I'm in the process of trying to buy a sweet little 1925 cottage, in Oakland California.

And I'm wondering about this thing:



The placement and proportions seem awfully similar to those built-in ironing board closets, but we can't figure out the purpose of this thing. It's too deep to be a spice rack, but too shallow to be a book case.

Here is what our blog readers have guessed.

howsrobb.blogspot.com/2009/07/kitchen-mysteries.html

What do all y'all think?

Welcome Lisa.

You know, I have a very similar, extremely shallow cabinet like this in my kitchen. It was added later when the kitchen was remodeled and the woodstove was removed. It goes around the chimney and hides it. Does the house still have the kitchen chimney?

In the 20's and 30's they loved to put little cubby hole cabinets in wherever they could. These houses are marvels of efficiency. Here is a bathroom cabinet that is only a few inches deep and there is even storage on the back of the door!



Lauren

Hmmm.... I'm not sure sure about the chimney idea, because this cabinet thingamajig sits on a wall that backs on the hallway.

I'm leaning toward inexplicable retro-fit as the answer.

Get used to my questions! It looks like we're buying this sweet house.

Whats above it or at least used to be above it? Looks like built in ladder to access an attic or crawl space?

Dano

Nothing above it but the ceiling. Attic access is in the next room.

Pretty creative thinking, though, Mohawk!

I wonder if any kids ever tried to climb this thing?