Hay Design was brought on board to reimagine this client’s small 225 square foot kitchen, and this tiny space needed to pack in a lot of functionality! We were involved in all aspects of this project, from construction drawings, millwork design and tendering, to final finish and fixture selections.
The main objective of the renovation was a larger, more ergonomic, and usable kitchen. Our client desired an island in the cabinetry layout, as well as a powder room and laundry space. Additionally, this room held the only interior access to the back yard, so needed to act as a mudroom entry. The existing kitchen was a small L-shaped layout with the fridge floating off to the side. A main floor bathroom was using up valuable real estate in the small footprint, so we gained back some space by eliminating the tub shower combo, and going with a small, but practical, powder room instead. This also freed up some space to bring the laundry up from the basement, with a sleek new stackable washer and dryer in the corner.
Fitting all these elements into the square footage we had was not the only challenge for this project. The windows in the space are lower than your standard counter height and limited the placement of upper cabinetry. Natural light was at a premium in the space, so instead of removing the window, we used open shelving to add some additional storage and still allow the light to filter in. To make the layout work, we further extended the granite countertop down and created a custom windowsill. We also had a quick timeline to work with for both design and construction, as the clients were expecting a new baby.
This project was a successful and very dramatic transformation for the clients. It really demonstrates that when designing with a tight footprint, and tight turnaround time, you can still create big impact improvements. Would you tackle a kitchen reno in such a small space? Let us know what you think!
