5 Must-have Features for a Small Kitchen
A designer shares tips on creating functionality and style in a compact space
tidgboutique
11 April 2022
Toronto Interior Design Group is a trusted one-stop-shop residential interior design concierge boutique-style firm crafting timeless interiors.
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Not everyone wants or has space for a sprawling kitchen, and a compact room doesn’t mean you have to skimp on style and functionality. As a designer, I often advise clients with small kitchens on how to maximise their tight layouts. Here are some of my favourite tips and tricks for making the most of these small spaces.
1. Open shelves
If your kitchen feels cramped, removing all or some of your wall cabinets might be the best option for you. This is a good way to open up the visual space around the room, making the kitchen appear larger than it is.
If your kitchen feels cramped, removing all or some of your wall cabinets might be the best option for you. This is a good way to open up the visual space around the room, making the kitchen appear larger than it is.
Plenty of light is important in a small space, and wall cabinets can sometimes cast a shadow over the worktops, making the area feel darker than necessary, so skipping them can really open up a space. Running tiles on the splashback to the ceiling can also help to visually heighten the look of the room.
If you’re worried about losing the storage from ditching wall cabinets, consider a hardworking island, if you have the space. Or consult with a design pro to really maximise your base cabinet storage with pullouts, drawers and other high-functioning components.
Open shelves are another option. You want your shelves to have a depth of at least 25cm. This is important if you want the shelving to hold dinner plates or other wide items.
If you’re worried about losing the storage from ditching wall cabinets, consider a hardworking island, if you have the space. Or consult with a design pro to really maximise your base cabinet storage with pullouts, drawers and other high-functioning components.
Open shelves are another option. You want your shelves to have a depth of at least 25cm. This is important if you want the shelving to hold dinner plates or other wide items.
Open shelves also allow you to easily change your décor with the seasons, giving you a dynamic focal point that will keep your small kitchen feeling new and fresh.
Choosing the same colour for your shelves and walls can help the shelves to visually disappear, creating an airy vibe and letting your stylish dishes and decorative items stand out.
However, with open shelves, be prepared to stay a little more organised, and plan to do a little extra dusting.
Want advice on how to improve your kitchen? Find a local kitchen designer and read reviews from previous clients on Houzz.
Choosing the same colour for your shelves and walls can help the shelves to visually disappear, creating an airy vibe and letting your stylish dishes and decorative items stand out.
However, with open shelves, be prepared to stay a little more organised, and plan to do a little extra dusting.
Want advice on how to improve your kitchen? Find a local kitchen designer and read reviews from previous clients on Houzz.
2. Invisible hardware
It might not seem like a big deal, but protruding cabinet knobs and handles can take up a consequential amount of visual and physical space.
A ‘handleless’ kitchen features cabinets with a lip or touch latch. This approach creates a seamless, minimal look without visual interruptions, and that’s important in a compact space that you want to feel more open.
This scheme by Homeconcepts is a good example of how clean and airy a small kitchen can look without hardware. Also note how the muted cabinet colour blends in with the wall, splashback and worktop tones to visually disappear in the room. You can imagine how different this light space would look with, say, dark cabinets.
It might not seem like a big deal, but protruding cabinet knobs and handles can take up a consequential amount of visual and physical space.
A ‘handleless’ kitchen features cabinets with a lip or touch latch. This approach creates a seamless, minimal look without visual interruptions, and that’s important in a compact space that you want to feel more open.
This scheme by Homeconcepts is a good example of how clean and airy a small kitchen can look without hardware. Also note how the muted cabinet colour blends in with the wall, splashback and worktop tones to visually disappear in the room. You can imagine how different this light space would look with, say, dark cabinets.
Going without knobs or handles not only makes your tight kitchen look more spacious, it also gives you a bit more physical space when every inch counts. With this arrangement, you can move around in the kitchen right up against the cabinets without worrying about snagging your clothes or bumping your hip.
3. Pattern
Bringing in a large design statement such as a bold pattern can help detract from your minimal square footage and give your tiny space a big personality.
Plus, a little goes a long way. Using a dramatic pattern often works better in a small kitchen than in a large one, because a small area of pattern can deliver just the right amount of style. With a larger area, too much pattern can overwhelm the space.
Bringing in a large design statement such as a bold pattern can help detract from your minimal square footage and give your tiny space a big personality.
Plus, a little goes a long way. Using a dramatic pattern often works better in a small kitchen than in a large one, because a small area of pattern can deliver just the right amount of style. With a larger area, too much pattern can overwhelm the space.
