Learn How To Style A Small Kitchen
The kitchen is undoubtedly an essential part of any home. But while most of us love those big roomy farmhouse-style spaces we could lose ourselves in, the practicalities of modern city-living have given birth to the contemporary kitchen; efficient, functional, and…entirely lacking in space.
If the constraints of a small kitchen regularly frustrate you, you are certainly not alone! But the good news is that it often takes just a little creativity and patience to make that petite space work for you. Here are the best of our small kitchen ideas, designed to take your kitchen up a notch, all without breaking the bank.
Raise The Roof
Well, not literally, but designers and interior decorators are well-versed with how small changes can shift perception. One of the most interesting ideas to give the impression of a bigger kitchen is to paint your kitchen ceiling an unexpected colour.
You can also achieve this effect with fun wallpaper or patterned tiles. The pop of colour leads the eye up, often giving the effect of a larger space, especially when contrasted with lighter surroundings like white or cream-coloured walls and furnishings.
it often takes just a little bit of creativity and patience to make that petite space work for you
It’s Only Awkward If You Let It Be
One of the banes of small kitchens that are found in older homes or apartments is the inclusion of those awkward angles and nooks that feel impossible to really fit much of anything in. Making the most of these spaces can really help expand the functionality of your kitchen. If the budget permits, or if you’re handy yourself, create custom cabinets to make the most of the space.
Other options include maximizing it for storage, by installing shelves and using decorative baskets (wicker is always popular). This will help you use your space effectively while still giving you some flexibility to swap some things out when you need to.
The Roving Island
Is that lovely granite island in the kitchen showroom calling your name, but you can’t fit it into your small kitchen design? The answer is the adorable kitchen trolley, or ‘roving island’, a handy addition that’s all the rage in kitchen design. When the kitchen trolley first came on the scene, it resembled a kitschy remake of the airline food trolley. But new and improved designs have flooded the market, ranging from sleek and metallic designs, to wood or even faux granite looks to your trolley.
Many homeowners use the trolley as an extra food prep space, and then convert it to a portable serving table to easily transport drinks and hors d’oeuvres when guests come by. The functionality of the kitchen trolley is never-ending!
Storage is King
As we all know when it comes to small kitchens, the most essential aspect is storage. Especially in galley-style kitchens (named after those narrow ship kitchens), the space needs to be fully optimized, while also leaving room for ease of movement. These kitchens should ideally make use of their parallel counters, and then use vertical storage solutions that make the most of your walls, while leaving space for moving around.
The best way to do this is often custom-shelving. But even if you want to avoid the often budget-decimating custom work, make use of store-bought wall-mounted storage, from shelves, to hooks and racks that will keep you from cluttering up your floor. Bigger appliances should ideally be hidden away in the cabinets to keep the space looking sleek.
Small kitchens get a bad rep sometimes, but knowing just a few great tips and tricks, can make your petite kitchen one of the favourite parts of your home! These were some of our best ideas for optimizing small kitchens, feel free to let us know if those ideas work for you, or if you have any fun ones to share, catch us on our social media @alusplash, or tag us with #yesalusplash #alusplash.
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