Before & After: A Tiny Paris Kitchen Gets Double-Duty Solution

From Maïla:

I moved in to my rental flat in Paris in November, and absolutely love its details, charm and quirkyness. But it is also pretty tiny and the layout and massive sofa that came with it meant if I wanted a dining table the only place to have it would be under the ladder.

I am a keen cook and I pointed out to my dad (a woodworker by trade, and a very skilled one at that) that I’d rather have more counter space and storage and eat on the sofa. Now as you may know proper sit down meals are a pillar of French culture and that remark must have not been very satisfactory to my dad because he came back to me a few days later with plans for this beauty.

Basically, there are two independent 60x60cm pull out tables (the bare wood on the pics) on wheels that offer dining space for one to three people (four at a push if we are skinny). When not in use, the tables are neatly stowed inside the kitchen unit, while the stools nestle next to the unit, under the ladder, freeing up all the space. If I need lots of prep space I can just pull out one table and get an extra 60cm of useable counter space.

With this clever solution, I neither have had to compromise on my cooking space, or dining table, got loads more storage, and although this solution does have some drawbacks (I need to make sure I don’t need anything from the top drawers once the tables are out and laden with stuff) it has totally transformed the space and the way I use it, and I believe the amount of function that is concentrated in this tiny space is pretty amazing.