10 Ways to Make a Small Kitchen Feel Bigger
Does your kitchen draw a crowd or crowd you in? Here's how to make sure your compact kitchen leaves room to breathe
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
I’d be willing to bet that when you think about your dream kitchen, it doesn't include the word "tiny." Yet that's the reality that many of us live with: skimpy counter space, a cramped work triangle and precious little space for appliances. If you're not ready — or willing — to knock out a kitchen wall, you can at least do the next best thing: Create the impression of a bigger space with a few strategic decorating tricks.
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1. Replace solid cabinet doors with glass ones. Glass fronts lighten the look of cabinetry and allow the eye to travel through to the back, which helps the kitchen seem more expansive. Just don't clutter the interiors with bric-a-brac — you'll defeat the purpose.
by Jeanne Finnerty
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2. Paint cabinets the same color as the walls. Limiting the cabinetry and the wall color to a single hue erases visual boundaries that might stop the eye. The conventional school of thought is that pale colors will reflect light and make the space feel bigger, and that's certainly a safe approach. But don't be afraid to go dark, either. Deep tones such as black, navy, charcoal and chocolate recede visually and create the impression that the walls are farther back than they really are.
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| 3. Choose furnishings with a small footprint. Select petite islands, slim chairs, streamlined stools and narrow tables that don't eat up valuable floor space. Avoid chunky furniture legs or thick bases, which add visual bulk. |
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by Aidan Design
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| 4. Recess storage. Tuck a pantry, shelving or cabinets flush with the wall to keep from obstructing the kitchen's flow. It's fairly easy to retrofit a recessed niche, especially if you orient it between wall studs. |
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5. Design with clean lines. Big corbels, ornate cabinetry and fussy details can make a kitchen feel chopped up. Instead, keep the elements tailored and sleek to smooth out the look and create a roomier feel.
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6. Merge into a larger space. This breakfast room, separated from the kitchen by a low half wall, feels like a natural extension of the cooking area.
by Justrich Design
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7. Incorporate open shelving. Open shelves reduce visual weight and lend the illusion of a more expansive space. For an even sleeker look, choose floating shelves over models with brackets.
See more of this 90-square-foot kitchen
See more of this 90-square-foot kitchen
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8. Winnow down. Don't crowd counters, shelves and cabinets with clutter, which makes the space look as though it's bursting at the seams. Instead, focus on a few standout items and necessities and hide the rest away.
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9. Direct the eye upward. Choose patterns and visual elements that help to guide the gaze toward the ceiling. The vertical lines of the wall and ceiling boards in this kitchen lend the impression of greater height.
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by Aidan Design
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| 10. Flood the space with light. Whether your kitchen is done in pale colors or dark ones, light beaming in will help it feel as large as possible. Keep window treatments very simple, or eliminate them entirely, so as not to block the sun. More: 17 Space-Saving Solutions for Small Kitchens |
Comments
sharivars I would add controlling traffic flow. My current tiny kitchen feels bigger than my larger previous one because there are no children, pets, guests,etc running through it. Though open to the living area, It is basically a dead end due to the peninsula style "island" with only one entry into the room. Love it!
13 months ago · Like
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Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. i cooked in a small kitchen once in New York while visiting a friend. I was amazed at how much I liked it, everything was within arms reach and physically intuitive. These are great examples of attractive utility. Thanks Lisa.
13 months ago · Like
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Joni Koenig Interiors Great examples!
13 months ago · Like
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mrsben Super examples of illusion!
13 months ago · Like
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Wendy Keyes Agree Lisa.... my small but extremely well planned kitchen is so physically economical to work in as everything is within a step's reach. Guests love it because it's a two person work station max! 
13 months ago · Like
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gryphonisle Clearly, they left out the most important tip: Start with a larger kitchen. Half of my apartment would fit in some of these "small" kitchens, and only one looks anywhere near as small as mine. I personally find that ignoring the size works best, there's always more hooks and places to stick them, as long as I can keep the table and counter clear when I need to cook. 
13 months ago · Like
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tibbyg Installing mirrors as a backsplash can transform a galley kitchen into a spacious one.
13 months ago · Like
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jenson fantastic suggestions, great ideabook!
13 months ago · Like
rednectarine Does anyone know where I can get the table in the fourth picture?
13 months ago · Like
Ancy Alexander gryphonisle: your kitchen does indeed look tiny but cute! just curious, what are those things hung on top? its very pretty and they look like jars and spices stored in there. How do you take them down when you want it? ;-)
13 months ago · Like
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gryphonisle Ancy: They're paper cups---like the ones from Starbucks and Burger King, hung on miniature christmas lights.
13 months ago · Like
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Dal Sohal Great kitchen ideas!
11 months ago · Like
Kevin Karst Design Inc. Even a bit of mobility can help. This table swivels out of the way when needed. 
11 months ago · Like
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kavyasmiley Sorry if I'm wrong, but what would make it bigger could be to avoid cabinets on 3 sides just have them on 1 or two sides :-)
7 months ago · Like
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Ilda Villa Rodriguez Esto es lo q más quería :)
4 months ago · Like
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Rod Lang Very nice! But compared to my small L-shaped galley kitchen these are hugh. I like my small L-shaped galley kitchen to cook in, (here is that word again) but it needs and full make over. The poor thing has been stuck in the 60s far to long. Although I hear the color Coppertone is coming back. PS: I have cooked on a submarine, so I am talking small.
3 months ago · Like
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Jaemi Poncy Great information!!
3 months ago · Like
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jaxsue Kevin, I love that swivel out table! I have a 50s kitchen that needs more work space. Can you give me more information on it?
3 months ago · Like
jimmianne i have the opposite problem. Although I am in a 1000 sq ft farm house, the kitchen is the biggest room the house and has a high ceiling. I'm 5' tall and feel lost in it. My fridge is 12' from the stove. I love the ideas here - the third kitchen down from the top really appeals to me and I could see using it as a blueprint for enclosing my "Grand Central Station" space.
3 months ago · Like
Studio NOO Design These are very good advice, thanks !
3 months ago · Like
Veronica Goodwin Is it expensive to remodel a kitchen? My home is a 1,000 square feet. Not sure how big my kitchen is. But it looks small.
3 months ago · Like
Jimmy Wong Very good advice! i learned a lot!
7 weeks ago · Like
Kevin Karst Design Inc. Jaxsue, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The table has a lazy susan turntable at one end and a steel table leg at the other. The leveler is replaced by a caster. The rest of it is shop built. If you'd like drawings for it, email me at design@kevinkarst.com
7 weeks ago · Like
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jaxsue Thanks! It would be perfect for my small kitchen.
7 weeks ago · Like
napwszzm The advices are so good. Thanks alot.
2 days ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Nov. 20, 2012.
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