I thought my kitchen was perfectly adequate until recently, when it seemed to be suddenly lacking in counter space. I just wanted more — another spot to set a hot casserole down, or to chop veggies while my husband was using the main counter for another task. So, I started scouting on craigslist, until I turned up a wooden kitchen island from IKEA. It's the perfect size for the center of our kitchen, and I use it constantly. The two drawers have taken some of the stress off of our overloaded kitchen drawers, and the shelves are now storing things that crowded our cabinets. Now I don't know how I got along without it.
Some of the things I loved about shopping on craigslist were: the furniture was already assembled; the price was low; we didn't have to drive all the way to IKEA or deal with the crowds since we found it in the neighborhood. Our cart measures 17 inches by 39-1/2 inches — just enough to give us extra space but not take up too much room in the kitchen.
Doesn't one improvement always seem to lead to another? Although the counter-height top of the kitchen cart is a butcher block, it had never been used as one, and I didn't want to deface it or make it smelly by cutting directly on it, so I ordered a beautiful new cutting board. We really needed another board, and this one will making cutting veggies even more fun.
I think some scones are in order to celebrate. Have you added anything to your kitchen lately that makes cooking easier or more enjoyable?
