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Our Almost Reno Regret Part 4 – Kitchen Tall Unit
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A tall unit was part of our reno plan right from the start, all the way through carpentry fabrication and even after the electrical layout was confirmed. At that point, we were not entirely sure which appliances we would eventually include. An oven was a definite must, so it naturally took up the first upper niche. For the second niche, we imagined placing a rice cooker, blender, or other small appliances there. We did have some concerns about losing countertop space, to be honest, but the feeling was not strong enough for us to act on it then. What really confirmed that a tall unit was a no-go for us was when we started thinking through the practical details. A proper pull-out mechanism would have been necessary, which meant additional cost. Even then, placing a rice cooker inside raised concerns about steam build-up over time, which could eventually damage the carpentry. 
Looking back, we had not fully considered our lifestyle at that stage, especially before our 11.11 shopping spree. That spree ended up stocking our kitchen with even more gadgets like an immersion hand blender and a KitchenAid mixer. Both clearly need proper countertop space to be used comfortably. It also made no sense for us to keep taking appliances out just to place them on an already limited countertop, because that would completely defeat the purpose of having a tall unit in the first place. On top of that, a tall unit would have made the kitchen feel more cramped. In the end, we decided to forgo the original plan and focus on a longer countertop instead, which is also much easier to clean and maintain. This felt far more practical, kept the workflow smooth, and gave us extra prep space. Now, the kitchen feels bigger and more spacious which we love. Our electrical plan was already set by then, so we had one extra double socket left which was originally for the 2nd niche. We ended up using it for the water dispenser, with the hanging wire neatly tugged to the corner which we would be able to see from the front.
29 December 2025
