Do you find your small kitchen overcrowded? Well, the cooking space will appear and feel more spacious when you follow these 20 ideas for making it look bigger. Having dark and cramped rooms make you feel low while walking in a brighter and lighter room will lift up your spirits instantly. The kitchen can be of any size and make it look spacious when you are aware about simple designing tricks for making the most of your space.
Many kitchens are famously small, yet they are among the most popular options reflecting style and space saving solutions. There are many designing tricks for creating the illusion of bigger space and maximising each square inch in the kitchen.
Changing the shade of your cooking area is an easy update at a lower cost which makes the area look bigger. As whiter and brighter kitchens are the current trend, this is the perfect hue for opening up the space. If you are looking for brighter colour, then yellow may create welcoming kitchen environment. Green symbolises natural feel and tranquility while teal and pale green are on-trend colours. These are the perfect shades for adding touches to your white kitchen and they complement the look with flower arrangements or green plants.
An unhindered visual path makes the cooking space appear bigger. If you can keep sight lines in the cooking space open, then your eyes will see through the space than come to abrupt halt. The backless barstools, clear plastic chairs, bar surfaces, glass pendant lights and floating islands help to attain this kind of effect.
Other than the use of mirrors, other reflective surfaces make your kitchen appear and feel bigger. You may think of using shiny floors, glossy cabinets, high-gloss paint, glass tiles and stainless steel appliances.
Mirrors are a popular option to make the cooking area feel spacious but it is really amazing how people use mirrors in your bathroom or bedroom only. They do not think about installing and using mirrors in the cooking space. Having a big mirror on the wall will make kitchen look bigger when reflecting back a worktop or table. You may use mirrored cupboards or mirrored kitchen splashbacks for creating similar kind of illusion.
Geometric patterns draw the eye lengthways or vertically to create the impression of taller and longer kitchen. Urban subway tiles give sense of opening up miniscule area. Having thick black lines between subway tiles offer illusion of a bigger cooking area.
Patterns are used to accent a small kitchen but you should not overdo it. When you are using lots of pattern, then you may create small space appear too much crowded and really busy. If you cannot change your kitchen tiles, then a geometric floor runner can offer similar visual effect.
Open storage will provide more spacious and airy look in the cooking area. You may remove the cabinet doors and then take one step back right away to find out there is the fantasy of having more space. But this trick can be done when the cupboards are not bursting. If you are having cluttered shelves in your kitchen, then you will make space feel smaller. Copper shelves are the latest trend and they are indeed super chic which makes a great addition to enhance the feeling of additional space.
Sunlight beaming into a small kitchen makes it appear bigger. You can keep windows simple and free from curtains and blinds.
These slimline cabinets generally have less depth which provides more flooring space whilst visually looking like standard cupboard. You cannot fit heavy items in these slimmer cabinets, but may hang cooking vessels from the utensils and ceilings from underneath cupboards.
If you are planning to redesign your kitchen, then you may free up your workspace by adding microwave into the cabinetry and keeping cooking area and oven together in one set zone. Use appliance garage for small appliances which enables to keep electrical devices such as blender and toaster plugged in. The decluttered surface of kitchen splashbacks will make the space feel airy, brighter and aesthetically pleasing.
You may use push/click catches, remove cupboard handles or integrated handles at the side of cupboard doors for creating more spacious and sleeker small space. You will not be catching your clothes on door handles. Also, there are some factors to consider when you order a splashback for the kitchen. Make sure you are aware of them beforehand.
Choosing the right sink for your kitchen is important when designing and planning small kitchen. You can take advantage of single butler sinks which are fashionable. You will not need a double sink which will dominate worktop and make your kitchen appear smaller. Single butler sinks are a perfect choice for small kitchen as they have the depth to fit cookware set in them. But they do not take up much space. Another benefit is when you have a guest arriving at the last minute, you can quickly hideaway clutter or dirty dishes in the sink.
Compact dishwashers are a good choice for smaller households and they do not take up much space. On the other hand, standard dishwashers are available in 600mm width though compact dishwashers calculate 450mm width, saving 150mm for creating a difference in small kitchen.
Integrated appliances go well with the rest part of your kitchen having same door front like the kitchen. A guest may need to open many cupboards before they find your fridge, however the overall look of the cooking space will be sleek and appear bigger than having a mess of various designs.
The minimalist look really works well for creating more counter space and make the illusion of bigger kitchen. Avoid excessively decorative details and keep the look completely fuss free for roomier feel and long sightlines. If there isn’t sufficient space for all the stuff in your kitchen, then the space will appear smaller and cramped.
You need to follow a rule that kitchen surfaces are clear always and every item should have storage space. This will consist of keeping the area above your kitchen cupboards fully clutter-free. In the case of a small kitchen, you need to be ruthless with any items you do not use and donate them. When you invest in hot water tap, this allows for freeing up kitchen surface as you do not require a kettle anymore. Integrating food waste disposal in the kitchen sink enable you to eliminate unsightly food waste caddy or bin.
Lighting is important for creating seemingly larger kitchen. The more light, the bigger the space will feel. Natural light is a preferred choice and so, if you have the opportunity to put in glass doors or skylights, this will make your cooking space feel larger. You can add lights at the base of floor units or underneath the wall cupboards. Do not use a lampshade which reduces the amount of light and spotlights are the perfect choice for maximum light.
Another appliance can be your slimline fridges which are a great investment for small household. You may want to change your style for food shopping and do it more often but the food will remain fresh. Many foods people like to refrigerate can be stored outside the fridge such as – bread, vegetables and eggs.
If you may knock down internal kitchen wall for flowing into a larger space and creating natural extension of the area, then do it. If you do not want to lose the wall functionality, then you may knock down hall halfway and create a bar with half wall with addition of stools and work surface. Alternatively, you may use a low half wall for the storage shelves.
Another trick is to guide eyes upwards having vertical lines on kitchen walls and striking lighting fitting or glass dome or geometric window. You create an impression of more height and make small kitchen appear bigger.
Horizontal stripe wallpaper is a smart way to make the kitchen appear wider for the end of galley cooking space. You may keep shades of the stripes gentle and light in a small space where pastel shades are the perfect choice.
Personal touches to the cooking area will reflect your personality and make space feel like home. But the paintings of kids and tourist magnets stuck to fridge and little pots on windowsill make small kitchen feel very busy and more claustrophobic.
Choose your preferred ornaments and then arrange them on a shelf and frame for special artwork. Having trendy chalkboard, noticeboard or pinboard can create single space for notes than messy fridge surface which gives the feel of more space in your kitchen.
Contact our experts at Henderson Glass Warehouse when you want your small kitchen to appear bigger and more attractive.