In June my husband and I visited Santa Fe, New Mexico, for the wedding of an old friend from graduate school. It was our first time in the city, and what an amazing place it is — such history and art. In addition to the wedding festivities, delicious food, old friends, and the lovely city, we were fortunate to stay in a charming casita.

All aspects of the one-bedroom adobe house had been so thoughtfully designed — kitchen included. The main entrance opened into the shared living room and kitchen area. The space received wonderful sunlight, which could be tempered by plantation shutters. Part of why the place was so comfortable was because everything “fit.”

In the kitchen, because the appliances were smaller than the typical sizes most commonly found in showrooms and homes, the overall effect was a spacious, uncrowded (and gorgeous) room. Such a nice feeling! The 27″ counter-depth refrigerator did not become a dominating obstacle, and the 24″ stove allowed counter on both sides. An 18″ dishwasher provided room for a wide drawer unit for storage, while the microwave was hidden in an upper cabinet above the dishwasher. Matching panels for the refrigerator and dishwasher also helped make the space seem larger than it might have otherwise.

All the lighting is on dimmers, which is a nice feature. The above-cabinet lighting highlighted the dramatic wood beams of the adobe architecture, and under-cabinet lighting was, of course, helpful for more practical tasks. There is also a built-in cabinet behind the main entry door that provides additional room for storage and display.

For seating there are two stools that fit under the peninsula. There is no dining table, but for a one-bedroom casita, the stools were all we needed. Because the kitchen opens onto the living space, making room for a table or an island would have crowded the space and created a more awkward traffic pattern for the room.

In the living area the cable box and dvd player are hidden in a clever nook with doors that match the kitchen cabinets. The sofa looks out onto the shared patio and pool area. Hope we get to go back!