Space Saving Ideas for Small Kitchens

Kitchen and Bathroom Designer

Small kitchens can seem cramped or cozy depending on the decorating. With a few space saving tips, transform your kitchenette into a cozy little room worthy of your next culinary masterpiece.

Make the Most of It

Take a good look around your kitchen. Are you using the space the best way you can? Take a sweep through the kitchen and clear out anything you don't need. You might be surprised how much space you free up by simply giving your kitchen gear a good sorting through.

Consider the layout of your kitchen. Be logical about where you keep things. Store your cooking utensils and oven milts near the stove, your plates/silverware/glasses in the same area and your food in another area. If you're sharing your small kitchen with a family or roommate, consider ways of keeping the traffic in the kitchen to a minimum when you're trying to cook. Keep the most used items in an easily accessible place, so one person can grab something they need without interfering with the work of another.

Multi-tasking Cabinets

Make your cabinets your friends when you're trying to save space in your kitchen. Obviously, cabinets are your kitchen storage units, and in a small kitchen you really have to make them work. If cabinet space is a problem, expand what you have by installing lazy Susans and dividing trays. Installing trays and extra shelves within your cabinets will allow you to keep your small space organized, when you can't make room to dedicate cabinets to just one specific use.

If you have low to the ground cabinets that you don't use because they are difficult to access, install some roll out shelves. Don't allow any space to go waste - that high shelf over the refrigerator can store your serving plates you don't use often, baking trays or anything else you don't use every day.

The bottoms of your cabinets open up another world of storage solutions. TVs, microwaves, and other appliances can be built into your cabinets so they are at your fingertips, yet taking up a minimum of space.

Appliance Solutions

Many companies are devising products specifically for small kitchens. KitchenAid has a combo sink and dishwasher unit called Briva. Close the lid and do a load of dishes, remove the lid and you have a sink. It even comes with a cutting board attachment to put on top of the whole unit to give one more space for food prep.

GE, Kenmore and Viking all make a small, 24-inch range top, designed with small kitchens in mind. Many other appliance combos are out there such as a toaster/microwave dual unit.

Create the Appearance of Space

Use interior design tricks to your benefit to create the illusion of space. Give your kitchen a bright, airy feel by installing plenty of lighting - lights installed under your cabinets are a great way to add more light without taking up any valuable space. Maximize any natural light available - keep the curtains back and the blinds up. Lighter colored walls and cabinets will make the room feel more open.

Additional Ideas

Use hanging racks to suspend pots and pans from the ceiling, clearing up cabinet space.

Make use of the walls to hang utensils.

Use a bulletin board instead of a "junk drawer" for all those pieces of paper that seem to find their way into the kitchen.

Think about using other rooms in your home for storage. Cookbooks will be at home on any bookshelf, and if you don't use the good china every day, don't waste precious space keeping it in the kitchen.

More Information

Small kitchens are a common problem, and there are plenty of resources filled with great ideas to help maximize your kitchen's potential:

HGTV - HGTV's kitchen design resource is filled with advice about the latest appliances and space saving products, as well as tips on colors and lighting.

Kitchens.com - All kitchens, all the time.

National Kitchen and Bath Association - They'll help you find a solution to just about any problem with your kitchen.

Think Function First

Remember that in a small space, function counts more than form. Streamline your space first, then worry about the color of the cabinets and walls. If a major renovation is not in the cards, keep the space clean and clutter free and add some roll in carts for extra counter space. In the end, when your kitchen is a place you can work comfortably in, the style will follow.