Archives for Small Spaces
Outfitting a minimalist kitchen
Although I am a fairly adventurous cook, I find that I repeatedly reach for the same utensils, pots, pans, and ingredients in my kitchen. You probably do, too. We’re creatures of habit.
A friend who is getting married recently asked me what I think are the essential items in my kitchen. I first directed her to the “Creating a multi-tasking wedding registry” post I wrote last year. Then, I made a list of the 10 things I can’t live without in my space.
Making “essentials” lists is a risky endeavor. Obviously, the items I turn to every day aren’t going to be what other people use. It was still a fun experiment and I created my list by answering the question: “If my home were destroyed in a disaster, what 10 items would I replace first?”
The minimalist kitchen:
- 10″ cast iron skillet. The Lodge version and the Le Creuset enamel-coated version both get the job done extremely well. I prefer the enamel coated version because I don’t have to season it and can throw it in the dishwasher, but both are excellent and the Lodge price tag is unbeatable. They work on the stove top, in the oven, and on the grill.
- 12 qt. stock pot with lid. The best and cheapest way to get one of these is to head to your local restaurant supply store and pick up a well-made aluminum one for under $30. You can make soups, pasta, and sauces, as well as using it for frying and soaking. It also works in the oven and on the grill.
- 9 qt. cast iron Dutch oven. Roast or braise in this amazing product. You can fit an entire chicken in this bad boy. Plus, it can go on the grill or directly over an open flame. Expensive, but it will last you a lifetime.
- Two silicone oven mitts. I use an Orka brand, but there are many others out there. Because they’re silicone, I can reach into boiling water and grab things without risking burns (the way you do with fabric oven mitts).
- A good knife set. I’m a big fan of the Cutco 5-Piece Set because they’re durable, can go in the dishwasher, and come with a solid warranty. Plus, since there are so many dealers around, it’s always easy to find where to have them sharpened.
- Cutting board. I love my Epicurean Cutting Surface because it’s nice on my knives, can be tossed in the dishwasher, and can be used as a trivet (up to 350 degrees F). I’ve had mine for a number of years and it is as good as new.
- Tongs. Not a lot to say about them, but love that they lock closed for easy storage. Long-handled stainless steel ones can be used for items in the oven as well as on the grill.
- Food turner. I grew up calling these things spatulas, but apparently that is not their official name. Again, you can use them on the stove, grill, or in the oven. They also do nicely in the dishwasher.
- Infrared thermometer. Simply point it at your food and know the temperature. Nothing to clean, and really cool.
- Baking pans. All you’ll need to get started are anodized aluminum sheet cake, loaf, and jelly roll pans.
I believe anyone can make fantastic meals with only these items. Do I have more in my kitchen? Definitely. This is just a basics list and nothing more. If I were to add five more items, I’d throw in a long-handled ladle, heavy-duty stand mixer, bread machine (I use mine twice a week minimum), coffee pot, and tea kettle.
Are there essentials that I have forgotten from my list? Do you think any of these items are unnecessary? Give your opinion in the comments.
Popularity: 34% [?]
East Village apartment makes amazing use of space
Design magazines are starting to pay more attention to the unique demands that smaller living spaces present. We were very pleased to see that the June 2009 issue of Dwell has a great cover story on homes under 1,000 square-feet.
One of the residences featured is a 640-square-foot East Village apartment that was recently renovated by Michael Finger and Joanne Kennedy. The design work, which was done by No Roof Architects, employs some brilliant space-saving techniques to make the small home livable for a family of four.
We particularly like the under-floor storage and the Murphy bed hiding behind the desk shown below:
Popularity: 16% [?]
Workspace of the Week: Metro mini
This week’s Workspace of the Week is RunningDive’s small solution:
I chose this office because it truly surprised me. Almost every horizontal surface in the room is created with Metro shelving. This setup is easy to move and easy to configure however its owner needs it.
The printer and two shelves appear to be on a stand on the left-hand side of the desk, providing for additional storage. The filing cabinet looks to be the cream color box under the television. There is task lighting, overhead lighting, and wonderful light pouring in through the windows. And, for being an office, it blends in wonderfully with the other decor in this efficiency. (If I’m not mistaken, the couch is a pull-out and the coffee table is on casters to easily be moved. Also, brilliant.)
In the comments, he explained how he made the hanging bicycle rack:
I drilled a hole into the ceiling, and inserted an anchor bolt that expands when you tighten it, there is an eye hook on the end. And voila, bike hangs.
Thank you, RunningDive, for submitting your photo to our workspace pool. It’s a very well-organized space.
Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.
Popularity: 16% [?]
A home office for a small space
Having a home office in a 450 square-foot space may be a pretty tough task. How does one make room for a home office and make it feel separate from the rest of the living space? The Unfolding Office featured in Dwell’s Dec/Jan 2007 issue is a unique option for a home office in a tiny space.
