Discover clever design hacks to maximize space in small kitchens, from streamlined cabinets and downsized appliances to enhancing natural light.
No matter the size, the kitchen is the heart of any home. It’s a communal space where you and your family can come together to cook and eat together if you have a combined kitchen and dining room. If you have a small kitchen, it can often feel overcrowded and difficult to manage, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many clever interior design hacks that can help you create the illusion of more space in your small kitchen, from clever storage solutions to making the most of natural light.
Streamline your cabinets
With all of the household items you need to store in your kitchen, having cabinets and other storage units is unavoidable. However, too many cabinets can overwhelm a small space, and this certainly rings true when it comes to a small kitchen.
To avoid the space feeling claustrophobic, consider streamlining your kitchen cabinets. If you are working with a narrow space, you should try and keep the cabinets in one or two neat lines. This will help to draw the eyes forward and emphasise the length of the room.
Top tip: To help minimise clutter in your kitchen and make the most of the space you are working with, think about reorganising your cabinets too and finding new and creative ways to stack items such as mugs, plates and glasses to keep them out of sight and keep your kitchen worktops clutter-free.
Downsize on appliances
There’s a wide range of appliances that can be found in a kitchen, but often, many people find themselves only using a select few on a daily basis. If this is the case, you could think about downsizing the appliances in your small kitchen and installing smaller ones to free up space, such as a single hob or a compact oven. Air fryers are increasingly in popularity and are incredibly versatile, so you could even consider getting one of those to sit on your kitchen worktop and doing away with a traditional oven.
Top tip: In many homes, the boiler is found within the kitchen. If this is the case for you, you could consider upgrading your heating system as combi boilers are smaller and more compact and can easily be hidden from sight inside a kitchen cabinet unit.
Make the most of natural light
You want your kitchen to feel light and airy, and this is especially true when it comes to having a smaller kitchen to work with. Think about how best you can build your kitchen around any windows you may have to let in as much natural light as possible and brighten up the space.
Top tip: You could consider installing a Velux window in your ceiling to increase the natural light entering the kitchen, without having to lose any valuable wall space.
Install open shelving
Boost your storage space by installing floating, open shelving on your kitchen walls. They are so simple to install and can help to make your kitchen look and feel more stylish, whilst also providing you with somewhere to keep lots of kitchen items such as cookbooks, wine glasses and pantry ingredients.
Top tip: You could dress your floating shelves with small house plants to add a pop of colour, or better yet, think about growing your own herbs which you can have at hand as you cook.