Small Kitchens With A Big Personality
IS YOUR SMALL KITCHEN CRAMPING YOUR STYLE?
Living with limited kitchen space is not the best case scenario for any culinary connoisseur, baking expert, or DIYer. But, designing the kitchen of your dreams does not have to be restricted by the size or shape of the space you are working with. Transforming any tiny kitchen into a stunning and functional room in your home can be done effortlessly.
So, what qualifies as a small kitchen?
Over the last 50 years kitchen sizes have increased from about 70 to 150 square feet. According to Lee Wallender from Home Renovation’s About Home, generally the “classic 10 x 10 kitchen” (100 square feet or less) is considered the benchmark of small kitchen sizing. The most common small kitchen will be what is considered a galley kitchen. This shape is long and narrow with counters on either side of a central walkway. Though, kitchen sizing is going to differ according to the area you live in, this standard for the average kitchen in 2016 can be useful when planning your own remodel.
THE BRIGHTER THE BETTER!
Keep it simple. Use bright and inviting paint colors/stains on your walls as well as your cabinets. Select your door style wisely, the very popular shaker door such as Prime Cabinetry’s Shaker white or Shaker Grey, adds a sleek appeal that will fit well in any small kitchen. Avoid using over-sized or large farm sinks, and make the most use of your counter space. Consider adding a cutting block to differentiate the type of materials on your cooking surface. Similarly, try eliminating any soffits in your space, and run your cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Straight lines, vertical and horizontal, will elongate your small space giving off the appearance it is large
BELOW YOU WILL FIND 10 INSPIRING KITCHEN DESIGNS AND IDEAS, STAY AWHILE AND KEEP READING!
1. WRAP AROUND SHELVING AT CEILING HEIGHT
By making use of all the vertical space in your small kitchen, you are drawing the eye upward. This will elongate the small space making it feel larger than it actually is. Adding extra shelving to the space above your cabinets or windows can really help in accomplishing this look. At Prime Cabinetry we offer shelving in any of our beautiful paints and stains; an effortless feature that adds a tasteful flair to your small kitchen.
2. ALL WHITE KITCHEN
As mentioned above, brighter is always better! If you are fond of the minimalist style, an all white kitchen is perfect for you. This monochromatic design concept offers modern characteristics while working with a small space. Bright white cabinets and walls deliver a clean and sleek look, and can be combined with greenery to create a calming environment. In a tiny kitchen the neutral tones really help the kitchen almost blend into the background; this is what helps the space feel twice as large. Prime Cabinetry's White and Antique White painted cabinets are sold in 5 different door styles. Pairing any one of these with the right hardware, and accents can update your small kitchen while still creating a fun space for the whole family to enjoy.
3. NO WALL CABINETS
A new design trend that seems to have come about this year is the lack of wall cabinets in a kitchen. While some may think this is impractical, for a small kitchen it can be a great space saver. Eliminating the look of boxes hanging from the wall can maximize the depth of your space, and also allow for more decorative items to be shown off. The great thing is you do not have to do away with all of your wall cabinets to make this work. Using open shelving on one or two walls in your kitchen can be just as effective; it all really depends on the layout of your space. Another option is to make use of tall storage cabinets. You can elongate the kitchen with the height of a pantry cabinet, while replacing the storage space you lose from removing wall cabinets. By making use of Prime Cabinetry's free design service, you can send in your kitchen measurements, and decide if this layout choice is right for you.
4. UTILIZE WASTED SPACE
The flip-side to having no wall cabinets, is to add more wall cabinets to your space. For the person who needs a great deal of storage, and organization in their life, this option is for you. The most useful way to add more cabinet to a small kitchen is to go up. Building up crown moulding to reach the ceiling is a good way to create the illusion you have taller wall cabinets. If you have at least 12" of space above your wall cabinets, you can consider adding small stacker cabinets (as pictured below) with or without glass doors. Not only do you gain more space for storage, but the glass doors add a very classy touch to any small kitchen design.
