Regardless, it\u2019s a smart use of space in a home where someone doesn\u2019t use an oven all that much; popular in tiny house plans<\/a>; and a way to convert a basement or other addition in a single-family home into a guest suite.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you find a kitchenette at a single-family residence that has a standard kitchen in it already, 98% of the time, it\u2019s in an area of the home where your 22- or 24-year-old is still living at home, or your mother-in-law\u2019s living with you, or you\u2019ve got some extended guests,\u201d says Daryl B. Hanna<\/a>, a top Las Vegas real estate agent who\u2019s sold properties with kitchenettes, from high-rise condos along the Strip to single-family homes.<\/p>\n \u201cThat way, at eight o\u2019clock, if they want to make coffee \u2026 they don\u2019t have to come into the kitchen and bother the rest of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Let\u2019s cook up some ideas about what makes a kitchenette appealing, plus how to make it work in your home.<\/p>\n Although the average size of a kitchen in a newly built single-family home in the United States is 161 square feet<\/a>, a kitchenette has no specific size. Rather, the key difference between a kitchen and a kitchenette is the appliances \u2014 both the types it has and their sizes.<\/p>\n A kitchenette typically has:<\/p>\n Some appliance companies sell a \u201ccombination kitchen\u201d or \u201ccompact kitchen,\u201d an entire unit that\u2019s essentially a kitchenette, said Rita Shaw<\/a>, a real estate agent of about 40 years who is also a licensed contractor in the San Bernardino, California, area.<\/p>\n For instance, AJ Madison sells a 60-inch wide \u201ccombination kitchen<\/a>\u201d with a 5.1-cubic-foot refrigerator, a storage cabinet, stainless-steel sink and countertop, and dual electric burner for about $2,200.<\/p>\n For about the same price, Acme has a \u201cfull-feature kitchenette<\/a>\u201d that\u2019s 51 inches wide, including a 4.3-cubic-foot refrigerator and a four-burner gas cooktop and oven.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s everything you need for making coffee, or you could have a toaster or probably put a microwave in there,\u201d Shaw said. \u201cYou don\u2019t always want to sit down and have a whole meal. Maybe you just want a bowl of cereal.\u2026 But you\u2019re not going to cook a turkey in the oven.\u201d<\/p>\n Kitchenettes tend to turn up in smaller-size housing that appeals to seniors, college and graduate students, and others keener on heating up ready-made dishes from Whole Foods and Trader Joe\u2019s than imitating a Food Network entree from scratch.<\/p>\n People who downsize to a tiny house, such as those featured in plans from the company Tiny Home Builders, might enjoy a kitchenette, such as the simple one in this model of a retirement home<\/a> within a trailer that\u2019s all of 20 feet long. It has room for a refrigerator, freezer, microwave, toaster oven, and coffeemaker, plus a small sink, countertop, and cabinets.<\/p>\n On the grander end of the spectrum, larger and luxury homes will advertise a kitchenette as a feature for guests or multi-generational living. For instance, this 4,300-square-foot house in the Detroit, Michigan, area, has a kitchen-dining area on the main floor with a breakfast bar, kitchen island, and two sinks \u2014 plus a guest suite with kitchenette<\/a> on the second floor.<\/p>\n A bonus room \u2014 a multipurpose area without a closet, such as a den or family room \u2014 has even more perks with a kitchenette. For instance, this upstairs home library<\/a> has DIY shelving and comfortable seating, but a kitchenette with a small fridge, sink, and selection of warm drinks practically invites people to curl up with a good read.<\/p>\n Medford Design-Build, a Texas luxury remodeling service serving Tarrant County since 1982, transformed another bonus room into a home office and loft space for a homeowners\u2019 teens to hang out and watch TV.<\/p>\n The space included a guest bathroom and kitchenette<\/a>. Because the two-burner cooktop hadn\u2019t been used often, the design team removed it and the vent hood to provide more counter space. This kitchenette now contains cabinets, a mosaic tile backsplash, a sink, and a mini fridge.<\/p>\n Because of its small footprint, a kitchenette means easier cleanup<\/a> \u2014 fewer countertops to wipe, and not much space for dirty dishes. So if you\u2019re not big on entertaining, or if you\u2019d like your guests to tend to themselves, a kitchenette dials down the stress.<\/p>\n That said, if you\u2019d like to add a kitchenette to your property in the future, you\u2019ll want to be sure that it follows building codes for ventilation and drainage. A lot of kitchenettes don\u2019t have proper stoves, just cooktops, because a stove needs to vent, Hanna said.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery building department is different,\u201d Shaw added. \u201cIf you\u2019re in a basement, the building department might want a ventilation fan.\u201d<\/p>\n A good licensed contractor will know what your local building codes are and what a kitchenette requires, such as adequate access to electricity and water, as well as how the sink will drain, she said.<\/p>\n If you end up buying a house with a kitchenette as your main kitchen because of budget restraints, or if the house you purchase has a kitchenette in a multipurpose or guest area, you\u2019ll need to think simplicity to avoid clutter. Aim for minimal gadgets and gear \u2014 especially plates, glasses, pans, and cutlery.<\/p>\n Also consider your lifestyle and the purpose of the kitchenette to accent it with small appliances. Coffee lovers might want a French press or a single-serve coffeemaker<\/a>, for instance.<\/p>\n RENTCaf\u00e9, a nationwide listing service for rentals, recommends<\/a> an electric kettle<\/a>, which boils water about three times faster than a hot plate or a microwave, for making coffee, tea, hot cereal, and instant soups, as well as a food steamer<\/a> to prepare healthy recipes fast.<\/p>\n Because a kitchenette doesn\u2019t have the storage of a full-size kitchen, decorators suggest various ways to maximize the space:<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/foreclosure-auction-hand-1-666x381.png\")
<\/a>Kitchens vs. kitchenettes: What\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Where you\u2019ll see kitchenettes: tiny homes, luxury homes, and bonus rooms<\/h2>\n
Kitchenette considerations: Cleanup and building codes<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>7 ways<\/b> to make your kitchenette work<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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