November 18, 2011

Remodeler's Temporary Kitchen

Mama Pea (who recently finished her own kitchen remodeling project) asked what I'm using for a kitchen right now. Our kitchen is pretty much an empty room now, except for the fridge, and the sink and it's cabinet (which came in handy to stand on when we put in our decorative ceiling beams). Both will be removed soon.

The electric stove and former peninsula have been moved out to the back porch.

My canning & summer kitchen. Good for remodeling too!

We did the porch first for this very reason. Since it will be my canning and summer kitchen, this is the electric stove's permanent home. I have it and laundry tub so I can cook and clean up. The cabinet opposite, formerly the peninsula in my kitchen, is handy for food preparation or using my electric skillet or crock pot. It is were all my pots, pans, bowls, etc are stored. The tops of the washing machine and dryer make convenient close by work spaces. When we put down the new kitchen floor, the fridge will temporarily go to the left of the stove. (For some "before" shots of my back porch, click here.)

For early morning convenience, the coffee pot and toaster oven are in the dining room.

Temporary breakfast set-up in the dining room

I put the green kitchen island in here just for these. I also moved the brown shelving unit you see above, out from the kitchen to use for dishes, glasses, mugs, cookbooks, cereals, chips, crackers, etc. Everything is convenient for breakfast and lunch.

I admit it's not a set up I'd like to use for very long. Still, it's so much better than eating only soup heated up on a hot plate and washing dishes in the bathtub like other remodelers have had to do. We are trying to keep meals simple, to minimize time and clean-up. So far it's working out pretty well.

17 comments:

pelenaka said...

I have to confess that your temp kitchen is much nicer than several of my kitchens in past apartments.
Right now I'm in the process of setting up my Winter kitchen. I have to laugh though, for being simple folks who strive for a simple life we sure do have our share of kitchens.

Anonymous said...

Great way to make do while you are remodeling Leigh! Looks good to me:)

Mama Pea said...

I'm not sure why, but I had a great big grin on my face while reading through this post. I think it's because of the "been there, done that" syndrome!! However (she says with green eyes showing), your temporary kitchen is luxuriant compared to the set-up some of us have used during remodeling. And your diningroom looks downright cozy. But what else would I expect? You're so very organized in all aspects of the "think ahead" way. Here's hoping your real kitchen comes together faster than ours did!

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

I'd love to be remodeling a kitchen..this one can't hold all goodies I like to use..it's all always out on the counter which cramps my space...and style, oh Well! I'll just have to make the best of it.

Sherri B. said...

Won't that be great to have a summer kitchen..no heating up the house at canning time, yay!

www.FarmLifeLessons.blogspot.com said...

We do what it takes!

Lana

Bootzey said...

How will you cook for Thanksgiving?

CaliforniaGrammy said...

What a novel idea to have a "summer kitchen" ... something I've never heard of but makes perfect sense! You've certainly organized yourselves for the monumental task.

Susan said...

My gosh, your temporary kitchen is nicer than my permanent kitchen! What nice light from the windows! Is the porch heated?

Leigh said...

Pelenaka, so true! Yet think of the modern home built for the modern lifestyle; hardly any kitchen at all! I'm always amazed at the lack of counter and storage space in these kitchens. Those of us who strive for a simpler life seem to understand that the kitchen is the heart of the home.

Stephanie, thanks!

Mama Pea, yes, you do know what I'm going through! The summer kitchen on the porch is just one of those things that worked out. I've always wanted a summer and canning kitchen, and am delighted to finally have one. :)

Ginny, it's amazing how we tend to outgrow our kitchens!

Sherri, less heat and less humidity. It can all stay out on the porch!

Lana, that's exactly right!

Serenity, we decided to keep Thanksgiving simple this year. My DIL is going to make and bring the pies and green bean casserole. Since I have the big oven I can do the turkey and cornbread dressing, along with sweet potatoes and fresh bread (probably in the bread machine.) Clean up may be another matter!

CaliforniaGrammy, it's an old southern country thing, I think. It really did work out well, didn't it?

Susan, no, no heat. That's the bad part. So it can be downright too cold to enjoy working out there. That's when we stick to sandwiches and soup. :)

Cat Eye Cottage said...

I like that you have a summer kitchen. What a great idea! I do too, in a sense. It's my deck, although I have to look out for rain!

Paula said...

When I remodeled my first kitchen, I lived for five months without a cook top, and it was really holding things up. I lived using my toaster oven and microwave exclusively, and because of that I don't have a microwave anymore, nor do I want one.

Your set up is waaaay better.

Leigh said...

Candace, anything to keep from adding heat to the house during summer! Shelter is nice though. :)

Paula, stories like that are what I took my advice from! I do have a double burner hot plate, but it is slow as all get out. It has a safety feature of turning itself off when the pot gets too hot, meaning, it takes an hour to boil water!

A Wild Thing said...

There needs to be a wrist band for survivors of kitchen remodels...I survived and live to tell of the horrors...LOL...but the first meal in the new kitchen was ecstasy!!!

Good luck!

sharon

bspinner said...

You're sure moving along with the kitchen and house remodel. I also wish I had a summer kitchen.

Renee Nefe said...

wow! two kitchens! envy. ;o)

Leigh said...

Sharon, we all need t-shirts! Of course, I have yet to survive mine, :)

Barb, sometimes it seems fast, sometimes slow! It all depends on how impatient I am at the moment. :)

Renee, LOL. But only one is serviceable at a time. :)