Small Kitchen Designs

The Secrets of a Good Small Kitchen Design

The small kitchen layout is the curse of many cooks, apartment dwellers and home owners around the world. Most people give up in defeat and naturally assume that the best solution for the tiny or kitchen layout is to move out! But this is not necessarily the true in all cases. In fact many cramped cookeries can be reformed with a good kitchen layout.

Small Kitchen Layouts Are Unique To Remodel

Small kitchens (with 126 square feet of floor space or less) have always been considered to be troublesome when you need to remodel them. This is mainly because you just don't have the flexibility as you do when working with larger kitchen design layout spaces. This is why you must learn to be very creative when planning your small kitchen design.

Yet kitchens can be very expensive to remodel and if you use a solidly prepared small kitchen layout, you can save yourself lots of money since the cabinetry and appliances for kitchens are often under-sized.

The 3 Popular Small Kitchen Designs

The most common kitchen layout is the "One Wall" or "cluster". In this layout as the name implies all the appliances and sink are pushed up against a single wall in a line. The advantage of this design is that you fit in any appliance; in any order you desire as long as the wall is at least 8 feet in length. And if the wall is less than 8 ft. you can still use smaller size equipment such as a 20-inch cooking range instead of the standard 30 inch. You save on space and money in one purchase.

The next kitchen layout you should consider is the "corridor" or "galley" kitchen. A galley was originally designed as the cooking area on board a boat or ship and the concept quickly caught on in cramped city apartments and townhouses.

The corridor kitchen is basically the workstations are divided into two parts, with the sections placed along parallel walls with a narrow walkway or corridor between them. This is like having two "one wall" pieces instead of one. And like it cousin the single wall, the corridor kitchen is very flexible and versatile in appliance and storage placement.

The last type of kitchen layout is the "L-Shape". In this design you can group the sink and appliances in the corner of the "L" or set them on one leg or the other based on your plumbing or power outlet requirements. Ideally you want to keep your sink, stove and refrigerator close together in order to cut down on wasted movement while preparing and cooking meals.
Other Items to Consider in a Small Kitchen Layout

Other things you need to think while planning your small kitchen design, is the kitchen cabinet layout and furniture. Many small kitchens can be overwhelmed or appear crowded due to the fact that people typically install as many standard cabinets against the walls as they can.

Renovating a kitchen is the perfect opportunity to try out recessed cabinets (which fit between 16 inch studs and are great for those weird spots behind doors or other nooks and crannies); using floor-to-ceiling cabinets or pantries for more storage space. You can also consider moving space hogs like nearby washer, dryers and water heaters to other locations in the home to increase space.

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5 Useful Small Kitchen Design Tips

Having a huge kitchen complete with the latest state-of-the-art kitchen equipment and appliances is everyone's dream. A large kitchen provides more than enough space for you to do your cooking activities and to put all of your cooking equipments. However, not everyone has the luxury of having a big kitchen in their house. A lot of modern houses or apartments are equipped with quite small kitchens. Below are several simple small kitchen design tips that will help you to make the most of the available space.

1. Paint the walls with bright colors

Bright, cheerful colors such as yellow, aquamarine, or baby pink tend to give the illusion of a larger space. You can also combine the colors to create a specific mood or a statement. A touch of bright color will give bold statement for a small space.

2. Open up the window and maximize the lighting

Sufficient lighting will make your small kitchen look bigger. If your kitchen already has a large window, don't cover it with a curtain. Remove the curtain to let in more natural light. You can install a mini blind with narrow slats so you can cover the window at night or when no one's at home. If your kitchen doesn't have a large window, compensate with good lighting. Under cabinet or under counter lighting can help create the illusion of more space.

3. Get rid of clutter and mess

Don't leave stuff lying around your kitchen, keep your kitchen clutter free. Only put the necessary utensils or appliances on the counter top. You should store the rest in the cabinet or cupboard. By minimizing clutter at eye level, your kitchen will look and feel larger than it really is.

4. Make use of the wall for equipment storage

You mount open shelves or hanging racks on your walls if you don't have enough space in your kitchen cabinets. Open storage is great for organizing spices, cooking utensils, dinnerware, etc. With a little creativity, everyday kitchen objects can make good decorations. You can also hang fabric pockets behind your kitchen door for storing small objects like aluminum foils, paper bags, or napkins.

5. Opt for compact kitchen appliances

Kitchen appliances today come in various designs and sizes. Manufacturers have come up with space-saving appliances to make small kitchen design easier. Smaller appliances like microwave can be hung underneath cabinets to saving space.

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