How Do I Make My Small Kitchen Functional?
Does travelling around your kitchen feel more like a one-way street? Are your cabinets full and bursting at the scene? Has your counter space piled up into a Mount Everest of kitchen items? Has your kitchen island built into a dish city?
This may be an over-exaggeration but many people with small kitchens understand these situations. Living with a tiny kitchen can be perceived as hopeless. You’re stuck with this minimal space to store all your kitchen supplies, cooking tools, food etc. But, don’t lose hope, we can help!
Organization and proper guidance are the keys to remodelling your small kitchen space. Whether you’re cooking, navigating or storing, you can transform your small kitchen into an efficient balance of good workflow and maximum storage space. Follow these dos and don’ts on how to make your small kitchen functional.
Dos
Remove Second Sink
Nowadays, many households contain two stainless steel sink bowls in their kitchen. For some, one may suffice. If you’re living with two sink bowls in your small kitchen, you may want to consider removing the second one for more space in your kitchen.
On average, two sinks fill up to about 36-inches of cabinetry width. By removing the second one, you could reduce the sink cabinet to 25-30 inches of width. With that additional space, you can gain additional storage space and countertop workspace.
Lighting
Lighting is the magic trick that can make any small space feel bigger than its actual size. Well, it actually comes down to a science, the more light that fills a room, the more your eyes perceive space as larger than its actual size.
If your dream kitchen design involves a rich dark cabinetry colour, by increasing the lighting, you can still achieve a light, bright look. Proper lighting for a brighter kitchen requires a good amount of pot lights. For a darker kitchen, install a few more pot lights around your small kitchen to feel bigger.
Empty Corner Space
The corner cabinet is an efficient way to keep a kitchen organized. But if you own a smaller kitchen and are looking for extra space, you have the option to remove your corner cabinets and leave that space empty. This can be useful if this allows for an opportunity to add a drawer bank or making the existing drawer bank wider.
Shallow Cabinets
Have a little bit of extra space that isn’t being used? By installing a shallow cabinet, you create a space to dedicate to your smaller goods and cooking supplies without having to fill your counter. Shallow cabinets are built 5 or 6 inches and can be installed in unique areas in your kitchen.
For example, to the side of the fridge, there’s a hidden shallow cabinet.
Smart Storage
Smart storage is organizing and rearranging your kitchen supplies and tools around efficient locations in your kitchen. Each appliance should be located in a purposeful area of your kitchen. By doing so, you’re creating a more organized and efficient kitchen experience.
Base Cabinets
This is especially useful in older small kitchens, low cabinets contain shelves that are 12-inches deep, containing a lot of empty space in the base cabinets. We suggest dedicating one bank of the drawers to bigger items like pots and pans.
Over The Range Microwaves
Your microwave can rob you of precious kitchen space. An essential everyday tool that requires its own dedicated area. What if I told you, we could relocate your microwave in your hood fan? By replacing your hood fan, you’re able to combine your microwave with your hood vent.
Don’ts
Two-Tone Look
For smaller kitchens, it is usually best to stick to one colour for your cabinetry. Often in a small space, there may not be enough base or upper cabinets to do two-tone and have both colours have enough space to pop. Selecting a beautiful single shade for the cabinetry will allow for a cohesive and clean look.
Open Shelving & Glass Doors
While you may love the look of floating shelves or glass door cabinetry, in a small kitchen, closed-door storage can be more practical to store dishes. You can stack things as much as you need without having to make sure the dishes look pretty or decorative.
Lazy Susans
Although it can be useful in some instances, a Lazy Susan is considered an old school method for dealing with corner storage.
One better alternative to a Lazy Susan is a Half Moon Rollout located in a bottom cabinet. Its advantage is the rollout pulls out from the cabinet, reducing the need to bend over to reach the items at the back.
Expert Advice from Expert Designers
You can apply these organizational tips to any small-sized kitchen. All you need is the proper guidance and organization to own a functional small kitchen.
No matter the size in real estate, we pride ourselves in doing our jobs with excellence and care. Communication and our attention to detail are why we’re trusted by so many. Learn more about our renovation services and how we can help redesign your home into a picture-perfect result.
