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See this 82-square-foot kitchen go from snug to stunning!

Adding space isn't a challenge when you're free to knock down walls, but Barbara Purdy didn't have such luxuries when it came to this 82-square-foot kitchen.
/ Source: TODAY

Adding more cabinets and countertops isn’t much of a challenge when you’re free to knock down walls and move appliances around. But designer Barbara Purdy didn’t have such luxuries when it came to this 82-square-foot kitchen. She had to maximize surface and storage space while working with a layout that was tight, awkward and angular. Her solution was to swap large, standard appliances for smaller, slimmer units and replace a light-blocking, useless pass-through wall with a more efficient peninsula.

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An angled wall had an unattractive pass-through that didn’t work well in the context of how the other spaces were laid out. “Basically, it just looked like a hole in the wall,” Purdy says. Plus, the wall blocked natural light flooding in from a large window opposite it.

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Purdy removed the pass-through and added a peninsula that gave the kitchen more countertop space and storage while allowing in more natural light.

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To gain even more space, Purdy then got rid of the large, standard appliances and introduced smaller, slimmer units, such as a 24-inch-wide stove, a 24-inch-wide refrigerator and an 18-inch-wide dishwasher. These units freed up much-needed space and in turn lent a lighter and cleaner look. “When you have a larger ratio of cabinetry and countertops to appliances, it makes the scale seem like a large space, visually,” she says.

Stained maple millwork on the back of the peninsula helps connect the kitchen to the adjacent living spaces and adds warmth.

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Condo restrictions prevented things like moving the sink, but Purdy also decided to work with much of what was there, including all the awkward angles, to keep costs down.

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The quartz countertop wraps around to provide a generous amount of surface space. A lazy Susan gives access to the tight lower-corner cabinetry.

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Purdy hid the range ventilation in an upper cabinet. “We didn’t want a big vent hood taking up space and overwhelming with more stainless steel going on,” she says.

For a bit of architectural interest, she bumped out the vent cabinet and glass-front cabinet above the sink. “It’s just a little detail that adds dimension and is reminiscent of more traditional kitchens,” she says.

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An integrated panel hides the slim dishwasher to the left of the stove. The cabinet above features a pullout spice rack. The backsplash is tumbled marble. The floor is cork.

This floor plan shows how Purdy worked with the angles to maximize storage and the work surfaces.