How to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen

A small kitchen can put a hamper on home cooking if not organized well

The kitchen is the hub of any home and as such, getting the design and layout right is essential. Current kitchen design trends revolve around the idea of “kitchen as theater”, with vast kitchens doubling up as performance spaces for budding culinary experts.

Of course, the reality is that most of us don’t benefit from the kind of space demanded by this kind of kitchen design. However, having a small kitchen space doesn’t mean that you can’t have an attractive kitchen that also serves its vital functions – far from it. With a few clever design quirks and choices, you can have the kitchen of your dreams regardless of space.

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With any small kitchen, making the most of the space you have is key. There are certain essentials that any kitchen will require; a cooker, a sink, a refrigerator and a wealth of storage options. That’s even before you consider the less essential but still important additions such as washing machines and dishwashers.

The most effective way to lay out these appliances is via the ‘kitchen triangle’ method and it’s no different with a smaller kitchen. In fact, the triangle should mean you can work efficiently regardless of the size of your kitchen.

For appliances such as the dishwasher, save on space by integrating the appliances into your units. This will mean you lose some storage space, but you can make up for this elsewhere.

It’s inevitable that you’ll have to lose some storage space in terms of cupboards and overhead units but there are a range of solutions that address this issue and add an extra element of attractiveness to your kitchen. Pots and pans can be stored on wall hooks, which solves the issue of not enough cupboards while also adding a rustic vibe to your kitchen.

Similarly, you can store knives in dedicated knife blocks while chopping boards and serving trays can be stored upright on worktops – this will also serve to prove to people that you actually use the kitchen too! Consider some more out of the box storage options too such as dishwasher-style storage drawers, which are large enough to store crockery and cutlery.

In terms of aesthetics, there are a few decorative steps you can take to make your kitchen look amazing while also exaggerating the actual size of the space. Tall, sleek units are advised over bulkier units; add an extra element of space to these by adding under-unit lighting.

The colors that should be used in a small kitchen provide something of a contradiction with both muted and bold colors needing to be utilized. Confused? You shouldn’t be. Muted colours such as cream should be used on walls as they ‘trick’ the eye into thinking a room is bigger than it actually is. Unfortunately, they aren’t the most exciting visually, so complement them with boldly colored units and cabinets which should give your kitchen an extra layer of personality.

Finally, make the use of light both natural and artificial. A kitchen will appear larger if it’s lighter so try and light the room as much as you can via the overhead lights and under cabinet lighting. During the day, try and let as much natural sunlight in as possible – move any potential obstructions to this light!

By: Ben Greenwood

Watch this video on organizing a small kitchen: