Kitchen Guides
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How to Fit a Kitchen Into a Small Space
Want a kitchen that takes up little room but still looks stylish? Steal some ideas from these clever solutions
There’s a surprising number of ways to stylishly squeeze a kitchen into a small home, whether it’s hiding the essentials in a closet or incorporating them in an elegant wall unit in the living room. Would any of these designs work in your space?
The 1930s apartment in Russia wasn’t originally designed to have a kitchen.
Now the kitchen sits behind bifold doors, which open to reveal a beautifully simple yet comprehensive setup. The kitchen includes a cooktop, a ventilated drawer for vegetables and pans, another drawer, a fridge, a pullout for cleaning supplies and a pullout cutting board hidden under the oak countertop (see first photo). There’s also a shelf for dishes.
See these hidden kitchen storage units
See these hidden kitchen storage units
The oak drying rack on the right is a masterful design. The water drips off the dishes and flows directly across the marble countertop back into the sink (the area under the rack is slightly sunken so that the water doesn’t spill over the front). Plates also can be stored in it.
The architect, Alireza Nemati of Studio Bazi, designed the neat range hood, which is outfitted with a powerful but silent motor.
The architect, Alireza Nemati of Studio Bazi, designed the neat range hood, which is outfitted with a powerful but silent motor.
More bifold doors hide a washing machine, laundry basket and shelving. Being able to close doors on the functional areas keeps the small apartment feeling uncluttered and restful.
Choose small appliances and pullout features
More open but equally thought through, this kitchen in a tiny house in Brisbane, Australia, has plenty of essentials packed into its 24½-by 8-foot footprint. On one side there’s a small oven, fridge, cooktop and sink. On the opposite side is a compact laundry. The cabinets on this side are slimmer to allow space in the corridor.
More open but equally thought through, this kitchen in a tiny house in Brisbane, Australia, has plenty of essentials packed into its 24½-by 8-foot footprint. On one side there’s a small oven, fridge, cooktop and sink. On the opposite side is a compact laundry. The cabinets on this side are slimmer to allow space in the corridor.
Instead of a backsplash, the run of cabinets is backed by windows, which make the narrow space feel more open. There’s a large window on the other side of the kitchen too.
The area behind the cooktop, meanwhile, has a mirrored backsplash, keeping this tight corner feeling roomy.
See these tile types for kitchen backsplashes
The area behind the cooktop, meanwhile, has a mirrored backsplash, keeping this tight corner feeling roomy.
See these tile types for kitchen backsplashes
The wooden shelving that lines the wall up to the ceiling provides the owners with extra storage and a spot to display their favourite accessories. Leaving the wood natural and including plenty of colourful items and houseplants makes this a focal point and gives the room texture and interest.
The bench seat and coffee table (just visible in the foreground) provide additional storage.
The bench seat and coffee table (just visible in the foreground) provide additional storage.
A surface pulls out from the unit on the opposite side to create a dining table or extra countertop space.
Create a piece of furniture
This elegant kitchen in Lyon, France, offers abundant style in a multipurpose space. This is a large room in a large apartment, but the idea of fitting the kitchen in one chic piece of furniture could be applied to a much smaller place.
This wall unit, which packs in plenty of storage and appliances, is elegant in a burnt-pine laminate that ties in with the rosewood sideboard in the living area.
This elegant kitchen in Lyon, France, offers abundant style in a multipurpose space. This is a large room in a large apartment, but the idea of fitting the kitchen in one chic piece of furniture could be applied to a much smaller place.
This wall unit, which packs in plenty of storage and appliances, is elegant in a burnt-pine laminate that ties in with the rosewood sideboard in the living area.
Except for the oven, the appliances hide behind closed doors. The faucet and sink are in a stylish matte black, which doesn’t scream kitchen as much as chrome might. The stepped cabinets avoid a blocky expanse.
Learn how to integrate appliances into your kitchen
Learn how to integrate appliances into your kitchen
Unobtrusive shelves provide extra storage and display space, with the bottom shelf continuing along the counter to add a slim spot for mugs and storage jars without crowding the kitchen.
