5 Must-Have Features in a Small Kitchen
A Canadian designer shares expert tips on creating functionality and style in a compact cooking space
Not everybody wants or has space for a sprawling kitchen. And a compact kitchen doesn’t mean you have to skimp on style and functionality. As a designer in Toronto, Canada, 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.
If you’re worried about losing the storage from ditching your upper cabinets, consider a hardworking kitchen island, if you have the space, or consult with a design pro to really maximise your lower 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 25 centimetres. This is important if you want the shelving to hold dinner plates or other wider items.
Tip: A full-wall run of joinery (rather than upper and lower cabinets with benchtop space in between) is another solution to finding storage if you decide against upper cabinets.
Open shelves are another option. You want your shelves to have a depth of at least 25 centimetres. This is important if you want the shelving to hold dinner plates or other wider items.
Tip: A full-wall run of joinery (rather than upper and lower cabinets with benchtop space in between) is another solution to finding storage if you decide against upper cabinets.
Open shelves also allow you to easily change your decor 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 visually disappear, creating an airy vibe and letting your stylish dishes and decorative items pop.
But keep in mind: with open shelves, be prepared to stay a little more organised, and plan to do some extra dusting.
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Find a local kitchen designer near you, browse images of their work and chat through your layout options
Choosing the same colour for your shelves and walls can help the shelves visually disappear, creating an airy vibe and letting your stylish dishes and decorative items pop.
But keep in mind: with open shelves, be prepared to stay a little more organised, and plan to do some extra dusting.
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Find a local kitchen designer near you, browse images of their work and chat through your layout options
2. Invisible hardware
It might not seem like a big deal, but protruding cabinet knobs and pulls can take up a consequential amount of visual and physical space.
A handleless kitchen features cabinets with a lip or touch latch, often with push-to-open cupboards. 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 London, UK, kitchen by Homeconcepts is a good example of how clean and airy a modest-sized kitchen can look without statement or protruding hardware. Also note how the muted cabinet colour blends in with the wall, splashback and benchtop 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 pulls can take up a consequential amount of visual and physical space.
A handleless kitchen features cabinets with a lip or touch latch, often with push-to-open cupboards. 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 London, UK, kitchen by Homeconcepts is a good example of how clean and airy a modest-sized kitchen can look without statement or protruding hardware. Also note how the muted cabinet colour blends in with the wall, splashback and benchtop tones to visually disappear in the room. You can imagine how different this light space would look with, say, dark cabinets.
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Going without knobs or pulls 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.
Browse images of small Australian kitchens to inspire your own
Browse images of small Australian kitchens to inspire your own
3. Pattern
Bringing in a large design statement such as a bold pattern can help detract from your minimal square metreage 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 metreage 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 Florida, USA, kitchen by Orange Moon Interiors draw the eye in, 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 can give the illusion of a greater expanse of space.
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 can give the illusion of a greater expanse of space.
4. Corner storage
As we’ve noted, every square centimetre 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. In some kitchens, the layout may be suited to open shelves that wrap around a corner to maximise storage and display space while maintaining an open feel.
As we’ve noted, every square centimetre 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. In some kitchens, the layout may be suited to open shelves that wrap around a corner to maximise storage and display space while maintaining an open feel.
As well as savvy cabinetry internals, a few of the other tricks mentioned in this article can help corners too, such as using light colours to visually recede cabinets, playing with pattern and running your splashback all the way to the ceiling to add visual height.
A floor-to-ceiling corner benchtop cabinet is another idea worth considering. Extending the cabinet all the way to the ceiling maximises storage but also makes the room feel bigger by drawing the eye up. A win-win.
Tip: You may also choose to fit upper and lower cabinets into a tricky corner spot, with a triangle of bench space in between.
Tip: You may also choose to fit upper and lower cabinets into a tricky corner spot, with a triangle of bench space in between.
You might also consider a corner sink. Because work at the sink is often stationary, corner placement leaves space for another person to move freely, putting away groceries, preparing ingredients, accessing the fridge or tending to food on a stove.
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, platters 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, platters and utensils, this may not be the best option for you.
5. Stylish benchtop appliances
If your kitchen is small, you’re going to need to make the most of every spot, including your benchtop surface.
This means some of your day-to-day items may need to be kept visible, especially if your cabinets lack room to store 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 in this modest-sized kitchen looks at home amid the stylish white-and-wood design, just as it would in a smaller kitchen.
If your kitchen is small, you’re going to need to make the most of every spot, including your benchtop surface.
This means some of your day-to-day items may need to be kept visible, especially if your cabinets lack room to store 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 in this modest-sized kitchen looks at home amid the stylish white-and-wood design, just as it would in a smaller kitchen.
You’ll also find a lot of practicality in having appliances on the benchtop because they’ll always be accessible when you need them.
See how the black-and-white toaster next to the range hood here looks intentional. This principle applies to even the tiniest of kitchens.
See how the black-and-white toaster next to the range hood here looks intentional. This principle applies to even the tiniest of kitchens.
Always consider the best-performing appliance for your needs, but do a little extra research to find those that also fit the look of your space.
Your turn
What tricks or tips do you have for making the most of a small kitchen? Add your thoughts to the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want to see how one designer redesigned a tiny 19-square-metre apartment? Get more small-space inspiration here with this Paris Before & After: A Tiny Studio Grows Up With a Mezzanine
What tricks or tips do you have for making the most of a small kitchen? Add your thoughts to the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want to see how one designer redesigned a tiny 19-square-metre apartment? Get more small-space inspiration here with this Paris Before & After: A Tiny Studio Grows Up With a Mezzanine
If your kitchen feels cramped, removing all or some of your upper cabinets might be the best option for you. This is a sure-fire way to open up the visual space around the room, making the kitchen appear much larger than it is.
Plenty of light is important in a small space, and upper cabinets can sometimes cast a shadow over the benchtops, making the workspace feel darker than necessary. So skipping those upper cabinets can really open up a space. Running tiles on the splashback right up to the ceiling can also help visually heighten the look of the room.