Small Kitchen Design Ideas
The problems of a small cluttered kitchen are well known. As
kitchen is a hub of activity a not so well designed kitchen can mean chaos and
not to mention undue stress on the householder. But there is a silver lining to
every problem. A smaller kitchen can be given the illusion of a larger more
spacious kitchen using certain design elements. Check out the small kitchen
design ideas given here and remodel your kitchen in a jiffy.
Here are some great ideas to transform your space constrained kitchen in to a more spacious
and functional kitchen.
Storage space is the main challenge in a small kitchen.
• So choosing taller cabinets give you ample storage space and also give the
illusion of a bigger kitchen.
• Go for plenty of cabinets below the counter top. The cabinets can also be
lined up on both sides of kitchen to get more storage space.
• Utilize your kitchen wall well. You can go for well spaced shelves to hold
utensils or a built in rack.
• Choose smaller sized kitchen appliances so that they can be kept under cabinets and
thereby free up your counter top giving you more working space. You can also
build the stove right in to the countertop.
• Get a smaller kitchen island which will give you extra storage and working
space.
If you cannot do these changes overnight due to budget constraints then some
small things which you can do right away are
• You can buy those inexpensive baskets and keep it above your cupboards to hold
things. Or buy those expanding curtain rods to hold pans and utensils.
• Instead of the kitchen island you can go for additional carts to hold
utensils.
Apart from storage space other things to keep in mind are
• Do not use fluorescent lights as these can be very depressing in a tiny
kitchen. Instead opt for lights under wall cupboards which do not make the room
too bright and small.
• Go for glass cabinet doors which can add space to your room.
• Choose white color walls and keep the cabinets in darker color contrasts to
give the perception of space. Go for light colored kitchen backsplashes for
getting a spacious feeling in an otherwise tiny kitchen.
• Keep furniture for kitchen small, like round tables and foldable chairs.
• To increase efficiency always keep the refrigerator, stove and sink near to
each other so that you do not have to walk across the room to use it. The best
design is to keep them in an equilateral triangle where each of them is 4-7 feet
apart from each other.
Small kitchen ideas
You can choose to renovate you kitchen in contemporary or
traditional décor styles. If you have a liking for European or Italian kitchens
you can give those a try too.
An Italian kitchen conveys warmth and coziness. It can be modern and
sophisticated or simple and basic. In such a kitchen there is more use of
natural elements and the colors are rich and vibrant. Blue, red, gold, orange,
yellow are some examples. You should go for brightly painted tiles and
backsplashes. Creativity can be seen in full force in the Italian kitchens.
There are spices in colorful jars, hand painted utensils, olive oil bottles,
creepers all giving you the message of an alluring kitchen. You too can let your
imagination run wild while remodeling your kitchen. Go for brass, copper or clay
accessories and go for wooden beam structures which are a common design element
in the Italian kitchens.
A European kitchen on the other hand conveys efficiency and immaculateness.
Frosted glass kitchen cabinets, internal cabinet lighting, stainless steel work
tops and cabinets with frameless doors are some features of a European kitchen.
In European kitchens you should strive for an unfitted look. To achieve that you
can paint different colors on island and cabinets, plaster walls and tile floors
with white color etc.
The design factors in a contemporary kitchen are cabinets with light wood, doors
with no drawer, counter tops of granite or solid stone and flooring of wood,
ceramic or marble. The emphasis is also on geometric shapes. So use lines,
curves and other geometric patterns in floors, cabinets, backsplashes etc. Opt
for stainless steel appliances to complete the look of modern and chic look to
your kitchen.
Software to your aid
There are plenty of software design tools too to help you in coming up with
designs for your kitchen. Smartdraw is one such tool which has a plethora of
templates and art elements to help you come up with a kitchen idea. It is quite
versatile tool and you can stamp shapes, lines and other symbols on the
template. Punch profusion home design tool is another interactive software which
is very user friendly. You can download and use it for 15 days after which you
will have to pay to use the software. If you want a free software then Google
sketchup fits the bill quite nicely.
You can also get great design ideas from home improvement stores and home
decorating magazines.