The Unfolding Office was a project of Michael Chen and Kari Anderson of Normal Projects who designed this solution for teacher Eric Schneider’s 450 square-foot apartment in New York City. The outcome was an all-in-one unit that holds everything from a desk to a bed and nightstand. For a better idea of the finished project, take a look at the slideshow.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Toronto architects utilizes under stair storage
Under stair storage is a great way to utilize dead space in your home. It may not be the easiest project to tackle yourself, but it is an ingenious way to store things. We highlighted some under stair storage a while back and the most recent example is from Toronto architects Christine Ho Ping Kong and Peter Tan.
Dwell magazine featured this wonderful home in their April issue and the slideshow is well worth viewing. The home took Peter and Christine six years to complete and features many unique ideas. Peter constructed the under stair storage himself with each stair being its own separate drawer. Here is a excerpt from the article on making the most of a small space:
The unusual site and limited budget created a crucible for Ho Ping Kong and Tan’s intense creativity. Beyond the constraints of building codes and cost, the extremely tight quarters presented their own challenges. “In this house, the small spaces were massaged to hold as much as possible,” Tan says. The pair met the demands of the compact design, but just as they got all of the pieces arranged, along came their two children. “Originally, Pete wanted only one bedroom,” Ho Ping Kong remembers with ?a grin. “I had to say to him, where will our kids sleep?”
“I was in my purist phase,” Tan counters, smiling. “I was thinking: Here are the architectural elements we need—now how can we fit bedrooms inside?” The solution is a testament to their inventiveness. The bed in the master bedroom sits up against three small screen doors with the children’s beds on the other side. The flexible barrier creates a semiprivate room that can be kept open while the children are young. A second sliding wall system will be installed when the kids are ready to have their own rooms.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Folding bikes reviewed by OptimalRide
In 2007, we wrote about the A-Bike, a collapsible bike that folds down to the size of an umbrella. Collapsible bikes such as these are perfect for people with very limited storage space and short-ish commutes.
Since we wrote that article, we’ve thought a lot about how incompatible bicycles can be with small spaces. We’ve written about a handful of storage solutions that use vertical or wall space, instead of floor space. And, we’ve been on the lookout for even more solutions.
A couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon the article “Best Folding Bikes of 2009” on the OptimalRide website:
Folding bikes are useful for anyone interested in taking their bike on a bus, train or ferry. They can also be packed in a car, stowed on a plane, or stored indoors securely. Many owners bring their folding bikes into an apartment or store them under an office desk. Most folding bikes have 16? or 20? wheels, but you can also find 26? wheel bikes that fold (see the Dahon bikes below).
The reviews and descriptions of the folding bikes in OptimalRide’s article are exhaustive, and definitely worth a read. Make sure to check out the whole article, as the ads in the middle of the text can be a little confusing. I hope this can be helpful to those of you in small living spaces.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Spherical minimalist living
Minimalism has reached all-new heights with the Free Spirit Spheres. Instead of finding a small corner of the world to call your own, you can swing from the trees in a ball of wood.
A description of Eryn, one of two sphere options from Free Spirit Spheres:
Made of Sitka spruce, Eryn is 10 ½’ (3.2m) in diameter giving her 1.8 times the volume of Eve [the other sphere model]. A well-appointed interior with galley, table/sitting area, double bed and loft bed, Eryn can sleep three. The loft bed has a weight restriction of 165 pounds. The galley includes a sink, small refrigerator, microwave and dishes.
Eryn has five windows. Two large windows; one next to the bed, the other beside the table, and two small windows; one in the door and one over the galley counter. A large skylight facilitates communing with the forest canopy and the stars. Every window is dished to the same radius as the sphere shell.
Eryn is insulated, plumbed and wired for 20 amps, 120/240 volt AC. She is easily heated with a small electric heater.
A view of the “kitchen” in the Eryn sphere (people included for scale):
A view of the “living room” and front door in the Eryn sphere:
There don’t appear to be any laundry or bathroom facilities in the spheres, so you would need to find additional methods to tackle these vital tasks. Otherwise, I think they look pretty cool. I don’t think I could live in one full time, but they might be perfect for a vacation. What do you think? Could you take up residence in a minimalist sphere?
(Thanks to reader Jessica for bringing the MSN article to our attention.)
Popularity: 17% [?]
Folding kitchen island
Do you have a small kitchen, but want extra counter space to prepare your meals? Unfortunately, a small kitchen has limited options for improvement. Either you make more room by taking advantage of a table in another room, or you move to a place that has a larger kitchen for your meal preparation. The Folding Kitchen Island is a much more convenient option.
As you can see from the picture, the folding island can be folded flat and tucked away when not in use. This a great space-saving option that serves up more counter space when needed. It measures in at 23″ x 22-1/2″ x 36″ high when unfolded and ready for use.
(via The Kitchn)
Popularity: 17% [?]
An efficiency becomes efficient
Architect Gary Chang’s Hong Kong apartment is the gold standard in space-saving solutions. His 344 square-foot apartment has an open floor plan, but with a series of sliding wall units, can easily be configured into 24 different rooms.
From the New York Times article “24 Rooms Tucked Into One” discussing Chang’s space:
In Mr. Chang’s solution, a kind of human-size briefcase, everything can be folded away so that the space feels expansive, like a yoga studio.
