A Dozen Ingenious Ways to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen

When you imagine your dream kitchen, what comes to mind?

A functional room with loads of counter space? An inviting open floorplan where friends and family can gather? Whatever the kitchen of your dreams looks like, chances are it isn’t cramped for space.

Real estate data reveals that the kitchen has become the most important room in home buying and selling.

Of all homes listed for sale on Realtor.com®, 69% of them tout the kitchen as a selling point in their descriptions. And in recent studies conducted by Redfin, nearly 60% of millennial homebuyers said that the kitchen was the most critical factor in their buying decision. With so much at stake, it pays to make the most of your kitchen, no matter how small or large it may be. The good news is that, with a little know-how, even a tiny kitchen can be made to look larger and more appealing to potential buyers.

A Dozen Ingenious Ways to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen

Read on for twelve clever ways to add space—and pizzazz—to the most important room in your home.

1. Keep walls and cabinets the same color.  This technique erases visual boundaries that stop the eye and make the room appear smaller and chopped up. Pale neutrals like white, beige, and light grey reflect light to make the space feel larger.
2. Replace solid cabinet doors with glass ones. Chic and popular, glass fronts lighten the look of cabinetry and give the illusion of a more expansive kitchen, too. But don’t clutter your glass-front cabinets with excessive bric-a-brac or you’ll defeat their purpose. Instead, focus on the necessities and a few standout items, and hide the rest.
3. Choose smaller furnishings. Think scaled-down kitchen islands, narrow tables, and slim chairs that won’t take up too much valuable space. Avoid oversized furniture, bulky table legs, and clunky chairs that add visual bulk.
4. Let there be light. Regardless of your kitchen’s palette or style, natural light streaming in will help it feel as large as possible. Keep window treatments very simple or consider eliminating them entirely. Replace heavy drapes with light, semi-sheer curtains or translucent blinds that will allow the light to seep through but will still provide privacy.
5. Use smaller appliances. Additional space is created when big, bulky appliances are replaced with smaller, sleeker ones. Getting rid of large appliances in favor of downsized versions also reduces the sense of too much kitchen clutter.
6. Direct the eye upward. Add simple, delicate details to your kitchen ceiling with crown molding to direct attention overhead, making the room feel more spacious. Hanging vertical décor like photos or framed pictures closer to the ceiling than the floor will visually heighten the space.
7. Learn to love built-ins. Built-in shelves and cabinets provide valuable storage without taking up precious floor space because they’re flush with the walls. While recessed storage is easier to plan if you’re doing a kitchen remodel, you can still carve out built-in nooks from any available space. To polish the look, paint or stain your built-ins to match the rest of the cabinetry so they’ll blend in with room’s overall design.
8. Incorporate shiny surfaces. Placing reflective mirrors strategically can create a sense of roominess, even in small kitchen. Stainless steel appliances, glossy floors, satin paint, glass subway tiles, and sleek cabinets can also do the trick.
9. Choose your light fixtures carefully. Trendy pendant lights that hang or drop from the ceiling help to direct the eye upward. Amp up the effect with stainless steel fixtures that reflect natural light during the day and shimmer under overhead lighting at night.
10. Install accessible storage spaces. An easy way to keep clutter off of limited countertop space is with easy-to-access storage, such as attractive open shelving. Place everyday glasses and dishes within easy reach, and add some decorative elements to make it add visual appeal. A magnetic strip on the fridge can be used to conveniently hold cutlery near prep space.
11. Take advantage of movable kitchen equipment. Pull out cutting boards, for example, increase available counter space. A rolling cart can be used for storing pots and pans, cookie sheets, and mixing bowls.
12. Go with elongated patterns. Choose geometric and stripes to draw the eye lengthwise or vertically, making your kitchen appear longer or taller than it actually is. If you can’t change the floor itself, a patterned runner can provide the same effect.

You might not be able to change the square footage of your kitchen, but you can create the illusion of larger, more open space.

For more clever design ideas that can transform your home and maximize its appeal to potential buyers, please contact our helpful team of professionals.

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