A small kitchen can feel like a major barrier, preventing you from fitting in the creature comforts that you require to store and prepare food and even entertain. However, whether you’re a student in shared accommodation or live in a small house or flat; there are many ways to effectively maximise the space in a small kitchen. We’ve put together a handful of tips to help you get the most out of your kitchen space.
Tips to make a small kitchen feel bigger
Create the illusion of space
Light colours are often regarded as an excellent way to create the illusion of space in any room of the home. Due to their reflective qualities, light shades not only look aesthetically pleasing but also help to make a room feel more expansive. Keeping blinds and curtains open can also make a significant difference, as natural light has the same effect as the colour of the room.
The advantages of using light colours in a kitchen, aside from making it appear larger, are that it also becomes easier to clean, as any dirt build-up is more noticeable.
To save even more space, utilise appliances that have a dual use, such as extractor hoods with built in lights. These are designed to provide extra light without taking up extra space.
Declutter your kitchen
Clutter is a definite no-no when it comes to making a small space feel larger. Simple things like leaving washing up to drain can often look unsightly and untidy. Using appliances, such as a tabletop dishwasher, can help the room look much more aesthetically pleasing while also serving a practical purpose. It’s also important to make the most of cupboard space—avoid throwing items in haphazardly, and instead ensure you have a tidy and efficient system in place. Most importantly, keep it that way!
Tabletop appliances
Table top products are ideal for those looking to maximise space and make their kitchen feel as spacious as possible. While freeing up floor space or removing a cupboard may not be feasible in a smaller kitchen, there are other options available to ensure you have everything you need without sacrificing valuable space.
With a wide range of table top products available, such as mini fridges, tabletop tumble dryers, and tabletop ovens, there’s no reason for the size of your kitchen to limit you from having the essential appliances required to keep your kitchen fully functional.
The triangle rule
Put simply, the triangle rule is the concept that there are three key areas in your kitchen: preparation, cooking, and cleaning. Ideally, these should be close to one another to minimise the amount of space needed when cooking and cleaning up afterwards. You can read more about the triangle rule here. Restaurants use a system called CAYG, which stands for ‘Clean As You Go’, to maintain efficiency in a professional kitchen. By implementing this system at home, you can ensure that your kitchen remains free from clutter, preventing it from feeling even smaller.
Utilising the space lighting
Naturally, every kitchen is unique, regardless of its size, but by effectively utilising the available space, you can make a small kitchen feel much larger. By adopting the mantra of “out of sight, out of mind,” you can make use of spaces such as underneath the sink to store cleaning products, dishwasher tablets, and kitchen roll, keeping them out of view. This is another area where table top products can be particularly useful. While a traditional dishwasher or larger appliance might require the removal of cupboard space to accommodate them, table top products allow you to retain that storage space and maximise your countertops for keeping appliances.
Under cabinet lighting
Much like lighter colours that reflect light and make a space feel larger, installing lighting can have the same effect. Under-cabinet lighting, for example, shining down onto your work surfaces, will instantly brighten up otherwise dimly lit areas of your kitchen. Not only does lighting create the illusion of more space, but it also has a practical purpose when preparing food. Many lighting kits can be purchased relatively cheaply online and installed on the underside of the cupboards using adhesive pads, these then use a regular plug socket for power or can even be powered with batteries.
The kitchen is one of the most important spaces in your home and being able to manoeuvre around it and feel comfortable doing so is very important. Using a few of these tips could really help to transform your kitchen into an enjoyable, space saving place to be.
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