The “New Look” in an Old Kitchen

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 3, 15 September 1949, Page 295

The “New Look” in an Old Kitchen

By

EVA TOPPING,

Rural Sociologist,

Department of

Agriculture, Auckland.

Kyi ANY country women prefer a large kitchen IVI. because they like plenty of room in which to move around, a place for a meal table, and floor space for young children to play where they can be watched, but even the most ardent advocates of the large kitchen probably would consider one 19ft. x 16ft. too. large for convenience. The owners of the kitchen illustrated in these pages certainly were of the opinion that this area could be used to better advantage, and the pictures of the remodelled kitchen on the next 2 pages prove how successful they have been, for now they have a modernised kitchen, a separate dining-room, and a well-planned pantry.

'T'HE pictures and original plan of the kitchen premises below make apparent the many inconveniences. The preparation of meals and' the subsequent clearing up entailed much walking and waste of effort. Now those disadvantages have been eliminated, and with extra window area and fresh wall treatments the kitchen has been so altered as to be almost unrecognisable. Kitchen and Pantry In place of the former dark and dreary varnished wood walls, the kitchen and pantry are now finished with gleaming white enamel. The floor is covered with red jaspe linoleuman inlaid linoleum with an all-over streaky pattern—and curtains of white cotton patterned in red complete a bright and attractive colour scheme.

New windows have been built in the end wall. One of them is directly over the sink bench, thus making the alcove containing sink and stove very well lit.

The stainless-steel sink bench of generous proportions, with drawers and cupboards below, is a modern improvement on the former arrangement. A shallow bench with 2 drawers and cupboards gives extra storage and working surface under the original window retained in the side wall. The former -dresser and safe fitment has been replaced by the outside door, and on the same wall a useful baking bench with a marble top has been constructed under the window. To make room for the bench, the fanlights above the window were eliminated and the window raised. The pantry to the left of the baking bench is lit with 1 narrow window, and space for a refrigerator has been left between the open shelves and the cupboard. Both shelves and cupboards are shallow, making crockery and stores easily accessible. The Dining-room The former pantry is now incorporated with part of the original kitchen to provide a

dining-room, lit by wide win-

dows which match those over the kitchen sink, thus giving a uniform appearance from the outside. Glass doors leading into the lounge give additional light, an appearance of spaciousness, and more convenient access between the 2 rooms. The former recess for the range has been used for a built-in sideboard, with roomy china and silver cabinets and cutlery drawers. The walls in the diningroom are finished in peach beige, the wall-to-wall carpet is a soft ; green, and the curtains of printed linen have a pastel green background with a pattern in which peach, brown, and greens predominate. The top of the sideboard fitment has been stained and french polished to match the dining table and mahogany chairs.