Boy, do I hear you, Bert. I don't cook like I once did but struggle to tell myself that and always keep way many more herbs on hand than I can use before they lose their life. Was looking tonight at a half-full container of bay leaves that are now a pale tan.

My sis is coming down next week to paint (with a little help from me) my kitchen cabinets. I wish I could afford to have them resurfaced and to add cabinets, but I can't, so am also combing used furniture stores and consignment shops for free-standing pieces that might work and also add some charm to increase functional storage.

It would require ripping out the entire kitchen, however, to make the design truly functional.

In the fwiw department, I don't mind small as long as it is efficiently designed. The most pragmatic, efficient kitchens I ever had were in a 27' Airstream I lived in for 6 years, a "park" model 10x50 trailer I rented for a couple of years, and a 12x60 mobile home I owned in my 20's. In the little 1960's ranch I own now I have more floor space in the kitchen than in any of those abodes, but it is so poorly designed the space has less than half the functionality of any of them. The trouble is, the poor design is all built-in. I have recently replaced the ancient drop-in stove, but had to replace it with another (used but in great condition) drop-in stove in the exact same, wrong, place. It would require completely gutting the kitchen and moving all of the plumbing and and most of the wiring to do anything other than increase storage and improve the aesthetics.

But if I can make it easier on the eyes, that is worth a lot.