Uber-Cool Solutions for Tiny Kitchens

TThe recent economic downturn has not only meant the demise of the McMansion style houses but has also caused many of us to take inventory of our life styles, tighten our belts and seek pocket book friendly alternatives.  If you’ve responded to the changes in the financial environment by downsizing your digs, or have moved to an apartment in the city to conserve gas on the commute, you’ve no doubt found yourself with quite a bit less room than you’re accustomed to.  Fear not, faithful Dusty Hammer followers, we’ve gathered from the far reaches of the internet this list of ultra tiny space saving kitchens designed to pack a lot of functionality into a very little space. 

The chic micro cookery created by German designers Kristin Laass and Norman Ebelt looks like a sophisticated and attractive cabinet.  When collapsed the “kitchen” takes up just over 10 sq/ft of floor space but hidden inside this contemporary dining room furniture is a fully loaded, fully functional kitchen complete with an induction cook-top, refrigerator, convection oven/microwave, and storage for various kitchen tools and dishes – they even threw in a kitchen sink.  Check out the photo montage for this tiny cook space at DigsDigs 

Circle® Kitchen from Compact Concepts is a nifty little kitchen that takes its cues from a revolving department store door.    This “totally tubular” kitchen design (our apologies for the bad pun) comes complete with a cook-top, oven/microwave combo, sink, dishwasher, breakfast bar, range hood, dual waste bins and an arm lengths list of other amenities – it even includes a concealed power-strip for the coffee maker and built-in halogen lights.  All wrapped neatly in a pretty little round package offered in a wide variety of colors and textures sure to suit almost any taste – our favorite is Ferrari Red. 

At just under 20 sq ft of space this all in one unit provides practically everything you’d need to prep your next gourmet meal – and it all fits in about the same space as a small closet.  Oh, and did we mention the whole unit rotates?!  Think of never having to walk around the kitchen again…  go from the sink to the fridge to oven with a spin of the wrist - try doing that with a conventional kitchen!   To get your new Circle® Kitchen brochure visit CompactConcepts.com (I hear they even have leasing options). 

Best known for their high fashion handbags, the Fendi name has become synonymous with luxury, good taste and style. Now Fendi is putting their stamp of approval on an ultra modern, ultra tiny kitchen under the Fendi Casa brand name.  The fashion forward design company put its creative prowess to the test by designing a fully functional super stylish kitchen that fits into less than 8’ of wall space – total.  The resulting super chic compact cucina (that’s Italian for kitchen) could well be called “culinary couture.” 

Concealed behind the luxurious black, chocolate or ivory doors sporting the signature opposing F logo, is a swanky studio kitchen that has it all – stove, sink, microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator and dishwasher with glass shelves and stainless steel accents in a tastefully done (duh) retro mod design.   The doors and drawers in this stylish kitchen are push/pull assist for easy opening and closing, and for one last bit of wow you can even choose to have the sexy wardrobe doors that hide it all, open whisper quiet with just a touch.  Visit the Fendi site to find out where you can get your hands on one.

If the above options are still too much space for your comfy condo why not give Christopher Meyer and Vicky Muller's kitchen concept a try.  “Kleine kuche,” which translated from german means small kitchen, is an attempt to integrate all the necessary elements of a culinary space into a single piece of furniture. The design, which resembles a nice looking modern dining table with bulging legs, conceals behind skins of silicon all the necessary mechanical components (ie plumbing and electrical) to make the table a fully functioning kitchen and provides a space for items like pots and pans to be stored out of the way.  This cleverly camouflaged kitchen not only seats 4 but cooks and cleans for them as well; incorporating both an induction cook-top and sink. Click here for more information.

When tastes lean toward the graphic novel (ie comic book) motif, Oma’s Rache (Grandma’s Revenge) may be just what you’re looking for.  This smart kitchen concept magically transforms a seemingly solid wall with a 2 dimensional piece of art into a full kitchen and dining area.  The decked out eatery comes complete with built-in sink, dishwasher, cooking surface, storage units, table, and benches - that all slide out with the wave of a hand.  If you’re in need of a space saving option with some futuristic Jetsons-like coolness don’t let the spiteful name fool you, this is one sweet little kitchen design.  For additional details and photos on Grandma's Revenge visit tinyhouse.com