See how these beautiful tiles in a kitchen by Orange Moon Interiors draw the eye, creating a focal point with just a few accents while keeping the surrounding space light and bright.
The floor is an often-overlooked area of a kitchen for adding style, but it’s the perfect place for a high-impact design element.
A patterned floor will give the illusion of a greater expanse of space. This black-and-white diamond design in a kitchen by Maven Home Interiors creates a timeless look, and running the pattern diagonally creates the appearance of more square footage.
A patterned floor will give the illusion of a greater expanse of space. This black-and-white diamond design in a kitchen by Maven Home Interiors creates a timeless look, and running the pattern diagonally creates the appearance of more square footage.
4. Corner storage
As I’ve noted, every square inch counts in a small kitchen, and that means you can’t allow dead corners.
Designing a corner is often a tricky affair that requires a delicate balance between form and functionality. Notice how the open shelves in this Seattle kitchen wrap around a corner to maximise storage and display space while maintaining an open feel.
Also note a few of the other tricks mentioned in this article, such as using light colours to visually recede cabinets, playing with pattern and running splashback tiles all the way to the ceiling to add visual height.
As I’ve noted, every square inch counts in a small kitchen, and that means you can’t allow dead corners.
Designing a corner is often a tricky affair that requires a delicate balance between form and functionality. Notice how the open shelves in this Seattle kitchen wrap around a corner to maximise storage and display space while maintaining an open feel.
Also note a few of the other tricks mentioned in this article, such as using light colours to visually recede cabinets, playing with pattern and running splashback tiles all the way to the ceiling to add visual height.
A corner worktop cabinet is another idea worth considering. Extending the cupboard all the way to the ceiling maximises storage, but also makes the room feel bigger by drawing the eye up – a win-win.
Or consider a corner sink. Since work at the sink is often stationary, corner placement leaves space for another person to move freely, putting away shopping, preparing ingredients, accessing the fridge or tending food on the hob.
One thing to keep in mind before making this decision is that corner sinks tend to be smaller than standard ones. If you use a lot of big dishes and utensils, this may not be the best option for you.
One thing to keep in mind before making this decision is that corner sinks tend to be smaller than standard ones. If you use a lot of big dishes and utensils, this may not be the best option for you.
5. Stylish worktop appliances
If your kitchen is small, you’re going to need to make the most of every spot, including your worktops. This means some of your day-to-day items may need to be kept visible, especially if your cabinet space lacks room for small appliances.
Investing in items you love and that look good is worth it, as they’ll be on display for everyone to see. The white toaster shown here looks at home amid the stylish white-and-wood design.
If your kitchen is small, you’re going to need to make the most of every spot, including your worktops. This means some of your day-to-day items may need to be kept visible, especially if your cabinet space lacks room for small appliances.
Investing in items you love and that look good is worth it, as they’ll be on display for everyone to see. The white toaster shown here looks at home amid the stylish white-and-wood design.
You’ll also find a lot of practicality in having appliances out because they’ll always be accessible when you need them.
See how the black-and-white toaster next to the range cooker here looks intentional.
See how the black-and-white toaster next to the range cooker here looks intentional.
Always consider the best-performing appliance for your needs, but do a little extra research to find those that fit the look of your space.
In this kitchen by Oak Hill Architects, the stand mixer and toaster embody a vintage spirit that works well in the traditional space.
Tell us…
What tricks or tips do you have for making the most of a small kitchen? Add your thoughts to the Comments.
In this kitchen by Oak Hill Architects, the stand mixer and toaster embody a vintage spirit that works well in the traditional space.
Tell us…
What tricks or tips do you have for making the most of a small kitchen? Add your thoughts to the Comments.
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I agree with Susan Murin!! My open shelves hold all of my daily use plates, bowls and glasses. I even specifically purchased hanging elephant tail silverware so it can be easily accessible too! I'll regularly toss my little-used red martini glasses into the dishwasher to make a full load since they're on the shelf more for added color, and my big serving platter and "chip-and-dip" server (that I wouldn't have purchased for myself because it's so hard to store in a small kitchen) get washed before their occasional use. When open shelves are used functionally in a small kitchen, "grime" is simply not an issue.
The devil, and the divine, are both in the details. Some of each works best - every day on the shelves and less used in cabinets. To not have grease/grimes from cooking requires a well-designed (not necessarily high CFM) hood.
I am sorry, but if you put open shelving in a small kitchen you have no cabinets. Where do you put dishes, glasses and the stuff that goes in cabinets that doesn't look very pretty out in the open 24 x 7?