5 Recipes for Solving Problem Areas in Small Kitchens
Avoid small-kitchen syndrome with these nifty design ideas that tackle the space issue head-on
Louise O'Bryan
10 March 2017
Houzz Contributor with over 15 years as an interiors writer, stylist and content producer for digital and print media. Specialising in house tours, room renovations and decorating solutions, my previous clients include Inside Out (Aus), Ideal Home, The Times weekend supplement and Sainsbury's magazine. I never tire from the thrill of discovering a jaw-dropping, inspirational home to feature and having an insight into other people's spaces. Call me curious or just nosey!
Houzz Contributor with over 15 years as an interiors writer, stylist and content... More
So you’ve mastered the look of your pint-sized kitchen – light and bright for a sense of space – but now you’ve got to tackle the design. How do you squeeze in enough storage to ensure a place for everything? Is there going to be enough benchtop area to make it workable? Don’t stress, we’ve identified common problem areas in teeny weeny kitchens and found some great space-saving solutions that make the most of every spare centimetre.
1. No room for upper kitchen cupboards
A sink under a window creates a pleasing layout, but wall space for upper units is then sacrificed, particularly if a range hood takes up the rest of the available area.
Solution: In a long galley kitchen, consider adding a bespoke floor-to-ceiling cupboard at one end to provide heaps of storage space. Or if the room is very narrow, a slim pull-out pantry cupboard might be the answer. Consider opting for bi-fold doors, or doors that slide back into the cabinetry, to prevent the swing of the door encroaching on the tight floor space.
10 small but perfectly formed kitchens
A sink under a window creates a pleasing layout, but wall space for upper units is then sacrificed, particularly if a range hood takes up the rest of the available area.
Solution: In a long galley kitchen, consider adding a bespoke floor-to-ceiling cupboard at one end to provide heaps of storage space. Or if the room is very narrow, a slim pull-out pantry cupboard might be the answer. Consider opting for bi-fold doors, or doors that slide back into the cabinetry, to prevent the swing of the door encroaching on the tight floor space.
10 small but perfectly formed kitchens
When you’re lucky enough to have a bit of wall space but it’s limited, make every centimetre work hard. This includes any awkward gaps above appliances, such as fridges and microwaves. This might mean having custom-built units made to fit exact dimensions, but any extra costs will be well worth the gain in storage.
2. Never enough prep space
A common problem in tiny kitchens is the lack of benchtop space for preparing food, with the usual suspects like kettles, toasters and utensil pots eating up most of the precious space before you’ve even started chopping.
Solution: An island unit with cupboards or open shelving below will not only become storage central, it will also double your bench space. Consider trading in your low kitchen table for a more practical waist-height island, and you’ll find it more functional for daily chores.
What’s more, you can still retain a formal-style eating area without a dining table by simply adding elegant upholstered stools to your island and a striking pendant light above.
A common problem in tiny kitchens is the lack of benchtop space for preparing food, with the usual suspects like kettles, toasters and utensil pots eating up most of the precious space before you’ve even started chopping.
Solution: An island unit with cupboards or open shelving below will not only become storage central, it will also double your bench space. Consider trading in your low kitchen table for a more practical waist-height island, and you’ll find it more functional for daily chores.
What’s more, you can still retain a formal-style eating area without a dining table by simply adding elegant upholstered stools to your island and a striking pendant light above.
Not enough space for a central island? Then pop a freestanding unit up against the wall and create a peninsular bench area instead. If you choose a timber-topped design, stain it the same colour as the other benchtops for a cohesive scheme.
3. Little, or no, natural light
A tiny kitchen can feel even smaller if there’s no natural light or pretty view to distract from the cramped space, while existing upper cabinets can also make the room feel more closed in.
Solution: Under-cabinet lights will brighten the edges of the room and expand the sense of space, while providing task lighting on benchtops that may sit in the shadows of the overhead units. You could go one step further in brightening up the room and extending the sense of space by adding LED lights on the kickboards at floor level.
A tiny kitchen can feel even smaller if there’s no natural light or pretty view to distract from the cramped space, while existing upper cabinets can also make the room feel more closed in.
Solution: Under-cabinet lights will brighten the edges of the room and expand the sense of space, while providing task lighting on benchtops that may sit in the shadows of the overhead units. You could go one step further in brightening up the room and extending the sense of space by adding LED lights on the kickboards at floor level.
Another nifty solution for adding light is to fit a window between the benchtops and upper cabinets. You might find you’re constantly wiping off food and water splashes, but the natural light will make a huge difference to the small room.
4. Bulky utensils clogging up the benchtops
Spacious, organised drawers can be a thing of dreams in tiny kitchens, where your most-frequently used cooking utensils tend to get shoved into over-filled pots on the bench.
Solution: Go vertical and make the most of skinny gaps in between units or next to the oven with pull-out storage. Adding pot holders at the top creates easy-to-grab utensil storage, and the bottom section is great for corralling spices and oil bottles, freeing up more space on your benchtops.
Max space in your tiny kitchen
Spacious, organised drawers can be a thing of dreams in tiny kitchens, where your most-frequently used cooking utensils tend to get shoved into over-filled pots on the bench.
Solution: Go vertical and make the most of skinny gaps in between units or next to the oven with pull-out storage. Adding pot holders at the top creates easy-to-grab utensil storage, and the bottom section is great for corralling spices and oil bottles, freeing up more space on your benchtops.
Max space in your tiny kitchen
Or you could combine a drawer at the top with a pull-out section at the bottom, providing a handy area for items that need containing.
5. Single-wall kitchen with no character
Popular in new builds that feature open-plan kitchen/living rooms, a single-wall kitchen that’s featureless can feel pretty useless and uninspiring.
Solution: An attention-grabbing splashback or some smart hanging racks are simple ways of creating a distraction from the bland layout and adding some interest to the otherwise plain units, while displaying elegant cookbooks or a swoon-worthy appliance will create a hint of luxury.
Popular in new builds that feature open-plan kitchen/living rooms, a single-wall kitchen that’s featureless can feel pretty useless and uninspiring.
Solution: An attention-grabbing splashback or some smart hanging racks are simple ways of creating a distraction from the bland layout and adding some interest to the otherwise plain units, while displaying elegant cookbooks or a swoon-worthy appliance will create a hint of luxury.
And if you have space, why not extend your single-wall kitchen outside and double everything: your bench space, storage and cooking facilities? Just be sure to add a solid roof to your garden room and you’ll be able to use it year-round.
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How have you made your small kitchen work harder? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
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Tell us
How have you made your small kitchen work harder? Share your experiences in the Comments below.
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Read more small kitchen stories
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The porch, while brick and glazed, is not sealed as the door to the yard is half wood and has two rectangular fly wire panels. It will be interesting adapting to this kitchen!
I do admire people with an adventurous spirit mawsiepaws :-)
This small kitchen had an awkward cabinet, narrow & deep. These pull out stainless steel baskets were install to give maximum functionality. There are many sizes & suitable for DIY installation, so just about any cabinet can be converted. Here are more ideas for narrow cabinet slide outs.