While you’ll never have room to spare, it is certainly possible to cram more than you might imagine into a small space. And condo living in compact quarters will certainly test your resolve in achieving culinary perfection amidst confined borders. The advantage of small-space work areas is the necessity to streamline your kitchen to include only the elements you love most (so prepare to edit and purge to get the best results). Rethinking this compact condo allowed me to add additional storage and better prep space without enlarging the area an inch, all the while delivering on the demand for a grown-up glam home with polish and panache.
Aside from my lifelong love of treasure hunting, I find myself drawn to vintage housewares as a way to bring old-world charm and character to brand-new blank-slate spaces. Since the objective was to lend a hint of feminine elegance to this tiny spot, I accessorized with functional, everyday items that came with a timeworn patina. Finding newly manufactured items of equivalent quality would cost far more and look too new, while these well-loved treasures echo the soft sheen on the silver-leafed fillet that accents the cabinetry.
Apartments and condominiums are generally limited to fenestration (aka windows) on a single elevation, which can leave you staring at the walls on the other three sides. If you’re hankering to put a window where none exists and improve your outlook, consider where you might be able to apply mirror for maximum impact. I replaced a pair of upper cabinets with open shelves so my client could display a pretty collection of vintage glam dinnerware and serving pieces, and the antiqued mirror backdrop tricks the eye into thinking there’s another room beyond (well, there actually is . . . but it’s the common hallway, so this is much more elegant).