Having a small kitchen can be a nightmare. Whether you’re frantically rummaging through the drawers for your corkscrew when you have company, or wrestling with the pots and pans in your cupboards; you find your thoughts turning to your dream kitchen. Grand, spacious and well-organized, with a breakfast bar, double fridge and a pasta arm (nobody actually needs a pasta arm, but that doesn’t stop us wanting one). However, you don’t need a huge kitchen to get the efficiency and/or spaciousness you desire. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your kitchen, despite its size.
De-Clutter
This is the most important step in making the most out of your kitchen. Get rid of anything that you don’t need, and be harsh about it. Do you really need that egg-slicer? What about the pasta maker that you’re sure you’ll use one day? If you don’t want to throw them away, find another place to store them. Cupboards and shelves in other rooms of the house are perfect for storing rarely used utensils and those Christmas plates that only come out once a year. Just get them out of the kitchen.
Open It Up
Now that your kitchen is empty of clutter, it’s time to open up the space. If you can, open up the walls connected to other rooms in the house. By knocking down a wall you make the space feel much more substantial. If you are unable to do this, there are many other ways to open up the space. Open shelving makes a great alternative to cabinets, and creates the illusion of spaciousness. With all your foodstuffs and utensils on display this also gives your kitchen more character, as well as improved functionality. If you want to keep your cupboards, add glass fronts to the upper cabinets and paint the back to match the walls. Again, this adds to the illusion and makes your kitchen feel roomier.
The “Magic” Triangle
There’s not much to say about this one, but it is very important to a functional kitchen. The “magic” triangle refers to the optimisation of the space between the three most important kitchen appliances: Fridge, sink and oven. This is actually where small kitchens come into their own, as each of these appliances should only be a step or two away from each other.
Storage Solutions
Failing all this, there are tonnes of storage solutions available. A rolling kitchen cart can be used to add extra counter space. Sliding shelves can be used to store small items in deep cabinets. The tops of cabinets can be used to store appliances when not in use. The walls can be used for storage as well. You can hang up magnetic knife strips, peg boards for pots and pans and collapsible tables to add more space as needed.
Prime Furniture Designs is a bespoke furniture maker that works with spaces of all sizes. They send out a representative to measure the size of the space and provide you with drawings of the project. This is perfect for small sized kitchens, as you can take advantage of every amount of space available. For more information on their services, visit their website here: www.primefurnituredesigns.com/
This is the most important step in making the most out of your kitchen. Get rid of anything that you don’t need, and be harsh about it. Do you really need that egg-slicer? What about the pasta maker that you’re sure you’ll use one day? If you don’t want to throw them away, find another place to store them. Cupboards and shelves in other rooms of the house are perfect for storing rarely used utensils and those Christmas plates that only come out once a year. Just get them out of the kitchen.
Open It Up
Now that your kitchen is empty of clutter, it’s time to open up the space. If you can, open up the walls connected to other rooms in the house. By knocking down a wall you make the space feel much more substantial. If you are unable to do this, there are many other ways to open up the space. Open shelving makes a great alternative to cabinets, and creates the illusion of spaciousness. With all your foodstuffs and utensils on display this also gives your kitchen more character, as well as improved functionality. If you want to keep your cupboards, add glass fronts to the upper cabinets and paint the back to match the walls. Again, this adds to the illusion and makes your kitchen feel roomier.
The “Magic” Triangle
There’s not much to say about this one, but it is very important to a functional kitchen. The “magic” triangle refers to the optimisation of the space between the three most important kitchen appliances: Fridge, sink and oven. This is actually where small kitchens come into their own, as each of these appliances should only be a step or two away from each other.
Storage Solutions
Failing all this, there are tonnes of storage solutions available. A rolling kitchen cart can be used to add extra counter space. Sliding shelves can be used to store small items in deep cabinets. The tops of cabinets can be used to store appliances when not in use. The walls can be used for storage as well. You can hang up magnetic knife strips, peg boards for pots and pans and collapsible tables to add more space as needed.
Prime Furniture Designs is a bespoke furniture maker that works with spaces of all sizes. They send out a representative to measure the size of the space and provide you with drawings of the project. This is perfect for small sized kitchens, as you can take advantage of every amount of space available. For more information on their services, visit their website here: www.primefurnituredesigns.com/