Few of us are blessed with large, sprawling kitchen spaces – particularly those of us in inner city areas where space is at a premium. Kitchens are often rooms that suffer in terms of space, with many homeowners left with the need to be savvy with their kitchen design.
Luckily, the experienced among us have identified the best tried and tested kitchen design hacks for small spaces.
Integrate your appliances
If you’re designing a small kitchen, consider integrating your appliances to keep a minimal style. Fewer visual distractions and a streamlined look will make a small kitchen look larger and improve the flow. Integrated fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and microwaves will keep things looking uncluttered.
For appliances that aren’t in use every day such as blenders and toasters, try and keep some cupboard space aside to keep these in and out of the way. Keeping worksurface space clear can truly make a space look bigger. With that in mind, consider building a chopping board into a kitchen drawer – preferably that drawer where you keep all the items that you don’t need access to daily such as whisks, wooden spoons and rolling pins – or get your hands on an over-the-sink prep station so that you can utilise your sink area when not in use. These stations can be slotted on and then tucked away again when you’re not prepping food. Simple!
Utilise wall space
Your walls can be handier than you might expect, so ensure you utilise this extra space for storage. If you like a maximalist vibe, the look of displaying kitchen utensils and decor on the walls can look really stylish.
Utilise hooks and rails for hanging pots, pans and utensils or install floating shelving for your prettiest mugs, glassware, jars and cookery books. Do this right, and it will not only serve as practical storage but also as a design feature too.
Pull-out pantries
Pantries are a real luxury and may feel like they’re reserved only for those with a lot of kitchen space. However, pull-out pantries serve the same purpose and can be cleverly slotted into your kitchen design for any bespoke kitchens.
Arguably, pull-out pantries can be even more practical than your standard pantry as you can grab items from both sides and can easily access items stored at the back. They can be disguised as another cupboard so look super seamless in your kitchen.
Be wise with your colour scheme
Never underestimate the power of colour. Colour has the power to impact how big or small a space can feel. For small kitchens, keep it simple with just one or two colours in your colour palette for your cabinets, walls and floors.
But what colour should you opt for? White is always a good, safe option. It reflects light which can enhance the space and looks clean and airy. If you’re a fan of colour, however, opt for soft pastels over dark colours or contrast which can break up a room and make it feel smaller.
Hidden drinks unit
Whether you have a built-in pantry space that you can utilise or a storage dresser area, creating a hidden drinks area in your kitchen can save on kettle and/or coffee station space on worktops and drinks storage within your cupboards.
Dedicate a closed-off area to keep mugs, glassware, cocktail-making accessories or coffee machine and your coffee. Not only that but if the area has some surface space, use this as somewhere to prep your morning coffee, evening martini or ice-cold smoothie!
There’s nothing bad about a small kitchen. They can be really fun and inventive spaces to work with as long as you know how to maximise their potential. These are our top tips but the amount of storage and design ideas out there are almost endless. Pinterest will be your best friend when working to get the most out of your kitchen space!