How to make a small kitchen stylish & functional

Sadly, we’re not all blessed with a kitchen big enough for a huge island bench, dining table or even room to swing a cat! But all is not lost. Small kitchens can be stylish and functional too.

It’s all about being a bit clever and creative.

Here are some tips for making the most of your small space.

Aim high

Your square footage might be limited but chances are your walls are as high as anyone else’s! So think about storing things up high, whether that means having more cabinetry at eye level, hanging things from the ceiling or putting up more open shelving, all depending on the look you’re going for.

At the same time, there’s no point in having cupboards so high you can’t reach them, or are never likely to be bothered to pull out a stepladder to get to them. Keep things you use infrequently in your harder to get to places and the things you use often where it’s easy to grab them.

Lighten up

Keep colours light and let the walls blend into the cabinetry, which blends into the ceiling and so on. Keep it light, bright and flowing. Let natural light in where possible by thinking carefully about your windows and window dressings.

Read more: Making the most of a small kitchen

Straight & narrow

If you have a narrow space it can be best to keep everything streamlined along one wall for a cleaner look.

Get organised & stay that way

When space is tight, make sure there’s a place for everything and everything in its place! This will help keep things organised and tidy and allow you to be more efficient with less space.

Mostly armless

If you do have room for a table, choose stools or armless chairs. They take up less space, can be pushed under the table and create cleaner lines.

Alternatively, design your kitchen to have seating at an island bench rather than a separate table to make better use of space.

A lot of cabinets up high can feel a little claustrophobic or overbearing in smaller kitchens

Open it up

Try open shelving instead of cabinets above bench height. This can create the illusion of more space. A lot of cabinets up high can feel a little claustrophobic or overbearing in smaller kitchens. Remember you’re going to need to dust more often though!

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