Stretching the kitchen to make it bigger is not going to happen, unless you hide a Goliath in you. Then again, you can plan a full kitchen remodeling and knock down a wall or two and so, you won’t worry about enough space and openness.
But let’s say for the sake of argument that you simply plan a kitchen renovation to refresh the room, to update the style, to get rid of the old cabinets – you get the picture. What can you do not only to make the small kitchen look bigger but also become more convenient and look good? Good news. We’ve got some great tips for you. So, sit tight.
Calculate well before the kitchen renovation
You most likely have heard of the known kitchen triangle! No? It’s the work triangle for a more ergonomic kitchen design. The rule is that the refrigerator, the sink, and the stove will be at the end of each triangle corner. The norm is to keep the distances less than 9 feet and more than 4 feet. This principle was built to make the moves in the kitchen easy and still keep everything necessary in close range. You need to be able to move, cook, slice, and open the dishwasher, fridge and oven without any difficulty. So, start from there.
Focus on consistency
Small kitchens shouldn’t have too many contrasts in terms of colors, materials, styles. Nothing that will stand out too much; nothing that will make the space busy. The more consistent the room is, the larger it will seem, the better it will feel.
Choose subtle colors
While reds and yellows will also look good for the cabinet kitchen installation, monochrome tones are preferable. Take white, for example. Such a neutral, pure color will make any space look bigger. But when it comes to colors, there’s much more than meets the eye. It’s also the combinations you make. For example, a wooden counter with shiny red cabinets and some stainless-steel elements will look really good. Yellow will bring some vibe. You can also be playful by painting one wall black and matching it with stainless-steel accessories. But mind you. While such hues and choices will make the kitchen interesting, the only color that will make it look much bigger is white, or off-white and pales.
Invest in several kitchen lighting products
You need bright work light over the kitchen island and the counter. For the lighting, it’s best to work closely with the kitchen designer. What you want to avoid is shadows and dark spots which will make the kitchen feel heavy and cramped. What you want is to smooth contrasts, visual lines, shadows and create a happy environment. Put lights where you work and also inside the cabinets and above the cabinets.
Be smart with the storage room
Small kitchen makeovers are a good opportunity for reorganizing the storage space and actually creating more room. But you need to be very smart about it, taking advantage of the room’s height and every single inch around but without cluttering. You don’t want items displayed all around, or the kitchen will look small. You need to adapt the minimalistic approach of keeping the basics, organizing by category, bringing cabinets to the ceiling. The latter will also make the room feel taller – hence, larger.
Enlarge the kitchen window
Bringing in more natural light won’t only make the kitchen look larger but also happier. Even if you cannot enlarge the window, make sure the glass is clear and the curtains are white.
Select the right materials
Transparent items (like glass) act like mirrors. They give the impression that a room is larger because they let the eye travel farther. You get a similar feeling with reflecting materials, like stainless-steel, shiny surfaces, high-gloss paint.
Open up the space
To create an open feeling in the kitchen and thus, make the room feel bigger and convenient, you really need to open up the space. This can happen with open shelving, fewer solid items, glass, uncluttered counters. So, time to become ruthless when it comes to your items, time to throw old stuff away or donate.
You need to remember that the things, which determine how big a small kitchen may look, are the light, the color, the clutter. Stick with good lighting, white colors, and minimalism and you’ll see it happening.
