Space is one of the most common challenges that community group kitchens encounter. It’s true that the footprint of the kitchen area can present obstacles and limitations, but they might not be disastrous for your plans.
Design, creativity, and efficiency can make a kitchen small but mighty.
Smart design for efficient kitchens
If your space is limited, an inefficient layout can make it seem even smaller. In the process of redesigning a kitchen, an expert designer can see opportunities to make sure all space is used, and used well.
There is often a great opportunity to find more and better storage solutions, which mean more surface free for use and fewer obstacles around the kitchen. Often, a kitchen is not using walls effectively, where there is untapped potential for storage.
Why not put us to the test? Get in touch to show us your small space, and we will suggest ways to use the space more efficiently. Just drop us an email at [email protected].
What if there’s no space for a kitchen at all?
When a community group has no kitchen, and no clear room for one, a design expert can advise on how to approach, create, and open up space to unleash untapped potential for kitchen space. Get in touch with our friendly designers on 0208 254 0090to discuss the best approach.
Some small kitchen inspiration
The proof of the kitchen is in the cooking, to coin a phrase.
So, here are some communities who have renovated a small kitchen or overcome a space challenge.
Holy Trinity, Bradford-on-Avon
Holy Trinity church is a listed building, as well as a small space. On our advice, they opted for a pod within the main church with the aid of an architect to cover quinquennial challenges.
“In regards to the kitchen, we couldn’t make it as big as we wanted. In fact, what we now have isn’t officially a kitchen: it’s a hospitality suite. We had to think carefully about what we really needed from the kitchen. Yes, we do a lot of lunches, but would we ever really cook a full roast on site? Once we’d thought about it, we were able to consider the alternative of having a hospitality suite instead of a full kitchen.”
- Revd Joanna Abecassis
St Joseph’s, Havant
St Joseph’s had an awkward space that was making it difficult to use the kitchen, but we found a design solution to solve that.
“Steelplan really laid out the whole project for us and made us feel that we were in control. Unlike others who bid for the project, Steelplan really had thought of everything. They knew the right questions to ask to create the best solution for us and even brought models of the shelves and units to show us.”
- Julia Corps, head of St Joseph’s Hall Committee
Canterbury Baptist Church
We worked with the church to create a well-equipped and functional kitchen that could cater for up to 100 people, despite the serious space limitations.
“We have a full set up – with a dishwasher, warming unit, microwave, six plate cooker, and double sink – and it’s all holding up very well.”
- Richard King, Lettings Manager, Canterbury Baptist Church
Want to discover the potential in your small kitchen?
Want to visualise the kitchen you could have? Our design and visualisation service is free, and comes with no obligation. After a visit to your kitchen (or after you share some photographs and dimensions) and a discussion of what you want from your kitchen, we can design a 3D representation of the design so you can see how it would look in situ, and how we would overcome the challenges of a restricted space.
Worth exploring? Speak to our friendly team on 0208 254 0090 or email [email protected].
