Three Ways to Maximise Your Small Kitchen*

A kitchen is so much more than just a space to cook; it’s the heart of the home. It’s where we spend our mornings, the first place we head to after work, and it’s the last place we visit before bed (and sometimes, we venture down there in the middle of the night, too). There’s a lot to be said about a kitchen, so it’s important that it’s a space that’s both functional and enjoyable.

If you have the luxury of having a large kitchen area, making it a fun and workable space is relatively easy. Storage is aplenty, there’s ample room for all your must-have appliances, and there’s still lots of counter and floor space to entertain guests, too.

But what about those with small kitchens?

Instagram and Pinterest are full of inspirational kitchen ideas which is great, but unfortunately, most are geared towards bigger spaces. Not all of us have a huge kitchen or the ability to knock down walls to install an aesthetically-pleasing island (as is the ‘norm’ nowadays).

Space and budget restrictions mean that for a lot of people, the flashy pictures promoted on social media just aren’t attainable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t transform your small kitchen into a family-friendly room.

A DIY facelift

If your budget is a bit tight, there are plenty of ways you can transform your existing space into something new.

The first trick is to use warm, bright colours. Dark colours can look modern and sleek, but they have a tendency to make rooms look smaller than they are, so in an already-tiny space, it’s important that you do the opposite and make it look bright and airy.

Bright doesn’t necessarily translate into ‘white’. There are lots of off-white shades you can use, and not just on your walls, either. For a completely new look and feel, you can sand down your kitchen cupboards and give them a lick of paint for an instantly revamped space. You can pair white walls with pastel cupboards in all different shades, so you can still have those blue doors and drawers you’ve been dreaming of – just in a slightly lighter hue.

If you’ve got the cash for new doors, high gloss solutions are worth investing in. They’re reflective which means they make a room look bigger than it is (very similar the way mirrors make rooms look larger). If you’re able to find some for a good price, installing kitchen door fronts isn’t as arduous as it may seem.

You can even give your existing countertops a new lease of life without having to buy new ones. Ultra-durable vinyl wraps can be purchased online or from a DIY store and easily applied to your worktops. Paired with a splash of paint and revamped cupboard doors, you can easily make your small kitchen look bigger and newer – without spending a fortune.

Smart storage

The biggest issue faced by people with small kitchens is a lack of storage, and a lack of storage usually results in worktops being overcrowded with items that won’t fit in the cupboards. If you find you’ve got pots, pans and crockery taking up residence in your kitchen, it might be time to think about what can be removed to make more space.

If only two people live in your house but you’ve got 12 dinner plates, eight side plates and 10 bowls, you need to scale it back. We know most people have mounds of crockery and cutlery to account for guests, but unless you’ve got guests coming over multiple times a week, there’s no reason why you should be harbouring so much crockery in your kitchen all the time. Box it up and put it in the spare room or garage until it’s needed. This will instantly free up a lot of space.

The same goes for the huge pile of paperwork that’s often found on the kitchen side. Buy a wall-mounted letter tray with key hooks and place it by the front door. This will give way to precious counterspace being reclaimed in the kitchen.

Drawer dividers and kitchen wire racks can really maximise the storage in your small kitchen. Food is probably what takes up most of your cupboards, but it’s easy to free up at least one cupboard by installing over-the-door storage solutions and free-standing wire shelves to make the most of the height and depth of each cupboard.

Now, the inside of your kitchen cupboards look as pretty as the outside, and you’re able to move lots of the unsightly stuff on your worktop into a cupboard.

A bespoke revamp

The major benefit of having a small kitchen is that ripping it out and installing a completely new one won’t cost you an arm and a leg. The smaller the space, the smaller the cost. If your budget allows for it, it’s well worth hiring an external company to work with you to create a kitchen design tailored specifically to your space and budget.

By implementing the help of professionals, you’re guaranteed to be able to maximise your available space and get more bang for your buck. They will have years of experience and have probably worked in spaces smaller than yours, so they know all the best tips and tricks to help you really get the most out of your space.

Whether it’s pull-out counter space, integrated appliances or nifty storage that uses every corner of the room, professional kitchen fitters can do it all – and in a relatively fast turnaround, too.

Most companies will have a comprehensive process in which you tell them exactly what you want/need, and they’ll do their best to make it happen. If you can afford a full revamp, it’s definitely worth doing.

Whatever your budget, there are ways to make your small kitchen beautiful to look at and functional to use.