Welcome to The Glade, where the second generation of renovations has just begun and the mania about our home, music and other passions fill our days and nights.
We’re Charlie and Jo in the music world; Mary Jo and Charles to family; and JoJo and Charlie to each other. We are renovating a midcentury house in a Victorian historic district where we want to live there the rest of our lives. It's a 1946 house located in Maryland. We were married in this house.
Thus far (pre-blog) we refinished cabinets, added a window seat (still working on the cushion), rearranged a wall in the guest house due to sink/vanity replacement, planted a vegetable garden, and other quick and not-so-quick fixes. So this latest zeal for construction is the result of my having lived here since 1997 and feeling a need to ready the house for the next chapter and beyond.
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17 thoughts on “Pseudo Mini-Kitchen for The Cottage”
If you can, I’d add a 2-burner cooktop and a microwave/convection oven. Then it would be usable for a little light cooking. Or get small a small range if you can get it cheaply enough. Also, mini-fridges don’t have decent freezers and that was annoying when I was in college even though I had my meals in the dining hall. Unfortunately, the really small appliances that would make sense in here may be harder to come by used or scratch and dent.
And maybe you can find a decent 18 inch range on Craigslist, you never know.
I baked layer cakes in mine in college after I moved off campus. But they came out crooked because I had to jam the pans in against the edges of the oven rack
Renaissance man you are. Jo
Great plan! Knowing someone is going to live there makes a difference…not just for guests. A small fridge, light cooking, running hot/cold water and a way to make coffee would do me. I am charmed by your cottage. It is really progressing nicely!
This is a charming picture of the cottage – best I’ve seen! Love that window with the top section open. This is getting exciting! Speaking of exciting – got my air conditioning back yesterday afternoon though they have to come back next week for the permanent fix. The circuit breaker switch got damaged in the storm, evidently. What a relief to have a cool house again.
My mom built a studio apartment above the garage. When we moved she rented out the main part of the house and kept that for herself when traveling. For her kitchenette she had a small fridge, stove, and counterspace with a small sink a few drawers and the cabinet under the sink. She had an island on wheels that was immensely helpful with storage too.
i agree with chad – either a 2 burner cooktop and a microwave/convection oven. if you haven’t done so, you can find many shows featuring “tiny homes” online and on tv – they have some fabulous ideas for fitting a lot into a small space.
Let's Face the Music 
If you can, I’d add a 2-burner cooktop and a microwave/convection oven. Then it would be usable for a little light cooking. Or get small a small range if you can get it cheaply enough. Also, mini-fridges don’t have decent freezers and that was annoying when I was in college even though I had my meals in the dining hall. Unfortunately, the really small appliances that would make sense in here may be harder to come by used or scratch and dent.
Your advice is welcome, Chad. A friend who will be living there is no frills but would enjoy being able to eat. Jo
And maybe you can find a decent 18 inch range on Craigslist, you never know.
I baked layer cakes in mine in college after I moved off campus. But they came out crooked because I had to jam the pans in against the edges of the oven rack
Renaissance man you are. Jo
Great plan! Knowing someone is going to live there makes a difference…not just for guests. A small fridge, light cooking, running hot/cold water and a way to make coffee would do me. I am charmed by your cottage. It is really progressing nicely!
The coffee maker has already been installed. First things first. Jo
👍
This is a charming picture of the cottage – best I’ve seen! Love that window with the top section open. This is getting exciting! Speaking of exciting – got my air conditioning back yesterday afternoon though they have to come back next week for the permanent fix. The circuit breaker switch got damaged in the storm, evidently. What a relief to have a cool house again.
Heat in your part of the country is oppressive; glad you’re coooool again. Jo
My mom built a studio apartment above the garage. When we moved she rented out the main part of the house and kept that for herself when traveling. For her kitchenette she had a small fridge, stove, and counterspace with a small sink a few drawers and the cabinet under the sink. She had an island on wheels that was immensely helpful with storage too.
Really good ideas from everyone. I’m going to discuss all of this with Charlie and our future tenant. Jo
A kitchen really does not have to be that big to be functional. I think that a sink, something to cook on and a fridge are about the only necessities.
Excited to see what you come up with! This will be a great addition to the cottage. You have just enough room to do it.
I hope so. Function and form in this case are necessary. Jo
i agree with chad – either a 2 burner cooktop and a microwave/convection oven. if you haven’t done so, you can find many shows featuring “tiny homes” online and on tv – they have some fabulous ideas for fitting a lot into a small space.
I think we are going to go with Chad’s suggestion. Jo