5. SMALL ISLAND
This design concept is fairly obvious. No matter the size of your kitchen, you have to limit an island to whatever size can comfortably fit into your space. The great thing is you don't have to assume an island won't work just because your kitchen is small. Think practically, but their are many possibilities for making an island work in limited space. The first thing you want to determine is the size of the room. A fairly standard clearance of 3 ft. for walking space around the island is needed. Also, keep in mind the standard base cabinet runs 24"-25" deep, extending out from the wall, and into the room. Once you know how much space you have to work with, next is deciding what you would like or need in the island. Are you installing an appliance or sink in your island to maximize the use of the work triangle in your kitchen? Would you like seating available at the island? Many questions come into play when adding this feature to a small space. The key is to know your kitchen size, and be ready to compromise when space is limited.
6. POP OF COLOR
Adding color to a small kitchen can often seem scary, so I am here to tell you otherwise. The best way to begin is by looking at the bigger picture. Step back and take a good look at your kitchen as a whole. What colors are already in your kitchen? Do you have a favorite color that comes to mind when you see the ideas pictured below? To start, I would first decide what color you want the cabinets in your space to be. White cabinets are becoming quite popular, and of course what better background for adding crazy, fun, and colorful accents. The key is to find a color scheme that you love and stick with it. Tell yourself what colors you want, where you want them, and how you are going to obtain that color. Maybe you want to paint the walls, inside of the cabinets, or just add fun changeable accents to the space. Any way you go about this, it will be one of the more fun projects you do this year for sure.
7. MAKE USE OF ANY AND ALL NATURAL LIGHT
This concept is obviously not for the small scale project doer, and we know adding or removing windows in a home is no simple task. However, natural light is always a good solution to brightening up a small room of any kind. The more windows in the space, undoubtedly the larger it will feel. The crucial time for making a decision like this would be while one is still in the market for a new home. While shopping for houses doesn't always mean getting every design feature you want, if you have your heart set on natural light being available in as many rooms as possible, make it a priority for your small kitchen too. If you are working on a remodel for an existing home with only one or two windows, brighten up the space by keeping heavy or dark window treatments away from the only source of natural light in the room. Make use of shear curtains, add some greenery, and liven up any tiny kitchen instantly.
8. GO WITH AN AWESOME BACK SPLASH
Adding a unique back splash is another fun way to give your small kitchen it's own style. You can keep it simple or go crazy with color. You can constrict the height of it to stay below the wall cabinets, or extend it beyond and up to ceiling height. The fun in this comes with making a statement; leave your guests with something to remember. No one will ever notice how small your kitchen is, if you take pride in your tiny space and really amp it up. Dare to be different, and you will surely have a small kitchen that stands out.
9. GLASS DOOR CABINETS
Another great concept is to make use of glass door cabinet options. At Prime Cabinetry our cabinets come prepped for glass to be installed, and are offered in several cabinet sizes including our stacker cabinets. The glass door feature can add a classy appeal to any small space. Using this option for all of your wall cabinets or just a select few as accents, can really provide a well rounded variety to an otherwise simple space. Glass doors are great for those who have fine china they wish to display, and most glass company's offer an array of glass to choose from. The challenge of having glass door fronts include the possibility of breakage, and the constant cleaning of finger prints and smudges. Pros and cons considered, the trade off of having this feature can bring a beautiful look to your small kitchen.
10. BASE CABINET PULL OUTS
If you are looking to add special features hidden inside the cabinets of your small kitchen, Prime Cabinetry offers some great options. A variety of functional hardware is available via our website (www.PrimeCabinetry.com), including: between cabinet pull outs, in cabinet pull outs, waste container pull outs, cabinet/drawer organizers, roll out shelves, and lazy susan turn tables. Any one of these accessories can be very useful in a small kitchen. Reducing clutter on the counters, and staying organized can maximize the space you have available at any given time. Of course, staying on top of a dirty kitchen is a task in itself, so why not make organizing your pots/pans, spices, or even trash can a little easier?
Overall, when it comes to remodeling small kitchens, you must decide what you need or want most in your space. Finding areas to scale down, maximizing cabinet storage, and choosing color schemes wisely are all changes that can automatically make that cluttered kitchen feel bigger. Whatever your vision entails, craft a design that fits your cozy little kitchen, and is uniquely perfected to your style. Smaller kitchens have more possibilities than we realize, and remodeling your space can be a valuable update to your home.
