Seventeen Compact Kitchen Strategies to Maximize Limited Areas
In no way should the size of your living space restrict your kitchen's design potential. Even in the tiniest of spaces, kitchens can exude sophistication and functionality. This inherently forces you to pay close attention to all interior design decisions.
Rather than cramming your kitchen with cluttered cabinets and packed countertops, consider using your limited square footage creatively. Turn your pantry into a hidden coffee bar or hang pots, pans, and cups on hooks to clear up cabinet space.
To gather inspiration for your small cooking area, I've spoken with experts who've designed some fabulous, space-saving kitchens. These designs are sure to inspire you, no matter how tiny your kitchen is.
cluttered cabinets or crowded countertops.
60 Small Kitchen Ideas That Will Make Your Space Feel Bigger and Brighter
hidden coffee bar or hang pots, pans, and mugs so they take up less cabinet space. Here, we talked to experts about their favorite space-saving kitchens, which inspire just about any pint-sized cooking area.
Light Up Your Kitchen
When it comes to smaller spaces, natural light is crucial. It not only elevates the room aesthetically but also makes it feel less oppressive. In the example below by Flourish Sustainable Design & Build, just the right amount of sunlight illuminates your kitchen.
Flourish Sustainable Design & Build lets in just the right amount of sun.
"A small kitchen provides an opportunity for mindful living," says Sophie James, an architect and interior designer with the firm. "My approach is to reject complicated gimmicks and embrace simplicity and efficiency."
Lawless Design, used floating shelves to beautifully showcase a series of blue-and-white mugs and plates. "It's now an open, functional space for our clients to cook and entertain," she says.
Stay Organized
Organization becomes even more paramount in smaller kitchens. Keep clutter at bay by carefully curating your dishware, and if the pieces aren't beautiful enough to display, consider getting rid of them.
In this 1920s-era craftsman home, Hannah Oravec, founder of Lawless Design, used floating shelves to elegantly display blue-and-white mugs and plates. "It's now an open, functional space for our clients to cook and entertain," she explains.
patio or deck, use that opportunity to create extra space. “We utilize indoor-outdoor living for tiny kitchens,” says Sarah Latham of Latham Interiors. When designing a small kitchen, it's important to use every bit of space to your advantage.”
Bring the Outside In
If your tiny kitchen opens up to a balcony, patio, or deck, take advantage of the outdoors to create extra space.
Anthropologie. “These fruit hooks add a whimsical, three-dimensional layer to the wall.”
"We utilize indoor-outdoor living for tiny kitchens," says Sarah Latham of Latham Interiors. When designing a small kitchen, it's essential to use every bit of the available space to its full potential.
Human Nature, notes that this approach helps "create depth," while also making appliances easy to access.
Hook It Up
Hooks are a fantastic way to store napkins, towels, and kitchen tools within easy reach. By installing hooks, you can free up drawers and cabinets, providing you with additional room for other essentials.
Lund Haus Studio has both, with a delightful blue color scheme that really makes all of the dishes and appliances shine.
"I enjoy hanging pots, pans, and even utensils using hooks," says Tom Magill, senior home stylist at Anthropologie. "These fruit hooks provide a whimsical three-dimensional layer to the wall."
Y. McFadden interiors had to make a limited kitchen area work; creative organization solutions were the key.
Hide Additional Amenities
In smaller kitchens, sometimes it's wise to hide certain features to create a more streamlined appearance. This approach will help the layout feel less crowded. An attractive accent wall can conceal a miniature wet bar, providing the perfect venue for entertaining and addingdepth to your kitchen layout while making appliances easily accessible.
Blend Style and Storage
Storage space is crucial in a tiny kitchen, but so is maintaining an aesthetically pleasing color palette. This space from Lund Haus Studio showcases storage and style in harmony. A light blue color scheme beautifully accents the dishes and appliances, making them shine.
"We transformed this tiny kitchen into a space that harmoniously balances style and functionality," says CEO and principal designer Sam Lund. "To maximize every square inch, we installed a custom pegboard system for cookware and everyday dishes, along with a mounted magnetic knife strip."
Make It Work
The average shelf can now double as a work surface or even a desk in a limited kitchen area. In this small pied-a-terre, interior designer Sara Shoemaker of Y. McFadden interiors made the most of her space by using creative organization solutions.
"We used unusual, hidden shelving and cabinetry to hide everyday items in this small kitchen area," she explains.
In the article '60 Small Kitchen Ideas That Will Make Your Space Feel Bigger and Brighter' on Martha Stewart's website, various space-saving kitchen designs are discussed. One of these designs features the use of floating shelves to elegantly display blue-and-white mugs and plates, creating an open and functional space. Another idea involves using hooks to store kitchen tools within easy reach, freeing up drawers and cabinets for other essentials (marthastewart, article__broad, marthastewart).
In smaller kitchens, organization becomes essential to keep clutter at bay. Expert advice suggests carefully curating dishware and getting rid of pieces that aren't beautiful enough to display (marthastewart, marthastewart). To maximize every square inch in a tiny kitchen, creative solutions such as installing custom pegboard systems and mounted magnetic knife strips can be employed (lundhaus-studio).
When it comes to smaller spaces, natural light is crucial for elevating the room aesthetically and making it feel less oppressive. A plan to bring in more natural light by enhancing window treatments or adding skylights could be beneficial (flourishsustainabledesignbuild). Additionally, using hooks to store napkins, towels, and kitchen tools within easy reach can free up drawers and cabinets, providing you with additional room for other essentials (anthropologie).
To hide certain features and create a more streamlined appearance in smaller kitchens, it's sometimes wise to conceal miniature wet bars behind an attractive accent wall (ymcfaddenllc). This approach not only provides the perfect venue for entertaining but also adds depth to your kitchen layout while making appliances easily accessible. By considering these space-saving kitchen design ideas and incorporating them into your home decor, your kitchen can exude sophistication and functionality, even in the tiniest of spaces (div, adslot_1, externallink).
