Think that because you have a small kitchen, you’re limited on design choices? Think again!
As with more than a few things in life, size really isn’t everything. In many cases, people have sacrificed space for location, so many of us don’t have an abundance of extra room in our homes. If that’s the case, finding ways to take advantage of your small space you do have while still creating a functional and chic room can feel almost impossible.
Table of Contents
Fear not.
When it comes to looking for small kitchen design ideas, there are a lot more than you might think! From a basic kitchens to rotpunkt kitchens. Whatever kind of style you might be interested in, there’s usually more than one way to make it work in a more confined space. Plus, there are plenty of tricks you can use that can make your kitchen appear roomier!
Want to find out some great kitchen decorating ideas? Just keep reading!
Clear that Clutter
First things first, you’ve got to create all the space that you can. Throughout the year, our kitchens can accumulate a lot of clutter. Whether it’s old appliances you haven’t thrown out, tins and packets clogging up the back of your cupboards or miscellaneous junk pushed to the sides of your worktop, all sorts of rubbish can pile up in the kitchen. If you’re looking to take advantage of space, especially in a smaller kitchen, then it’s essential to get rid of all the unnecessary items.
Start in your cupboards. If you have very finite shelving, try switching multiple small packets for one larger, reusable container and get rid of all those old tins and half used bags of pasta that have been sitting there for possibly years at this point. If you want to stop that happening again, try graduated or stepped displays in your cupboards so you can clearly see all your items at all times.
With appliances, either opt for smaller ones or items that can do several jobs. For example, if you’re a fan of your morning coffee, there are plenty of smaller models and ones that can be built right in so you don’t have to worry about it taking up space. Appliances like a food processor are also a great investment as they can complete the job of several different items, helping you save space.
Thinking Tall
When it comes to choosing decorating ideas for your small kitchen, you have to make sure that you take advantage of every inch of available space. Trust us, there’s more to work with then you might first think.
The first thing you should do is think vertically. There’s plenty of space up above for you to use! Try installing hooks or a rack overhead for pots, pans and other essentials. Not only will they be out of the way and clear up cupboard space, but also easily grabbable when you need them. You can also add some style by replacing your current pots with shiny copper ones. Having these hanging overhead will give your space some personality as well as giving warmth. Perfect if you’re contrasting them with a cooler colour palette.
One trend that’s very popular right now is magnetic storage. By placing magnetic strips on your walls, you can stick knives, scissors and other metallic utensils so they’re out of the way and always ready for you when you need them. It’s also helpful that sharp tools will be out of the way of smaller hands.
Kitchen Island Features
If you can fit in a kitchen island in your space, it will be able to do wonders for both your small kitchen’s storage and functionality.
One of the most useful things about an island is all the additional storage space it can give you. Plenty can come equipped with shelving and cabinets which can be used for crockery or food. Perfect to grab if you’re cooking, plus it’ll help clear some of the clutter from you’re the cabinets.
Many islands can also be customised, so you can tailor them to your needs. You could add a wine rack if your bottles are taking up too much room in your old fridge or insert a sink or built-in cutting board to give you more space to prepare food and clean.
Keep it Light
As well as physically maximising space, it’s always good to do all you can to make your kitchen appear bigger.
The best way to do this is to stick with an open, airy colour palette and try to avoid any dark or harsh shades. Whites, creams and pastels are a great place to start. Perfect for giving the illusion of more space and brightening up a room if your kitchen doesn’t get a lot of natural sunlight. The key is to make sure that there’s adequate lighting otherwise shadows could ruin your airy atmosphere. Try pendant lights hanging from the ceiling for brightness as well as character and add LEDs under kitchen cabinets to get rid of lingering shade as well as provide extra light in areas where you will be preparing food.
At the end of the day, many of us have had to sacrifice space in our homes in order to live in the area we wanted to, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have style. Just a few design changes and some clever use of colour and you can still have a kitchen design that you’re genuinely proud of, even in a tiny space.
