We have two thirds of a kitchen! It is small but well designed and a throwback to our New York kitchen. I recall that Julia Child created her famous recipes in the most basic of spaces and said, “there is nothing nicer than a kitchen really made for a cook”. It is all about the design. We have had big kitchens, galley design, country cottage style and an open bench kitchen. Our most challenging time was two years without hot water in a Penang apartment. You become resourceful and we used one of the three bathrooms; washing up dishes in a bath is surprisingly efficient! So here we are back in a one-person kitchen with a couple of challenges.
The Triangle
As part of a small kitchen design, there are three key areas, sink, oven and hot plates and fridge that need to be planned. They need to be carefully designed to be at a good distance in the form of a triangle. If the triangle is too close, check door handles that clash with each other and having the sink too close to the oven. We are replacing our cupboard handles as they are far too big and one cupboard clashes with the drawer. Feng Shui practice sees this as causing potential arguments. To manage this, cupboards are re-hung or red tassels are added as these are said to add new positive energy’ We may need to find two small unobtrusive ones!
Preparation space needs to be maximised so it is important to put appliances away and keep countertops clear especially in a small space. Another key point is to make sure the fridge door opens away from the main cupboards – most refrigerators can have the doors changed to the other side. We have had to do this as well and it was a challenge. Next step is the wooden bench top being protected with a special varnish. We will miss the space from our Berlin kitchen but the benefits are that it takes a short time to clean and looks chic.
Colouring in the Kitchen
We have had a range of colours in the kitchen, marine blue and wood, black and white, all white, grey and ivory, brown and grey, beige and ivory and now black and beige. As a Feng Shui practitioner, the colours represent water, wood, metal and earth and including the fire element of the oven, represent the five elements of the Bagua map. The kitchen is in the Knowledge and Self-Cultivation sector, food is a fundamental source of nourishment so perhaps any additional knowledge will be well received.
