How To Design A Small Kitchen- Everything You Need To Know

Working with limited space can present a unique set of challenges but also offers the opportunity to explore creativity and efficiency within your kitchen. Whether you’re a homeowner with a compact kitchen or an apartment dweller seeking to optimise your cooking space, this article will guide you through the process.

Find the best colour scheme 

Initially, choosing the right colour scheme is paramount when designing a small kitchen, as it can significantly impact the perception of space. Opting for lighter and more reflective colours, such as white or pastel hues, can work wonders in opening up the area visually. 

Lighter colours have the ability to reflect natural and artificial light, making the room feel more spacious and airy. They also tend to bounce light around the space, reducing shadows and creating an illusion of expansiveness. 

Let in natural light

Maximising natural light is another crucial step for a small kitchen, as it can make your home feel brighter, more open, and visually spacious when paired with the right colour scheme. To let in more natural light, consider incorporating larger windows or adding skylights if possible. Keep window treatments minimal or opt for sheer curtains to allow ample light to filter through. 

As well as this, strategically placing mirrors or reflective surfaces near windows can help bounce light around the room. Natural light not only enhances the overall aesthetic appeal but also creates a cheerful and inviting atmosphere, making the small kitchen feel more welcoming and comfortable. Embracing natural light is a simple yet effective way to transform a compact kitchen into a bright and airy culinary haven.

Choosing kitchen tiles

When it comes to selecting floor tiles for a small kitchen, you have a plethora of options. Choosing larger and glossier floor tiles can have a significant impact on the perceived size of the room. With fewer grout lines, these tiles create a seamless finish, giving the space a clean and uncluttered look. 

Opting for light-coloured floor tiles helps to reflect and bounce light around the kitchen, making it appear more spacious than it actually is. Tiling specialists offer a range of different shapes, sizes and finishes to choose from so that you can find the perfect type of tile to suit your kitchen. Similar to the floor, lighter and plain-coloured wall tiles, preferably in larger sizes, can also enhance the sense of space in your small kitchen.

Carefully placed appliances

Careful placement of appliances is crucial for optimising both functionality and space utilisation within any kitchen no matter the size. Start by strategically positioning units like ovens, refrigerators, and freezers, ensuring an appropriate distance between them to avoid overcrowding. 

This allows for efficient movement within the kitchen and easy access to essential appliances during meal preparation. By maintaining adequate spacing, you create a user-friendly environment that doesn’t feel cramped, promoting a seamless cooking experience.

Finding the best cabinetry

When it comes to selecting and organising cabinets for a small kitchen, it’s crucial to strike a balance between functionality and creating an open, spacious feel. Avoid overcrowding the space with too many cabinets and clutter, as this can make the room feel cramped, and there are many ways that clutter impacts your mood, due to stress and lack of focus caused by too much going on in the interior. Instead, aim to keep the cabinets within minimal neat lines, drawing the eye forward and creating an illusion of a longer room. 

You could also consider incorporating larger drawers instead of traditional cupboards. These drawers provide easy access and can be deep and wide enough to stack pans, plates, bowls, and other essentials. This maximises storage capacity while keeping countertops free from clutter. You could also use the vertical space effectively by utilising tall cabinets to optimise storage without compromising the available floor area.