If you have a small or crowded kitchen, it may feel impossible to remodel, especially with elements that take up space, like cabinets or shelving. But with the right color and design schemes, your space may open up even more, with the bonus of increased storage space and efficiency. Keep these strategies in mind, and find the even the tiniest kitchen feeling much more comfortable with these five creative solutions to increase your kitchen space!
Light colors
This one may seem obvious: light, neutral colors and shades of white are always preferable to stained wood or black tones if your kitchen already feels cramped. Whites reflect more light, smooth corners and edges, and they go with any appliances or decor. But if you find a white kitchen to be too sterile or plain, there are plenty of tricks to liven it up. Try accentuating with blonde wood in your cabinet doors or drawer pulls, incorporating house plants or other greenery into the permanent decor, or adding a bright color accent like yellow or gold to make everything feel friendlier. For cabinets, take a look at Conestoga’s variety of light woods and stains, as well as decorative accents to keep things interesting.
Emphasize your windows
Nothing makes a kitchen feel more open and spacious than a big window and natural light. Even if you don’t have a bay window or glass doors, you can increase the effect of your windows by designing the kitchen’s focal point to draw the eye towards the outside. A distinctive element, like a chandelier or shelving, can create this effect easily, but so can more conventional kitchen staples; try centering your cabinetry around a window, or placing the sink under one, to maximize the natural light and open up your space.
Open cabinets and shelving
Nothing opens up a kitchen faster than taking the doors off the cabinet or pantry. If you’ve got closed cabinets below your eyeline, try stashing the majority of your dishes and picking out a few to display (even better if they match the color scheme of the room). Keep the housewares on display to a minimum, leaving lots of open wall space, and the extra room can make a huge difference. Another option: replace wooden cabinet doors with glass, either transparent or frosted, to create the illusion of space while keeping your ceramics a little safer.
Choose the right furniture
Depending on the size and layout of your kitchen, you may be light on furniture and other pieces, which makes it even more important to stick with silhouettes and styles that keep space free. Minimalist designs are your best friend when picking kitchen elements, and the slimmer and lighter the better. Clean lines and open styles keep the eye free and blend into the walls, and the right styles will let you add more elements without feeling too cramped, maximizing the space and the efficiency of your kitchen.
Use your floor space well
While avoiding patterns and busy colors on the wall is a must for smaller spaces, some visual tricks can make your floor space appear bigger and more spacious if used right. Diagonal lines like diamond patterns or striped rugs draw the eye out and create the illusion of a wider kitchen. Using horizontal stripes, running along the width of the kitchen rather than the length, have a similar effect–especially if you’re working with patterned tiles or flooring.