Stickybeak of the Week: A Small Yet Functional Kitchen Ready for Action
Size isn't everything in a pied-à-terre's small-scale kitchen
Although this pied-à-terre kitchen in San Francisco gets less use than one in a full-time home, the owners still wanted all the conveniences of a complete kitchen. Used mainly for a week to a month at a time, it has 7.6 square metres of space – meaning the owners had to keep their wish list to a minimum. To make the kitchen feel like home, they hired designer Mimi Chen, who brought in an elegant folding glass door, smart benchtop organisation and a fitting dining set – creating a casual but elegant space that’s ideal for light cooking and dining.
Chen installed a long horizontal window above the benchtop to help visually expand the space. A 2.5-centimetre step in the ceiling gives the kitchen and dining area a subtle sense of definition.
The kitchen’s width is 2.3 metres, and Chen designed an 86-centimetre-deep benchtop. The extra depth allows for items and appliances to stay visible without blocking necessary prep space.
The Gaggenau 30-centimtetre Vario gas cooktop takes up minimal space with its two burners, but it has the operational power of a larger cooktop.
The Gaggenau 30-centimtetre Vario gas cooktop takes up minimal space with its two burners, but it has the operational power of a larger cooktop.
A small range hood from Zephyr ventilates the tiny cooktop and has built-in task lighting. A small custom stainless steel sink is appropriate for less dish washing, and a built-in soap dispenser cuts down on benchtop clutter. On the underside of the window head, a small power socket strip is hidden but convenient.
Twister hood: Zephyr
Twister hood: Zephyr
Porcelanosa cabinet pulls help dress up the Ikea cabinetry. The upper cabinetry doesn’t butt into the ceiling, allowing a strip of LED lighting to define the recess.
Undercounter refrigerator: GE
Undercounter refrigerator: GE
The kitchen floors are made of durable and eco-friendly Terrazzo Crete, a custom-made polished concrete with exposed aggregates and iridescent fragments that shimmer in the sunlight.
Eames chairs: Living Edge