Not everyone has a 400-square-foot kitchen. Most people have to do with a lot less (I’m one of those people). But the trick is to make your small kitchen appear bigger. There are several techniques you can use to attain this effect. These are a few of them:
Use the right colors
Dark colors can make a room look smaller. That’s why it’s a good idea to use light colors in a small kitchen, for example, white. White reflects light, which enhances the feeling of space.
If you’re planning on designing an entirely white kitchen (cabinets, drawers, tiles…), it’s best to add some colorful decorative pieces. Otherwise, your kitchen will look very bland. Try to use various textures to prevent the room from looking sterile.
Let plenty of light in
In the previous tip, we said that light colors reflect light and thus make your small kitchen appear bigger. Letting plenty of light in can really make a difference. So don’t cover your windows with heavy curtains.
If your kitchen is still too dark, you can add some more light fixtures. Don’t choose the biggest chandelier in the store, but go for smaller, more subtle fixtures. Installing under cabinet lighting can also make your kitchen feel bigger by drawing attention to more space.
Use glass cabinet doors
By using glass cabinet doors you can create a feeling of depth. It makes the walls feel farther away. It also makes your cabinets appear lighter and less heavy. For the content of your cabinets, our next tip comes in handy:
Avoid clutter
This is probably the easiest tip to make a small kitchen appear bigger. Clutter can make every room feel small. So try to keep as many spices, jars, and cups… out of sight and stash them behind closed doors.
Open up walls
This is a more drastic measure. It might be useful if you’re in the planning phase of a new kitchen or if you’re doing extensive renovation work. Removing part of a wall between the kitchen and another room can really improve the sense of space. Your kitchen will still be the same size but it will look bigger and that’s what counts.
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Add some stripes
Do you know how they say that a shirt with horizontal stripes makes you look wider? The same effect can be used in a small kitchen. You can use this technique for wallpaper or even floors.
Choose the right furniture
It would be a bad idea to put heavy furniture in a small kitchen. And by heavy I don’t mean the actual weight of it, but the appearance. If you’re choosing furniture for a cramped space it’s best to look for something with a skinny leg.
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There you go: 7 tips to make your small kitchen appear bigger. I hope they can help you. If you came up with another tip, please post a comment and share it with us.
