While it may be the dream to have a large, professional-style kitchen, the reality for many people is a kitchen that is far smaller in size. A tiny kitchen doesn’t have to be a negative, however; there are many ways that you can make a tiny kitchen work for you so that it seems cozy, complete, and organized, rather than cramped.
Image: christina’s adventures
Move Out Non-Essentials
Most people have a number of items in their kitchens that they use on occasion, but not every day. This may be a stand mixer, a set of china, or some wine glasses. In a tiny kitchen, however, where space is at a premium, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to give room to items that you aren’t using regularly. So take the time to sort through things and move anything non-essential out of the kitchen to store elsewhere. This could be the dining room, a hall closet, or the attic; make sure it’s accessible when you need it and free up the space in your kitchen for items you use every day instead.
Remember that just ridding your kitchen of clutter can go a long way toward making it seem larger and more functional. By moving out the things you don’t use regularly, you reduce clutter and make the things you do need more accessible at the same time.
Image: RenoTalk
Move Upward for Storage
A lot of people look at the amount of floor space available in a tiny kitchen, and miss a lot of opportunities for storage by overlooking the walls. Yes, you likely already have cabinets or shelving installed, but most kitchens still have unused wall space that you could be taking advantage of. Store things on top of your cabinets if there is room between them and your ceiling. Invest in pot racks to free up cabinet space, and install backsplash shelving and utensil holders to get things like knives, spices, and strainers off of counters and out of drawers where you can find them more easily. Use the freed up space to store items you don’t currently have a home for.
Image: The Style Saloniste, Photography:Â Amy Neunsinger
Consider Shelving Instead of Cabinets
Part of working with a tiny space is helping it to look and feel larger than it really is, as well as make it more comfortable. To this end, consider using only lower cabinets in your kitchen and replacing the uppers with shelves. This accomplishes two things; it makes the kitchen seem larger than it is by opening things up, and it gives you more versatility in how you store things. Cabinets take up more room than they give you. They also have a set number of shelves inside, as well as spacing between them. By putting up your own shelves you can make better use of the whole space, getting more versatility and storage at once.
Use a Moving Island
Tiny kitchens can also be short on counter space, so consider bringing in more with a moving island. An island with wheels allows you to bring it in when it’s needed, then move it to the side, into a closet, or into an adjoining room when it’s not. Most islands also give you additional storage, so you can designate yours for a specific purpose and store all the relevant items there, such as making a baking cart and storing your flour, sugar, rolling pin, and cookie cutters there. When it’s time to bake, the island comes out and you have all the counter space you need and all of your baking items right at hand.
Keep It Cool and Light
To help make your tiny kitchen appear larger than it really is, make sure that the room is both cool in color and gets plenty of light. Cool colors recede from the eye, making rooms appear to be larger than they are. So a white or a pale blue kitchen will seem larger and more open than a dark red one.
At the same time, maximizing your light will also help things appear to be larger as well. Use window sheers for privacy that won’t block light, and consider adding a glass tile backsplash or a few mirrors in the room to further reflect and amplify what light you do get.
Image: Better Home and Gardens
Invest in Cabinet Organizers
Cabinet organizers can really help you maximize the space in a tiny kitchen. Organizers are available for every shape and size of drawer and cabinet, so you can stack more plates, hold your aluminum foil and plastic wrap, keep writing utensils organized, and store your canned goods on a pull out shelf. Whatever your needs, there is a cabinet organizer that can help; investing in this type of organization will help ensure that your kitchen remains functional and organized even if it’s tight on space.
Image: Lay Baby Lay
Make the Most of Your Kitchen
Having a tiny kitchen doesn’t have to be a terrible thing. Just make your choices wisely for the space, optimizing what you do have and getting rid of what you don’t need. Make the most of your tiny kitchen to start getting more out of your entire home.
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