A Small Space Kitchen that is Not an Eyesore
Kitchens in small apartments can be pretty sucky. For one, because the apartments are often geared toward budget-minded buyers and renters, yellowing and delaminating formica tends to be the building material of choice. Then there are oversized appliances. Since smart, small American apartments are as common as plain-speaking architects, few companies make–or export–good small appliances. As a result, these small spaces are often outfitted with full sized ovens, ranges, sinks and dishwashers. You end up with an otherwise nice space marred by a blemish of a kitchen.
French firm Kitchoo might have an answer for this dilemma. They make elegant, high-quality, small-space-appropriate, all-in-one modular kitchens.
They make two series of kitchens: The K and M series. The K series is the sleeker and more expensive of the two. The K1 is 51″ w x 25″ d (the K1) include two induction burners, a fridge/freezer, a sink with telescoping faucet, a cutlery drawer and optional dishwasher. The K2 has a top shelf that holds an oven and additional storage. All construction materials and appliances are eco-friendly. Prices begin at 5,505 € ($7400).
What’s special about the K series is that when the sink is hidden, it does not look like a kitchen. This is actually quite important for a small space, where it’s valuable to have every piece of real estate able to double duty. The K kitchen could literally be a desk during the day.
The M series is Kitchoo’s more pedestrian version. The sink faucets do not telescope and rather than the M’s flush induction burners, the M features slightly raised electric cooktops. Besides being less expensive (prices start at 3,833 €/$5143) the M series seems a bit more practical. It features pull out countertops that can double as a table, more storage and, coolest of all, an optional mini washing machine. The M3 (5,500 €/$7379) is the biggest M series and would really be suitable for someone who frequently cooks.
While these prices are a bit on the steep side, compared to the costs of custom kitchens, which easily exceed $10K, it’s not so bad. Granted, this will appeal to buyers more than renters.
Unfortunately (and we realize we’ve been saying this a lot lately), Kitchoo kitchens are only available in Europe. We reached out to them and they told us that they are planning on coming to the States in the near future. We will keep you posted.
We’re hoping with the growing popularity of the micro-apartments and tiny homes, products like Kitchoo and the smart, small appliances they feature, will become more available to American markets.