7 Homes That Make Efficient Use of Their Kitchen and Yard

People often think of the kitchen and yard as two separate, distinct spaces, but here’s why you shouldn’t.

Cooking and doing the laundry are two household tasks that can’t be more different from each other, but the spaces where they are performed are often located side-by-side in most homes. So, why not combine your kitchen and yard to create an overall larger space?

Here are 7 homes that’ll show you how to do just that, on top of creating extra functionality!

1. St. George’s Lane by The Local Inn.terior

Neither kitchens nor service yards are the largest areas in an HDB flat, but this retro-inspired home makes full use of the space between the two with a full-height larder. The galley layout also shows its worth here as it keeps everything, from cabinets to the washing machine, tucked to the sides for a neater, flushed look.

2. Dakota Crescent by Notion of W

One of the best ways to create a seamless visual transition between the kitchen and yard is to use the same material palette for both zones – this particular technique is put to good use here with the help of a wall-to-wall backsplash of subway tiles as well as rustic herringbone flooring that bring both spaces together.

3. Anchorvale Lane by Weiken.com

One of the perks of removing the boundaries between a kitchen and yard is that you’ll get a larger space overall, so what then do you do with it? Possible options include building in a small nook that doubles as a wine/storage corner, creating a larger storage unit on one side, or doing both to fully utilise every inch of available room.

4. Anchorvale Road by The Roomakers

In 2-room HDB apartments, things can get even squeezier in the kitchen/yard as they tend to be narrower and smaller as compared to those in 3- or 4-room flats. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make things work!

For instance, having an L-shaped counter layout will allow you to tuck a washer into a corner, yet still, have a smooth flow across the entire length of space.

5. Boon Tiong Road by Starry Homestead

In some (rare) cases, the kitchen/yard of older HDB flats can come with not one, but two sets of windows. Naturally, that’s a perk because who doesn’t want a brighter home? But at the same time, that also means less wall space for storage.

A possible solution would be to adopt a large, one-wall kitchen layout with top-hung cabinets. Meanwhile, having a pedestal slab in the corner for a washing machine also makes use of what would otherwise be dead space.

6. Punggol Drive by KDOT

Multipurpose spaces/features are always welcome in any efficient home! And in this dramatically dark apartment, the service yard’s laundry corner turns into extra kitchen prep space when needed, thanks to a built-in countertop that also leaves more room on the side for storage and built-in ovens within the kitchen’s wet area.

7. Toa Payoh Crest by Arche Interior

While we’re all for removing the boundaries between the kitchen and yard, there might be reasons why you’d want to keep both spaces separate. For instance, if you hang your laundry indoors and cook frequently, that could be cause for concern.

One way to have your cake and eat it would be to simply have minimalist glass doors built between both zones, doing so lets you achieve a ‘bigger’ space but minus the worry of stinking up your fresh clothes.

Want to make your kitchen and yard more space-efficient?

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