I can’t believe I’ve never given you, my friends, a proper tour of The Little Kitchen before. So here it is — five things I truly love about this cozy space.
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The after is way better than the before
Don’t you agree? We moved into this house more than eight years ago, not long after we got married. It was our first home purchase and it felt overwhelming. We planned a lot of renovations, and the kitchen was our first priority. Curtis purchased the countertops and cabinet kits and assembled them himself, which transformed the space from the dark, dingy cabinets that came with the house into something lighter and more functional.
A recent upgrade with new appliances gave the kitchen an even bigger boost. The range now has burners that actually work and the dishwasher no longer sounds like it’s ready for takeoff. As a true anecdote, our old dishwasher used to scare our puppy — she would run around barking the first few times we turned it on. Now the dishwasher runs quietly and reliably, which makes day-to-day life easier.
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The kitchen is my space
This little kitchen is definitely my space. It shows in the way things are arranged and in the inevitable disorganization — most of the time it looks lived-in. It’s where I cook, where I spend the majority of my time, and where I feed my family. For us, cooking and sharing food is how we express love, so the kitchen naturally becomes the heart of our home.
Even though it’s small, it’s mine. I truly believe you don’t need a sprawling kitchen to make great food. To give you an idea of the scale: when the dishwasher door is open, there’s barely room for someone to stand on the other side. A dog or two can just about squeeze by. The limited space means I sometimes kindly ask people to step out of the kitchen so I can move around — usually with a smile. What I miss most is the ability to have family and friends comfortably lingering in the kitchen while I cook; there isn’t room for bar stools or a casual seating area where people can chat while meals are being prepared.
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Two ovens are better than one
Having two ovens has been a game-changer. With dual ovens I can bake more at once — several trays of cupcakes, two pizzas simultaneously — and I’m especially excited for big cooking days like Thanksgiving when both ovens will get a serious workout. This flexibility makes meal prep and entertaining noticeably easier and more efficient.
I also love the smooth glass cooktop. It’s much easier to clean and maintain than our old range, and the sleek surface simply looks nicer in the kitchen.
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Having a reliable, quiet dishwasher
The installer who brought in the dishwasher commented that it was among the best on the market, and I can see why. After upgrading from our old, noisy machine, the difference is striking. This dishwasher is so quiet that I sometimes forget I’ve started a cycle. For anyone who cooks regularly, a trustworthy dishwasher is essential — it saves time, reduces stress, and makes clean-up much more pleasant. Having an appliance that does its job well has been a huge improvement for our household routine.
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The pantry — currently a project I’m grateful the pantry isn’t in the main kitchen
Full disclosure: the pantry needs serious organizing, and I’m a little embarrassed to show it. Fortunately, the pantry is located just off the kitchen in an adjacent hallway rather than taking up precious kitchen real estate. That separation is both a blessing and a curse — I can avoid it when I want to, but it also means the pantry becomes a catch-all where things get lost.
Opening the pantry can feel overwhelming because I can rarely find what I need. That’s why I’ve postponed tackling it, but I know it’s a project that will pay off. A good organizational system will make daily cooking smoother and help keep the kitchen clutter-free. I’m planning to dive in soon and set up containers, labels, and a practical layout so everything is easy to find.
Do you have suggestions for pantry organization? I’d love to hear what you love about your kitchen and any tips that helped you make the most of a small space.
Disclosure: My kitchen appliance remodel was sponsored by a major appliance brand. I received no additional compensation, and my opinions and the words on this site are always my own. I only share brands and products I genuinely like.