The wall units, which are suspended from steel tracks bolted into the ceiling, seem to float an inch above the reflective black granite floor. As they are shifted around, the apartment becomes all manner of spaces — kitchen, library, laundry room, dressing room, a lounge with a hammock, an enclosed dining area and a wet bar.
To be able to fully appreciate the wonder that is Mr. Chang’s apartment, you should check out the accompanying photo gallery “Box of Tricks.”
I am truly in awe.
Thank you to reader Josephine for sending us the link for this article.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Uncluttered home office design
MisoSoup’s K Workstation is an innovative and space-saving desk design. The K Workstation hugs the wall while providing overhead storage in one continuous structure.
As I write this post from my large desk, I’m a bit envious. On top of the sleek and modern design, the K Workstation would definitely cut down on my desk’s footprint by about 50 percent. This setup would work well in a shared office, dorm room, small apartment, or any minimalist space.
Check out MisoSoup’s website (the K Workstation is in the “furniture” section) for more product information.
(via Apartment Therapy)
Popularity: 12% [?]
Stay at My Home
The home without a guest room or sleeping arrangements for guests is a bit annoying when friends or family come to stay the night. What does one do? A sleeping bag isn’t the most welcoming solution, but the Stay at My Home by Designasyl can be a little more accommodating for your guests.
The Stay at My Home is the thesis project of graduates Designasyl so it isn’t available for purchase just yet. The compact sleeping solution includes a mattress, removable drawer, lamp, and carpet, and is stored in and around a side table when not in use. A similar “guest room” could be constructed with comparable items, using a small, rollable futon mattress.
For more photos of this great design go to Dezeen’s post on the Stay at My Home.
(via Dezeen)
Popularity: 9% [?]
Apartment Therapy’s small space round-up
Apartment Therapy is one of the sites that we enjoy reading here at Unclutterer. AT recently did a 2008 review of their small space solutions that is a helpful resource for those of us who live in smaller spaces.
The small space roundup has tons of solutions, photos, resources, and storage ideas. Get inspired by taking a look at some of the ideas and products that they highlight in their year-end review.
(photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy)
Popularity: 16% [?]
Opting to stay in a small urban space
The New York Times recently published the article “Move Up? Move Out? Families Squeeze In” on the topic of middle-class families choosing to live in small urban spaces.
“There seems to be a large contingent who don’t move to the suburbs anymore,” Mr. [Andrew A.] Beveridge [a demographer at Queens College of the City University of New York] said. “Oftentimes both parents are working and have lives in the city and don’t want to commute in and then worry about having to get back home. There is a much bigger traction to city life.”
The article looks at families in New York City and San Francisco who live in one bedroom apartments with at least one child. Clutter and stuff in general is eschewed since there simply isn’t space for it.
Setting up a one-bedroom home for a family of four is not easy. In the making-space-out-of-nothing department, Dina Weiss and Jason Severs are master illusionists. A walk-in closet in their one-bedroom co-op on the Lower East Side was converted to a nursery in 2005, when their son, Sam, was born. But when their daughter, Matilda, followed 19 months later, they gave up their master bedroom for the children to share.
“We don’t feel like we’ve compromised,” Ms. Weiss, 35, a part-time teacher, said on a recent tour of their bright, clutter-free home. The couple sleep in the 8-by-9-foot former closet that housed their first baby. It is now a cozy cabin with a wall of built-ins and a queen-size bed tucked into the shelves. “We’d rather have another bathroom,” she added. “In New York people will do anything to have an extra bathroom.”
The article is inspiring and does a nice job exploring the possibilities of small-space living.
Image by Tina Fineberg for The New York Times.
Popularity: 21% [?]
Lofted bedrooms by Tumidei
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when I’m not blogging over on Real Simple magazine’s website, my counterpart Holly from decor8 graces the community with her insights into the design world. Last week, she wrote about Tiramolla Loft Bedrooms, and I was awestruck.
The lofts are created by the Italian company Tumidei, are perfect for small spaces, and are incredibly inspiring:
Thank you, Holly, for the great post! All images are from the Tumidei website.
Popularity: 36% [?]
Small living in a refurbished shipping container
I have a mild obsession with prefab housing, specifically small homes built out of refurbished shipping containers.
Image of Lot-Ek’s MDU (Mobile Dwelling Unit).
Each time we run an article about small homes on the site, I get caught up in a daydream about buying land and creating my shipping container home. It’s fun to think about all of the configuration possibilities, and how I might design my structure.
If you’ve never heard about using recycling shipping containers for home construction, you should definitely check out these videos on YouTube.
If you’re like me, and already dream of shipping container living, check out the resource page from containerhomes-info.com and the ISBU blog. Finally, when your daydreams start to seem reasonable, check out companies like Sea Box and TRS Containers, which are just two of many companies that sell refurbished shipping containers in the U.S.
You also might want to check out the recent CNN article “Shipping containers could be ‘dream’ homes for thousands” that discusses how the containers can be used for inexpensive housing.
Image from the Associated Press.
Now I’m off to do a little more daydreaming …
Popularity: 18% [?]
