If you’ve been watching some cooking shows lately, you probably feel sorry for your small, cramped kitchen. But worry no more, as this article will give you ideas on how to make your small kitchen look bigger and larger.
You will see that minor hacks and alterations will help you fully optimize your kitchen space, all while making it look more spacious.
It might difficult before doing some research, but you will see that it’s not. So let’s proceed and see how to make a small kitchen appear larger.
How to make your small kitchen look bigger and more spacious
Try all the hacks listed below – or just those that apply to your situation and you will see how much of a difference they will make!
Brighten up your kitchen!
You will have to brighten up your kitchen to make it seem bigger! A dingy one will not do you any good, especially if it’s on a smaller size. It will also make you feel more cramped and upset when inside.
So do everything you can to keep brighten it up ASAP. Depending on the situation, simply adding one or more extra lights will do the trick. Placing some lights under your top cabinets will work wonders, for example!
If you have a window that’s covered, make sure you undo that to let some natural light get in.
Replace your dark cabinets and/or appliances and other utensils you have with brighter ones. Don’t be afraid to add splashes of color as well. All these will infuse new life into your kitchen and make it look bigger.
Wondering what colors work best? White is gaining popularity and it’s the best choice to lighten up a kitchen – although it requires a bit more cleaning. A pale yellow or a bright green also work really well in kitchens.
Blend Surfaces
While this is basically an addition to the tip above, we’ve decided to highlight it as it can really work some magic.
This is easily achieved by using the same model or color on your backsplash and countertops. This will make them flow nicely one into another, offering the impression of more space.
Use compact appliances
If you have a small kitchen, using compact appliances is the best way to go. Most of the appliances we have nowadays are oversized anyways and going for slim or small won’t really affect your performance.
So get all your essentials in smaller versions, no matter if we’re talking about a slim fridge, a sleek blender or one of the best Keurig coffee makers out there.
Also getting a slim dishwasher is a good idea, just as it is getting integrated appliances.
Use see-through doors
This goes both for your cabinets, as well as all entry points to your kitchen. Glass is perfect to make things blend in even more and give you the illusion of more space.
Yes, this means that you need to keep everything well organized all the time, but your kitchen will look more airy and spacious. So tidy up, stack up and most importantly clean up your cabinet. Get them ready for some glass!
And if you don’t have an open kitchen concept, adding see-through doors will make yours look bigger. It’s even better if you have one facing a garden: it will really make it seem huge!
Alternative: add mirrors
If see-through glass isn’t really your style, you can try adding some mirrors. While we are not fans in particular of having them in a kitchen, they do offer a lot in terms of the impression of extra space.
Use mirrors instead of the backsplash or even on your cabinets and you kitchen will seem huge. A bit creepy, but huge!
Install a pull out pantry
Investing in a pull out pantry is a really good way of putting limited space to good use. While this will not directly make your kitchen look bigger – it will in the end by saving you from the trouble of storing a lot of things on countertops and other areas, making it look cramped.
A pull out pantry will help you stay more organized. You can store bottles, canned food, spices and a lot more.
You can look for some space beside your refrigerator and if you have a 4 to 10 inch gap, that could be enough!. Why not use this space and store a few cans?
Or at least install a few shelves or racks there for the same results!
Go for open shelves
Why not take the most advantage of the previous tip and actually install open shelves everywhere?
Open storage will always make a kitchen look bigger and nicer, even though it requires a lot more cleaning and care.
However, if you already have a ton of items in your cabinets and you don’t think you could get rid of most of them, open shelves might not be a good idea.
Cluttered open shelves make everything worse and kind of depressing. But worry not – there are still a ton of other good suggestions on our list!
Use walls for storage
Just hang a simple rack from the walls and use up the empty space to get the most out of your walls. Avoid storing utensils with their hollow face up and hang them face down instead to make it look better.
You can also use the space above the sink by fixing a rail to hang your pots and pans. This space is never thought of, but this can be used as a great resort.
All these things will help you have more storage space and will leave the impression of a larger kitchen.
Get a rolling cart
While this is not suitable for all small kitchens, it can be of really great help if you can fit one it. Get a rolling cart that has a butcher’s top as it will double up as a countertop and chopping area.
The option of moving it around and using it when needed (and where needed) gives you a huge advantage in creating the illusion of space and also help you a lot in terms of storage.
Choose smaller furnishings
Again, choose your furnishing carefully and go for slender tools, tables and chairs. You can also try your hands at space saving furniture as you can use them multiple ways – and the rolling cart recommended above is a great start.
Space saving furniture does not take up a lot of space and they allow you to walk freely when you don’t need them.
Declutter
Even huge kitchens will look small and cramped if they are cluttered. The opposite is just as true – so spend some time decluttering and going as minimalist as possible.
The less cluttered your kitchen will be, the more space will it will have. It will reveal empty spaces you can put to better use. Or just give you extra space to make the room look larger.
Plus, you will feel better in a tidy, clutter-free kitchen – and your disposition and mood matter a lot as well!
Conclusion
As you can see, it’s not really impossible to make a small kitchen look bigger using some tricks. Some of these tricks are actually very easy to implement and won’t break the bank!
Try to use as many of the recommendations above and you will be extremely satisfied with the results.