5 functional small kitchen ideas
Small kitchens are a pain in the neck when it comes to London flats and houses. Older buildings tended to put focus more on the living space than the kitchen itself, which doesn’t necessarily fit with modern standards. Now, that more and more families treat kitchen/dining area as the heart of the house, remodelling it can be the best way to improve your space. How can you use your small kitchen space and make it functional without actually remodelling the floor plan?
Light colours make the space look bigger
Painting your kitchen white is probably one of the cheapest yet most effective ways to refresh the space and make it look and feel bigger. Bright colours reflect light very well, which visually opens up the space. Whites, light beiges or even yellows also give the kitchen a modern feel and actually fit well with small spaces, blending them into the rest of the house.
Don’t forget the furniture
Changing up the cupboards in your kitchen might be pricey and with small spaces, it’s not always that easy to find a set that works perfectly. However, if you already have cupboards you are comfortable with in terms of functionality, simply painting them in a contrasting colour makes a huge difference. For small kitchens, it’s a good idea to pick colours that stand out and fit with current trends – black furniture against white wall is a classic move that no one can walk past by.
Reflective surfaces
In small kitchens, all attention should be focused on creating visual space. Using reflective surfaces like mirrors as well as see-through elements, you will keep the sight lines open and the kitchen fully visible to the eye from all angles. How to do it? Clear plastic chairs, floating islands, backless stools and even clear glass light fixtures make a huge difference in how you see your kitchen. Same idea comes with using mirrors – if you use it as a backsplash to your countertop, stick to light-reflective glass tiles and shiny floors and on top of that choose stainless steel appliances, your kitchen should feel bigger in no time.
Decorate the kitchen
With built-in cabinets, floor and wall tiles and usually a window, wall space in the kitchen might seem too small to even consider adding any decorative elements. It might be true to some extent, but usually a well balanced look on art and décor can change a lot in how you view the space. Our suggestion? Invest in geometry! Pattern tablecloths, rugs, blankets and cushions won’t take up limited space but will make the space look fuller and more spacious at the same time. Just remember to stick with minimalism – overdoing on patterns can make a small space feel too busy.
Stick to open shelves
Cupboards in the kitchen are highly functional as they protect your glass and kitchenware from getting dusty and dirty. Not all shelves have to be covered though – choosing to loose cupboard doors and stick to open shelving can give the illusion of more space. You will need to keep then clean, tidy and minimalistic – it’s easy to create more clutter once the shelves are not covered up.
The article was created in cooperation with the company Dick Whittington Design and Build.
