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Tips for Designing Cabinets for Small Kitchens
Find out how the cabinetry of your small kitchen can incorporate efficient storage and look aesthetically pleasing
Pooja Khanna Tyagi
17 October 2019
Houzz India Contributor. An Architect , Interior Designer, Valuer, a Marathon Runner, and love Writing Poetry and Creative Stories on Building Design. Have been practicing since the year 2000 with specialization in the field of Corporate Interiors with projects extensively published in journals of national repute. Recently honoured with the reputed A3 Foundation award for Journalism for the year 2016 an for architectural poetry in the year 2018. Currently practicing and residing in Delhi and Noida.
Website: www.khannaenterprise.com, Email: poojakhanna224@gmail.com, M:9891993392
Houzz India Contributor. An Architect , Interior Designer, Valuer, a Marathon Runner,... More
If you have a small kitchen that is less than 60 square feet, then it is important to design the kitchen cabinets efficiently so as to enhance the overall look and maximise the storage of your kitchen. Factors like colours, material, selection of modular kitchen accessories and type of cabinet shutters should be taken into consideration when designing the kitchen cabinets. Here are some tips to get you going.
1. Go for all-white cabinets
Consider all-white cabinets in a laminate or acrylic finish for a small kitchen. This is because all-white cabinets have a reflective surface that has the tendency to bounce light and make a small kitchen look bigger.
However, one drawback of all-white cabinets is that they need to be maintained regularly because white highlights all the stains, smudges and dirt that collects on the cabinets.
Find a Houzz professional to design your kitchen with you
Consider all-white cabinets in a laminate or acrylic finish for a small kitchen. This is because all-white cabinets have a reflective surface that has the tendency to bounce light and make a small kitchen look bigger.
However, one drawback of all-white cabinets is that they need to be maintained regularly because white highlights all the stains, smudges and dirt that collects on the cabinets.
Find a Houzz professional to design your kitchen with you
2. Use glass
Give a lighter look to your compact kitchen with glass wall cabinets, as it makes the kitchen feel more open and bright. Glass cabinets are easy to clean and maintain.
Frameless glass panels can be installed as door shutters for the wall cabinets, just as in this example. The glass shutters do not have handles as the cabinets open and close with a magnetic push latch.
Look at all these kitchen designs for ideas
Give a lighter look to your compact kitchen with glass wall cabinets, as it makes the kitchen feel more open and bright. Glass cabinets are easy to clean and maintain.
Frameless glass panels can be installed as door shutters for the wall cabinets, just as in this example. The glass shutters do not have handles as the cabinets open and close with a magnetic push latch.
Look at all these kitchen designs for ideas
Another way to add glass is by incorporating glass panels in hinged wall cabinets, like in this example. The best part about these cabinets is that they enable full view of the cabinet’s interior even when closed.
Tip: Transparent glass panels may show smudges so it is advisable to go for frosted glass panels.
Tip: Transparent glass panels may show smudges so it is advisable to go for frosted glass panels.
3. Monochromatic colour scheme
Give a streamlined look to your kitchen with the use of a single colour for the base and wall cabinets. This is a simple trick that makes a small kitchen feel larger and prevents it from looking busy or cluttered.
Note: If you are not comfortable with a monochromatic colour scheme, try to limit the kitchen colour combinations to just two or three principal shades. It is advisable to opt for lighter colours that make the kitchen look bright and airy.
Give a streamlined look to your kitchen with the use of a single colour for the base and wall cabinets. This is a simple trick that makes a small kitchen feel larger and prevents it from looking busy or cluttered.
Note: If you are not comfortable with a monochromatic colour scheme, try to limit the kitchen colour combinations to just two or three principal shades. It is advisable to opt for lighter colours that make the kitchen look bright and airy.
4. Cabinet style
Most kitchen wall cabinet styles, such as hinged cabinets, sliding door panels and awning-style cabinets (as in this image), work well for small kitchens.
Shop for kitchen cabinetry in Houzz products
Most kitchen wall cabinet styles, such as hinged cabinets, sliding door panels and awning-style cabinets (as in this image), work well for small kitchens.
Shop for kitchen cabinetry in Houzz products
For the base cabinets, go for a combination of hinged shutters and differently-sized drawers. The drawers are used for deep and shallow storage, with provision for plate and cutlery organisers. Make sure that you do not overload the drawers with excess weight, otherwise the drawers will sag over time.
5. Full-height wall cabinets
Go for full-height cabinets, like the ones in this kitchen, to make efficient use of vertical space. Although the overhead cabinets are not easily accessible, they can be used for storing crockery and utensils that are sparingly used.
Why Vertical Storage Is Great For Kitchens
Go for full-height cabinets, like the ones in this kitchen, to make efficient use of vertical space. Although the overhead cabinets are not easily accessible, they can be used for storing crockery and utensils that are sparingly used.
Why Vertical Storage Is Great For Kitchens
6. Install under-cabinet lighting
Install lighting under wall-mounted cabinets to add warmth and brighten up the overall look of the kitchen. This is also to add depth and to light up those areas that remain dark and make the kitchen visually look smaller.
Also, countertop lighting aids efficiency, as it provides adequate lighting for food preparation.
Go for LED rope lights or cabinet-mounted lights, like in the example above. These lights add style and also create focused lighting on the kitchen countertop.
8 Kitchen Cabinet Lighting Ideas
Install lighting under wall-mounted cabinets to add warmth and brighten up the overall look of the kitchen. This is also to add depth and to light up those areas that remain dark and make the kitchen visually look smaller.
Also, countertop lighting aids efficiency, as it provides adequate lighting for food preparation.
Go for LED rope lights or cabinet-mounted lights, like in the example above. These lights add style and also create focused lighting on the kitchen countertop.
8 Kitchen Cabinet Lighting Ideas
7. Modular accessories
Install modular kitchen accessories to optimise storage with drawer and cabinet organisers as they are a great way to bring efficiency within a smaller kitchen. How? Organised storage will result in less clutter and storage on the countertop, and give the kitchen a visually lighter look.
Bottle pull-outs, like the ones flanking the wide drawer in the image, are used to optimise narrow spaces of the kitchen.
19 Brilliant Ways to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen
Install modular kitchen accessories to optimise storage with drawer and cabinet organisers as they are a great way to bring efficiency within a smaller kitchen. How? Organised storage will result in less clutter and storage on the countertop, and give the kitchen a visually lighter look.
Bottle pull-outs, like the ones flanking the wide drawer in the image, are used to optimise narrow spaces of the kitchen.
19 Brilliant Ways to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen
Corner units are specifically designed to slide in and out to enable storage and access the usually unreachable corners of L-shaped and U-shaped kitchens.
Read more:
15 Small Kitchens That Make the Most of Less Space
Must-Haves in a Small Open Kitchen
Tell us:
Are there any other tips that we have missed? Share in Comments below.
Read more:
15 Small Kitchens That Make the Most of Less Space
Must-Haves in a Small Open Kitchen
Tell us:
Are there any other tips that we have missed? Share in Comments below.
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