fellini Designs has two showrooms: one in Montreal at 4881 St- Laurent Blvd., and one in Laval at 1750 Le Corbusier Blvd. Find out more at www. fellinidesigns. com