Small kitchens: tips on maximising space

In today’s world and with the sky-high price per square metre, it is common for some of the rooms in our home to not be quite as spacious as we would like. Nonetheless, that does not mean it is difficult to make the most of what you have. In fact, it can be quite easy to create a sense of comfort and even turn them into genuinely special places. This tough situation is further accentuated in the kitchen, a space that is so important to so many of us.

Let’s take a look now at some tips that might come in handy for this situation:

The chosen colours, our indispensable allies

As a general rule, we recommend light and neutral colours that make the space seem visually larger than it really is. Various pure whites, creams or very gentle earthy colours are the most commonly used for this purpose.

In terms of the finishes, you might want to consider matt or bright colours but always from the same range of colours. Another trick is to install the wall furniture, countertops and floor in the same colour. This effect provides unity and, above all, moves away from an overpowering look – the main handicap in these situations. The combination of pure white and grey brings elegance and harmony at the same time, so is highly recommendable.

Ingenious layout and smart storage solutions

You can never have too much storage space in a kitchen and that is even more the case in small kitchens. As ideas to bear in mind, we suggest side shelves on end units, floor-to-ceiling cupboards to gain those extra useful centimetres and mobile or fold-away items, like kitchen islands or tables.

Another option might be to use hooks hanging from the ceilings or the underneath of upper wall units. The combinations are endless and if we add shiny metal items, for example, we can turn a decorative impediment into a great opportunity to be creative and add a very personal touch to our kitchen.

Units

As a general rule and as is the case with everything when decorating a small kitchen, we recommend a sombre style for the units with straight lines and no colour or texture contrasts, although creative licence can always be taken in this regard.

You might choose units with a minimalist style but made from innovative materials, such as transparent methacrylate for the handles and even the chairs or tables, and the use of shiny metal or glass for the cupboard doors. It is important to ensure that the final look and feel is not overbearing and so we repeat our previous recommendation in that it should offer a simple aesthetic with the fewest possible decorative fixtures.

The type of floor you choose can be a huge ally in this regard. There is a trend for the kitchen and adjacent room (hallway, living room, etc.) to have the same type of floor in terms of material and colour. Such materials as wood or polished stone in earthy colours and gentle ochres can work well in this case. The result brings unity and visual continuity.

We hope these suggestions help and inspire you to make your small kitchen functional, welcoming and extremely stylish.