Make it part of a broken plan
This little kitchen is separated from a living area by stylish black-framed windows. The glass covers two of the four walls to ensure that the space feels bigger than its tiny footprint would suggest.
A black-framed mirror in the small living area echoes the windows for continuity.
This little kitchen is separated from a living area by stylish black-framed windows. The glass covers two of the four walls to ensure that the space feels bigger than its tiny footprint would suggest.
A black-framed mirror in the small living area echoes the windows for continuity.
The cabinets fill one wall from top to bottom, providing plenty of storage and appliance space. The cabinet doors are plain with unobtrusive handles for a streamlined look.
A stylish pendant light – black to tie in with the window frames – and spotlights under the cabinets banish any gloomy corners.
A stylish pendant light – black to tie in with the window frames – and spotlights under the cabinets banish any gloomy corners.
The decorative tile backsplash brings personality into the tiny room, and the pattern elegantly links the white countertop, pale grey cabinetry and black frames for a polished finish.
Hide the kitchen in plain sight
This is also a corner kitchen in a living room, but the approach is different. Whereas the previous kitchen stood out as its own space, this one blends in with the rest of the apartment. The matte white units are handleless for an unobtrusive finish.
Besides storage, Amos Goldreich of Amos Goldreich Architecture squeezed in a standard oven, an integrated microwave, a full-size fridge and a slim dishwasher. The washing machine tucks away neatly in a hall closet.
You could try this idea with a pocket door between the kitchen and the living room to close off the space entirely if desired.
Here’s all you need to know about pocket-doors
This is also a corner kitchen in a living room, but the approach is different. Whereas the previous kitchen stood out as its own space, this one blends in with the rest of the apartment. The matte white units are handleless for an unobtrusive finish.
Besides storage, Amos Goldreich of Amos Goldreich Architecture squeezed in a standard oven, an integrated microwave, a full-size fridge and a slim dishwasher. The washing machine tucks away neatly in a hall closet.
You could try this idea with a pocket door between the kitchen and the living room to close off the space entirely if desired.
Here’s all you need to know about pocket-doors
An interior window between the kitchen and the hallway lets in plenty of daylight to keep the space feeling as open as possible. The window also doubles as a backsplash behind the sink, which was mounted beneath the countertop to keep the preparation and serving area streamlined.
Create an attractive focal point
It’s tempting to go all white in a tiny space, but interior designer Penny Drue Baird worked colour and drama into this kitchen to draw the eye past the narrow cooking area through to the cozy dining spot.
The chandelier is the centrepiece, and it stands out prettily against the aqua wall, which adds colour without overwhelming the room. The space-smart, well-padded banquette, also in a pale aqua, makes for a comfy dining experience.
The cabinetry and counters are an unobtrusive white, so they recede, but the marble work surface adds to the luxurious feel of the room. The glass doors on the upper cabinets, meanwhile, help the space feel open.
Read more:
Must-Haves in a Small Open Kitchen
Tell us:
Do you have a small kitchen? Have you used any of these tricks or incorporated some of your own? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
It’s tempting to go all white in a tiny space, but interior designer Penny Drue Baird worked colour and drama into this kitchen to draw the eye past the narrow cooking area through to the cozy dining spot.
The chandelier is the centrepiece, and it stands out prettily against the aqua wall, which adds colour without overwhelming the room. The space-smart, well-padded banquette, also in a pale aqua, makes for a comfy dining experience.
The cabinetry and counters are an unobtrusive white, so they recede, but the marble work surface adds to the luxurious feel of the room. The glass doors on the upper cabinets, meanwhile, help the space feel open.
Read more:
Must-Haves in a Small Open Kitchen
Tell us:
Do you have a small kitchen? Have you used any of these tricks or incorporated some of your own? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Could this be the cleverest small kitchen ever? It’s packed with ideas for anybody with one wall to play with in a studio or a one-bedroom apartment.