Small Kitchen Design Tips

[Julie-Ann]

Here are some great tips for when you are designing a small kitchen.

A small kitchen design requires creativity in coming up with storage solutions. Some ideas to try include:

, Putting an island in the center of the kitchen that can provide freestanding storage that is also convenient from any spot in the kitchen.
, Using a galley kitchen design in which the cabinets and appliances line up on either side of a corridor can work out very well for a small kitchen space.
, Today's appliance manufacturers have come up with more compact space-saving appliances make small kitchen design easier, such as refrigerators that are 24 inches deep instead of 30 inches deep, as well as appliances that can be hung underneath cabinets like microwaves.
, Other small kitchen design tricks to create an eating area in the kitchen include using a drop table or a small sized round table with two small chairs that can be tucked into a corner. Or a built-in counter along the wall with chairs to provide an eating nook.
, Another interesting challenge in small kitchen design is creating an illusion of space with under cabinet lighting or under the counter. With the proper type of lighting the kitchen can be made to appear larger and more pleasing.
, The use of light colored cabinets with glass doors.
, Installing deeper counters that can accommodate more appliances and increase work space.
, Flooring tiles can be placed on a diagonal, and in a galley style kitchen hardwood flooring can be run the length of the kitchen.
, For storage you can hang up pots and pans. This is a perfect way to free up cabinet space, and they add a certain charm and character to your small kitchen design. The insides of cabinet doors can be used to hang up everything from utensils, oven mitts, and other miscellaneous items. Pantry storage with units that go all the way to the ceiling with the upper cabinets to provide more space for seldom used items while making the lower cabinets more accessible with rollout shelves, lazy susans, and tilt-out bins.
, Install a large kitchen sink, since larger sinks are considered to be more practical than small sinks when it comes to cleaning pots and pans.

Remember most kitchens are small. When you look in kitchen design magazines you naturally notice that the kitchens featured are large and so you might think your small kitchen in inadequate. But good small kitchen design means being able to create space and incorporating ample storage facilities and being able to fit in all the necessary appliances.

Do you have any other tips?

[rosierose]

Taking cabinets up to ceiling height gives more storage and also using drawers gives you better use of space as you can get right to back........

You can also get kickboard storage too

[Sooty]

My tips would be to know how you use your kitchen & what you are willing to compromise on as you can't have everything in a really small kitchen. I have a combi oven/microwave & no dishwasher so I can have more storage space. (Would have loved kick-board draws but it was getting all too hard with just the simple things )

My other big tip is to be realistic with what you need & don't need, (do I really need ~10 different types of biscuit cutter when I haven't baked biscuits in 3 years?) as the more you have the more things you forget about if you don't use them all the time, especially when you have to be very creative with storage.

[rosierose]

Good point.................I am trying to do that with my house.....what do I need to live my life "Functionally"............... how many power points does one actually need? I have just donated a whole heap of stuff that I don't use.......then I can save money on the important things like a new couch..............

[Julie-Ann]

You both have inspired to do a sort out. I know there are chocolate moulds that haven't been used for at least 8 years. And biscuit cutters. I think we will be paying a trip to the Salvos to drop this clutter off.

[Beverley]

Love that kickboard storage Rosie rose. What a great idea for storing large flat items not used everyday like trays, platters etc