Planning a rural move away from the suburbs or already farmhouse hunting? Let me tell you why your family will want – no, absolutely need – a big country kitchen and large pantry space. If this isn’t near the top of your wish list, let me share seven well-thought-out reasons why you should opt for a house with a big country kitchen!
Get The House with the Big Country Kitchen
Just trust me on this one. I bought a house with a 12 foot by 15 foot kitchen that has served me well even though we are a small family of three. I’ll explain why it is such a good idea to opt for the sprawling kitchen:
You Will Cook Almost All Meals at Home
Grocery stores are going to be further away from your new farmhouse (mine is a 28 minute drive one way). Fast food is likely just as far. It is safe to assume you will be cooking 99% of your meals at home. Some of these meals will be delegated to the Instant Pot or Crock Pot, which will need a place to sit on the counter even if they are stored in cabinets when not in use. Baking pans, cookie sheets, side dishes and main courses will shuffle from oven to counter to cool and be served. Near the sink these same items will pile up for washing or air drying after a scrub. You won’t regret having as much room as possible.
You’ll Have Exciting Farmhousey Tasks!
One evening this summer I had bread dough in the Kitchen Aid mixing on one counter, the dehydrator running on another, dinner simmering on the stove, a cutting board with diced vegetables to freeze on the neighboring counter and baskets of freshly gathered eggs, tomatoes and potatoes tucked well away from the heat on yet another counter. I never would have guessed that I would have had heaps of garden basil that needed dehydrating at the same time I had bowls of tomatoes waiting for sauce making, bell peppers that needed dicing and freezing plus dinner needing to be made all in the same space. And I wasn’t even canning so there were no glass jars sitting out, taking up their own piece of counter space!
I cannot tell you how many times I have been glad to have a large kitchen. Time and time again, it has proven to be a nice necessity as I learn new skills.
The Family Gathering Spot
When I’m cooking dinner the boys prowl around me and circle the kitchen like hungry sharks. Having plenty of room for meal prep and conversation makes the kitchen inviting. We can prepare recipes together or create a big buffet when family is in town. I never feel hot and overcrowded with too many cooks in the kitchen. A kitchen space with two exits really helps.
The Wisdom of a Deep Pantry
I’ve written before about how vital a well-stocked pantry is in a rural home. Not only is this snack central but it is where you will store one or two week’s worth of bulky bagged chips plus all the baking ingredients you want to keep on hand. If the house came with a fire pit, s’mores supplies will have a permanent home on the shelf along with hot cocoa mix and favorite warm drinks. Fewer trips to the store may mean buying in bulk and storing more at home.
If the home you are buying only has a cabinet sized pantry, consider purchasing an enchanting old hutch or furniture piece that you could use for additional storage. Local antique stores usually have solid wood pieces at incredibly low prices that will add charm and functionality to your kitchen.
Prepared for Anything
When you live in the country it is expected that you are prepared to take care of yourself should foul weather or disruptive events hamper your ability to make it to the store. Such preparation requires space. Take note of the most likely weather events you might face and plan accordingly. In my area heavy rains always cause the local creeks to overflow and flood the two streets we use to head into town to grocery shop. A nearby yearly fall festival jams the roads so badly that weekend errands are difficult for those two months. And these are just the predictable things. A kitchen with ample cabinet space to store shelf stable foods, flashlights, batteries, candles, rehydration drink powders and comfort foods is essential. (If hurricanes may threaten your homestead, here is how to get prepared for them quickly.)
The Garden Harvest
If you’ve dreamed of having a little garden you may be shocked to discover how productive a little plot can be. The first pot of home grown sweet potatoes that we harvested revealed enough tubers to fill a 3 gallon bucket. We gave some away but still needed to store a basket full in a cool, dark spot. You need a pantry that can hold your harvest, whether that is potatoes and onions in baskets or jars of jam and tomato sauce on the shelf.
The Holiday Spread
Family will flock to your gorgeous, relaxing country home for the holidays. It’s just so peaceful! Can you blame them for wanting to come out and enjoy the deer, wildlife and seasonal changes all year round? But you still won’t have the convenience of nearby fast food and now you’ll be cooking for even more people at every meal. Kitchen space will be vital.
What Size Pantry Do I Need?
This is a good question if you are house hunting or building. A large sized pantry is anything bigger than a double door cabinet or skinny linen closet. If you can duck in or walk in your pantry, that size is great! If your dream home only has the cabinet style pantry, consider turning the nearest wall cabinets into pantry storage, too.
As a side note, you’ll want to check to see if the house you’re buying also has room for a second freezer with a grounded plug. Our Country House Hunting Checklist will remind you to look for this and other useful items!
One Final Point to Consider
When the time comes to sell your home, a big country kitchen is an eye-catching asset. Home buyers will have similar country dreams and if working from home continues to become more permanent, the kitchen will get even more daily use.
I hope these seven ideas give you every reason to opt to buy or build a big country kitchen! It truly is the heart of the home where many beautiful family memories will be made.
Leave a Reply