Lil' Kitchen

The kitchen at the Cottage isn't actually all THAT tiny... or at least it doesn't feel that way. We have an apartment-size refrigerator, a dishwasher, a standard stove, and a breakfast counter. The skylight overhead, the window under the cabinetry, and the dutch door at the end of the room make it feel bright and spacious to me, regardless of its actual square-footage.

Recently, several people have asked me what appliances, accessories and tips I would recommend for a small kitchen. As always, I'd advise going vertical, and opting for multi-purpose and/or reusable items when possible. Here is a list of my go-to goods from the Cottage kitchen:

• S-Series: Personal Blender by Vitamix (perfect size for those of us with limited counter space)

• Compact Pop-Up Toaster by Muji (simple streamlined design)

• Over the Sink/Stove Cutting Board (adds counter space over 2 standard-sized burners)

• Source Sparkling Water Maker by SodaStream (make your own bubbly water-- there's no need to buy, haul, store, and trash bottles)

• Mini Colander (easy to hang on a wall, saving valuable cabinet and drawer space)

• Polder Food Storage Box (a bit of extra food storage for your countertops)

• Wire Mesh Caddy from West Elm (to store slim plates and mugs-- we keep ours on the top of the fridge)

• Slim Cuatro Plates from CB2 (they stack-and-store so easily)

• Cutting Boards (for cutting, serving, dining, and decorating)

• Otis Wire Wall Basket from Domino (vertical storage for the tiny items you commonly reach for, such as tea strainers, corks, and bag-closure pins)

• Hooks, extra-strong magnets, and linens with hanging loops (handy for hanging aprons, artwork, pot holders, dish towels, etc.)

One of these days, I would so love to redo the countertops and backsplash. But for now we're simply working with what we've got, and it's more than enough!