Downsizing: From a House Kitchen to a Condo

Most people move far more than they use. Before planning a smaller kitchen, separate what was used in the last three months from what was merely kept. The smaller kitchen is designed around the first list.

What a condo lacks in footprint it can recover in height. Full-height larder units, taller wall cabinets to ceiling and internal drawers recapture a surprising proportion of what a larger kitchen held.

A condo rarely justifies a double oven and a large American fridge. A compact oven with a microwave combination and a well-chosen integrated fridge usually serve better and release space for storage.

A smaller kitchen suits more frequent, smaller shops, which suits Thai fresh markets well. Designing for a week of bulk storage in a condo wastes the space that daily cooking actually needs.