Space, the final frontier
This is going to be a big year – we are taking steps to extend our home and with it comes a bigger kitchen for me. I say me because the kitchen is really my room in the house, not that I’m some crazy cook that isn’t prepared to share it. Of course I am. That’s not how it works though. When I’m cooking I generally have the kitchen to myself. My son is usually off in his bedroom engrossed in some computer game and as I cook I can hear my husband tick, tick typing upstairs on his beloved computer. This suits me fine. I love to cook, it’s my destresser. Why is it though that at the point when I really need the kitchen to myself (i.e when I’m trying to put out the food I’ve prepared) do both my husband and son suddenly have a need to be in the kitchen? Every time – what’s that about.
How the Waltons managed I'll never know
Now this wouldn’t be a problem, but to explain when my husband bought the house he was a batchelor and the kitchen was, well the size a batchelor needs. Now there are four of us and two cats and, well, need I explain.
Hurry up will you, they're ALL going to be in the kitchen in a minute!
So extending our home will also mean a bigger kitchen. I’m so excited I can’t tell you. Now I’m not into big fancy stuff. I’m a basic kind of gal, but having the space so that we can ALL be in the kitchen at the same time will be wonderful.
Space is a bit of an issue in our house you see. My husband is an avid collector at auctions, then I moved in (with my stuff), then my mother in law moved in. Lets just say it’s been interesting. We struggle to decide what should stay and what should go. Now that we are also going to be building I come out in a cold sweat thinking about how it’s all going to fit together.
Oh it’s not the dust and the mess that bothers me much. It’s where we are going to put everything when all of this is going on. It dawned on me today that perhaps I’ve been looking at this all wrong. In my head I’ve been trying to think of a way of doing all of this whilst still making things kind of manageable in the house. What was I thinking? For example when I’m writing an essay that needs to be in for my Open University course you only have to look at my desk to know what stage I’m at. It begins all organised and then the closer I get to finishing it to more paper and mess I’ve created that to any innocent bystander it would look as though I’m really floundering. Not so, this is how I work. Despite the chaos; things on the wall, books stewn about the desk and the floor I know exactly where everything is and what I’m doing. So, maybe this is how it is just going to be when we build.
OK I know it doesn't look it but I know EXACTLY what I'm doing - honest!
So yes we have far too much furniture, and yes I will be cooking dinner tonight and everyone will descend on the kitchen as usual but one day hopefully, like they used to do in the Starship Enterprise we will be embarking on ‘space, the final frontier’ – at least it will be for my bunch of happy campers 
Captain I think we should wait until the kitchen has calmed down before we make a cup of tea - she looks as though she might attack.
So, if anyone out there has any tips on creating a harmonious working kitchen all suggestions will be gratefully received.
Like this:
13 Comments »
Comments positively encouraged...........
RSS Link Thing
Awards
When we redid our kitchen (just interior work) the house was running OK, Just not being able to cook for such a long time really was annoying. But you know we survived and nearly three years on I still love our kitchen.
Good luck with it, you will be saying why did I start this, but all going well the end result will make you forget the stuff around it (eventually)
Thank you for the encouragement. I know deep down it will be worth it in the end.
the Waltons!!! I grew up on them.
) We live not far from where that was filmed!
I LOVED the Waltons. I wanted an older brother like John Boy. Aye, those were the days
Just keep what you realy need and put the rest in the garage, thats what we did, good luck.
Thank you DP
Great news that the new KItchen is to proceed at last. As to where you store all your things well your guess is a good as mine. BUT knowing you, I am sure things will turn out just fine in the end. A xx
Thank you Aileen.
I’m still trying to get rid of things after my divorce downsizing. I’m getting less sentimental by the hour. I guess I should have given more of it to my ex, but at the time I didn’t want his OW to have it. I can sorta laugh about it now. Good luck with weeding things out. I know how hard that can be.
I think they all show up in your kitchen at that particular time because it smells good in there and your fine cooking is making them drool.
It is tough knowing what to keep and what not to – although to be fair we have already given quite a bit away to help other folks set up their first home etc, which feels really good. As for my crew all showing up in the kitchen I guess you’re right – they can smell when dinner is ready. It’s quite nice to think about it like that, maybe I’m being too hard on them
I’ve parked all the spare kitchen stuff in store! Although store is now adjacent to me in a garage it all remains packed in boxes.
As to the best kitchen – space is definitely a must – loads of work surfaces and masses of cupboards!!!. The dishwasher nearest to the dining area is essential – especially if it’s the first thing the other half finds – more hope of it becoming his toy that way!!
Great tips about the kitchen space – you’re right, this is vital to good organisation. A+ on the dishwasher tip
No advice other than be prepared for the work to take twice as long as it reasonably should. Nice pictures,