Maybe you're a millennial living in a cramped apartment in the big city. Perhaps you're an empty-nester who is in the process of downsizing the family house. Whatever your reason for having a smaller living space is, you're likely struggling with a small kitchen. But just because your cooking area is on the smaller side, you don't need to sacrifice style or practicality!
There are a number of surefire strategies that you can implement to ensure that you get the very most out of your kitchen. Check out our handy guide to making the most of a tiny kitchen below:
1. Make Use of a Small Kitchen Island
While we tend to associate kitchen islands with larger kitchen layouts, you can still add an extra work station to your tiny kitchen. As Good Housekeeping advised, smaller islands with shelves and drawers can be used not only to prepare food, but also store a range of items, such as essential kitchen utensils, pots and pans, appliances, cookery books and so on. This will free up space on your countertops and allow for a more polished and put-together vibe.
4. Remove Unnecessary Items
Much like other rooms in the house, many of us will have items in our kitchens that we rarely use. Remember that panini maker you got for Christmas? What about those cans of soup you have stashed away for a rainy day? One surefire way to free up space is to spend an afternoon organizing your kitchen and removing items you no longer need.
Throw out food that has exceeded its sell-by date and donate cans of food to your local food bank. You probably also have pots, pans, and miscellaneous clutter laying around, too. Head out to the shop and pick up some stylish baskets to keep them hidden without creating an eye-sore. The boxes can be stored out of the way in the space above your cupboards.
2. Use Hooks
One great way to save on space is to hang items on hooks, Kitchn suggested. Consider hanging some hooks above your stove and letting your frying pans and pots hang down above the area. Not only does this make great use of empty space but it also serves an aesthetic function by helping to create a more rustic look in a simple kitchen.
Whether it’s the side of your cabinets or the sides of your kitchen islands, be sure to hang hooks and make the most of empty space, while also keeping in mind that balance is key—if you hang up too many items, your kitchen will begin to feel cluttered and suffocating.
5. Incorporate Tissue Boxes
One way to save room and be environmentally friendly is to reuse old tissue boxes. How you ask? Well, according to Good Housekeeping, tissue boxes can be used to store plastic bags that may otherwise take up precious room in your cupboards. Tissue boxes can also hold an array of other small items that may get in the way. Stash away your sticky notes, birthday candles, lighters, and so on.
6. Decide on an Appropriate Colour Scheme
Certain colours can actually make rooms feel larger and more spacious. According to HGTV, bright and bold tones can best create the illusion of more space as opposed to colours that are less striking and muted. So think plenty of orange, or a bold green or a dazzling light blue.
3. Don’t be Afraid to Put Up Shelves
Install as many shelves as you possibly can, in keeping with the overall design of your small kitchen space. Shelves are easily installed and come in a wide array of shapes, sizes and designs. They are arguably the most effective way to store items in a small space in as tidy a way as possible.
7. Consider Striking Wall Art
If you have room on your walls that hasn’t been taken over by shelf or hook space, make use of the area by hanging a large painting, print or a series of stylish family photos. This is a great move because, as Elle Decor noted, larger pictures can actually make rooms feel more sizeable.
8. Use Your Oven for More Than Baking
If you have a small kitchen and are super short on space, why not make use of all the extra room you possibly can. Consider using your oven for storage. If you have limited cabinet space, you can store things such as baking sheets, cooling racks, pans and tins in the oven. (Just don’t forget to take them all out before turning the oven on!)
If you have a small kitchen you’re looking to upgrade, head Kitchen & Bath Classics showroom for more tips and tricks on how to make the most of your space and create a small modern kitchen you’ll love.
