While renters might not be able to rip out cabinets or excise egregious countertops, there are practical fixes that needn’t last longer than your lease. Deb Perelman, author of the food blog
Smitten Kitchen, has encountered her share of cook space conundrums in the 14 years she’s been a New York City renter—insufficient storage, unsightly counters, and one kitchen that was a mere 42 square feet. Despite those challenges, she’s been able to make do with a few effective, affordable, and temporary solutions. “I look for things I can take with me to the next apartment,” she says. Here, Perelman shares her tips.
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Perelman tells us: “My movable kitchen island provides me with additional counter space." She purchased hers from Wayfair.com. We're partial to the Mise en Place kitchen cart by Ceci Thompson for CB2 ($399). In more than one of her rentals, Perelman suffered from a dearth of kitchen drawers. We like this piece for its sturdy iron frame, three shelves (two of which are mesh—a good option for produce storage), chrome hooks, pull-out drawer, and removable ash-wood top that doubles as a serving tray.
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Originally published
as
Rental Case
