Friday, April 13, 2007

A KITCHEN SINK DRAMA


I have never understood why, in Britain, most kitchens are planned so that the sink is under the window. I can only imagine that it is an idea dreamed up by a man somewhere who imagined the little woman, up to the elbows in soapsuds, gazing out happily and acquiring homely thoughts. But few of us have windows from which we can watch lambs frolicking, roses growing or other pleasant idylls. From my Cardiff kitchen window I could see my garden, but that only depressed me because of work needed in it which I had neither the inclination nor the ability to do.
Italian kitchens are planned rather differently: the windows are usually too long for any unit to be placed under them and there tends to be a block of units along one wall rather than the triangular arrangement you so often see in Britain. The wall space over the sink is often occupied by a draining cupboard such as this, and I used to covet one during my visits here. You will see that I also use mine as a dumping ground for utensils that I use too often to put right away and that the top shelf is falling down due, no doubt, to my having overloaded it with colanders and sieves. Now I realise that I don't have enough food storage space in my kitchen so I am wondering whether to have this space converted into a conventional cupboard after all. What do you think? - I'd still have to find a home for the things that are in there, wouldn't I? Part of the problem is that the wall along which I could put another cupboard is full of bookshelves and I've no intention of altering that arrangement!

14 comments:

elleeseymour said...

I love looking out at my kitchen window at my garden, with my pond, and our pet rabbit having a good feed on my carefully planted foilage. (he was a bad idea, but we are now very fond of him!)

I have re-registered with a new Google account, should be ok to post comments now.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Ellee. Glad you can post comments here again! Your rabbit sounds delightful. What's his name?

CityUnslicker said...

the more cupboards in the kitchen the more you fill them . however many you had would not be enough. The only solution is to get rid of the the gadgest you never use and the old crockery!

stuck you with a meme, by the way

;o)

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I also like looking out whilst washing up....all the birds come on to the tree outside...where I have placed some feeders for the nuts and trees.

Ballpoint Wren said...

From my Cardiff kitchen window I could see my garden, but that only depressed me because of work needed in it which I had neither the inclination nor the ability to do.

Hear, hear. I'd rather not see the dandelions growing outside my kitchen window.

Do you have two sink basins or only one? If you have two, you could get one of those dish drainers that rests over the second sink basin, and then you'd have room for a food cupboard over the sink.

I say make a cupboard over the sink, but designate it for the frequently-used utensils. Then you can use the cupboard you used to store them in for a food cabinet.

elleeseymour said...

Having problems posting comments again, I had to re-register with Google.

The rabbit's name is Reg, btw.

Anonymous said...

I do a lot of dishes around here. It would be easier to buy takeout.

jmb said...

Well my sink is not under a window but I gaze at Portmeirion Botanic Garden tiles, three different ones mixed with white ones, when I have to stand at the sink.

I think these drainer things are a holdover from not having a dishwasher, which lots of people do nowadays. Do you WCLC? If you make the cupboard do you have somewhere to drain the dishes or would that take away your precious counter space?

I have a huge kitchen, 18 feet by 13 feet, filled with tons of cupboards and an island. But every cupboard is chock-a-block full of stuff, because I never throw anything out and continue to buy things!
As James says we need more info including floorplans before we can sensibly advise.
Regards
jmb

sally in norfolk said...

wish my kitchen looked out onto my garden...instead it looks out onto the road which is not a nice view !!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Oh, c/u, I'm a hoarder! Coming over to see meme now. Anne, that sounds lovely. I just don't want to look at somewhere I should be working on! Hi, James. I can't do floor plans - that's mathematical! no room in middle of kitchen as when I arrived all my friends here were horrified I didn't have a kitchen table [Itals live life in the kitchen] so I gave in and got one! There is a store cupboard off the kitchen and if I could find a cupboard narrow enough to go in there, that might be the answer. Only one sink, Bonnie. That's a good idea you have there!

Colin Campbell said...

We have a relatively small kitchen,with the sink that looks over our back garden. We solved some of the suds misery by buying a dishwasher and putting it outside. It is a bit of a chore to load and unload, but better than doing it all by hand. That single handly improved my domestic life dramatically. The single most imporant thing for me is counter space. I like to spread out and make a big mess when I am cooking.

Lee said...

Welsh, I did comment on this post...but it looks like it's disappeared into cyberspace.

I suggested a narrow cupboard in my comment, if you had a bit of space somewhere along one wall, or similar..perhaps if there is a store there where you live like Ikea...you could find one that you're able to assemble yourself.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Steve. I can't do takeout, except for the odd arancini! Ellee, google is driving a lot of people crazy these last few days, it seems. Hug to Reg x. Hi, jmb. no, no dishwasher. There is draining space beside the sink, yes. But I can't do floorplans - can't do anything involving drawing and / or maths! I adore Port Meirion tiles. I've got some casserole dishes in the botanic garden design. Sally, I like looking out on roads if they are busy! - Like signs of life, you see! CC, agree counter space matters. I've got a nice kitchen trolley I brought with me from UK and I mostly use that for preparation. Lee, a lot of people have told me they've been having comment trouble past few days so it's google again! A narrow cupboard might be the answer as there is a storeroom off the kitchen [which I have filled, naturally!] Me? - Assemble something??!! Not on your Nonna's nelly!

dudley said...

I have been longing for one of those cupboard dish drain units for some time. Please tell me where I can ge one.

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