Want to Make Your Small Kitchen Feel Bigger?
Does your kitchen draw a crowd or crowd you in? Here are 10 ways to make sure your kitchen leaves room to breathe
I’d be willing to bet that when you think about your dream kitchen, it doesn’t include the word “tiny.” Yet that’s the reality that many of us live with: Skimpy counter space, a cramped work triangle and precious little space for appliances. If you’re not ready – or willing – to knock out a kitchen wall, you can at least do the next best thing –create the impression of a bigger space with a few strategic decorating tricks.
2. Paint cabinets the same colour as the walls
Limiting the cabinetry and the wall colour to a single hue erases visual boundaries that might stop the eye. The conventional school of thought is that pale colours will reflect light and make the space feel bigger, and that’s certainly a safe approach. But don’t be afraid to go dark, either. Deep tones such as black, navy, charcoal and chocolate recede visually and create the impression that the walls are farther back than they really are.
Check out these kitchen cabinet colour palettes
Limiting the cabinetry and the wall colour to a single hue erases visual boundaries that might stop the eye. The conventional school of thought is that pale colours will reflect light and make the space feel bigger, and that’s certainly a safe approach. But don’t be afraid to go dark, either. Deep tones such as black, navy, charcoal and chocolate recede visually and create the impression that the walls are farther back than they really are.
Check out these kitchen cabinet colour palettes
3. Choose furnishings with a small footprint
Select petite islands, slim chairs, streamlined stools and narrow tables that don’t eat up valuable floor space. Avoid chunky furniture legs or thick bases, which add visual bulk.
Find a kitchen designer to help you design your kitchen
Select petite islands, slim chairs, streamlined stools and narrow tables that don’t eat up valuable floor space. Avoid chunky furniture legs or thick bases, which add visual bulk.
Find a kitchen designer to help you design your kitchen
4. Recess storage
Tuck a pantry, shelving or cabinets flush with the wall to keep from obstructing the kitchen’s flow. It’s fairly easy to retrofit a recessed niche, especially if you orient it between wall studs.
Take a look at 13 kitchen storage ideas
Tuck a pantry, shelving or cabinets flush with the wall to keep from obstructing the kitchen’s flow. It’s fairly easy to retrofit a recessed niche, especially if you orient it between wall studs.
Take a look at 13 kitchen storage ideas
5. Design with clean lines
Big corbels, ornate cabinetry and fussy details can make a kitchen feel chopped up. Instead, keep the elements tailored and sleek to smooth out the look and create a roomier feel.
Big corbels, ornate cabinetry and fussy details can make a kitchen feel chopped up. Instead, keep the elements tailored and sleek to smooth out the look and create a roomier feel.
6. Merge into a larger space
This breakfast room, separated from the kitchen by a low half wall, feels like a natural extension of the cooking area.
This breakfast room, separated from the kitchen by a low half wall, feels like a natural extension of the cooking area.
7. Incorporate open shelving
Open shelves reduce visual weight and lend the illusion of a more expansive space. For an even sleeker look, choose floating shelves over models with brackets.
Here’s how to deal with open kitchen shelves
Open shelves reduce visual weight and lend the illusion of a more expansive space. For an even sleeker look, choose floating shelves over models with brackets.
Here’s how to deal with open kitchen shelves
8. Winnow down
Don’t crowd counters, shelves and cabinets with clutter, which makes the space look as though it’s bursting at the seams. Instead, focus on a few standout items and necessities and hide the rest away.
Don’t crowd counters, shelves and cabinets with clutter, which makes the space look as though it’s bursting at the seams. Instead, focus on a few standout items and necessities and hide the rest away.
9. Direct the eye upward
Choose patterns and visual elements that help to guide the gaze toward the ceiling. The vertical lines of the wall and ceiling boards in this kitchen lend the impression of greater height.
Choose patterns and visual elements that help to guide the gaze toward the ceiling. The vertical lines of the wall and ceiling boards in this kitchen lend the impression of greater height.
10. Flood the space with light
Whether your kitchen is done in pale colours or dark ones, light beaming in will help it feel as large as possible. Keep window treatments very simple, or eliminate them entirely, so as to not block the sun.
Read more:
How to Style Up Your Small Kitchen
Tell us:
Do you have some advice or tricks to make a tiny kitchen seem larger? Share them with us in the Comments below.
Whether your kitchen is done in pale colours or dark ones, light beaming in will help it feel as large as possible. Keep window treatments very simple, or eliminate them entirely, so as to not block the sun.
Read more:
How to Style Up Your Small Kitchen
Tell us:
Do you have some advice or tricks to make a tiny kitchen seem larger? Share them with us in the Comments below.
Glass fronts lighten the look of cabinetry and allow the eye to travel through to the back, which helps the kitchen seem more expansive. Just don’t clutter the interiors with bric-a-brac – you’ll defeat the purpose.