After doing our best to thoroughly trash McMansions and the run-away consumption that goes with them, we should probably step back and take another look at the competition. Namely the small and tiny house movement.
The Small House Movement calls itself a movement, but that implies a lot more organization than there really is. The movement recognizes that the increasing cost of housing is becoming an impediment to happiness for many families and individuals. By changing a single variable, choosing to live in a smaller, more efficient space, new worlds of possibility open up.
The drawbacks of living in a smaller space are often seen as advantages. There is no room for all my stuff in a small house. True, but then you have less space to clutter with useless junk! And you won’t have to work as hard to collect all that junk. There is not enough room in the bedrooms of a small house to spend much time in there. True, but then a family will become closer instead of being separated from one another. There isn’t a lot of privacy in a small house. True, but the closeness will either strengthen a relationship or hasten its end before real harm can be done. There isn’t enough room for a big kitchen in a small house. True, but, well, you’ve kinda got me there, haven’t you?
For many homes the kitchen winds up being the entertainment and visitors hub of the house. Some urban dwellers have taken the option of simply eating out, so there isn’t much need to put a lot of thought into the kitchen. For many though, eating out is not an option. Being able to successfully cook and even entertain in a very small kitchen is indeed possible, but it will take some compromise and creativity.
Finding quality kitchen appliances for a tiny kitchen is not going to be a money saving exercise. Small cook-tops or ranges exist, but they are usually made for the camping market or else must be custom made. Most kitchens this small will usually make do with a dorm or motel room refrigerator. Many others will find these small units simply too small for anything more than keeping a six-pack cool. The smallest over and under refrigerator/freezer combos will be very simple affairs that lack many of the microprocessor controls of fancier units. This makes them very reliable, however, and if you can find room for one, it will hold enough groceries so that you won’t have to go to the market every day.
It takes more than just appliances to turn out good meals of course. With the obvious lack of storage space you will have to make do with a limited selection of pots and pans. If you do have an oven, your baking projects will often be limited, not by the baking pans you have, but by the ones you can store! And you will probably learn to make do with a couple of large spoons and two or three knives.
Another immediately noticed lack is work space. Most tiny kitchens will work out creative ways to store everything, because the counter space is too precious to clutter. Some temporary work space can be gained by placing a board over the cook-top or sink while they are not in use.
Finding a place for your guests to sit and enjoy their meal can be a challenge. In the summer the whole outdoors can be your fancy dining room, but if the weather in nasty, you will find that any available flat surface can become a dining space!