Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes, and unfortunately, you don’t always end up with the size that you want. But luckily, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to deal with a kitchen you hate. There are several solutions to make a small kitchen feel much larger. Here are ten ways to make the most of a small kitchen.

Light Strategically

Strategic lighting is the first way to make the most of a small kitchen. People often don’t realize how big a role lighting plays in the overall perspective of a room and its size. Rooms that are dark and not well-lit feel smaller, more closed off, and cramped. If you want your kitchen space to feel bigger and more open, it’s a good idea to utilize lighting strategies that support that ambiance. For example, you can use brighter soffit lighting throughout the ceiling to open the space and fill it with light.

Remove Clutter

The second tip for making your small kitchen feel bigger is to remove clutter. It’s common to let the kitchen get a little cluttered. After all, it’s the room where you prepare all your meals and spend time with family, so it’s only natural that it’ll get messy from time to time. However, clearing out any unnecessary clutter will clean up the overall look of your kitchen while always giving the illusion that the space is larger than it actually is. That’s why you should take some time to throw away any trash that you have left lying around, as well as get rid of anything that you no longer need or use on a daily basis.

Paint Appropriately

Painting appropriately is another way to make the most of a smaller kitchen area. In the same way that you have to light your kitchen strategically, you also have to choose strategic paint colors for your space. For example, if you paint your walls a dark color, like brown or navy blue, then that creates the illusion that the space is even smaller. Darker colors can close a room off and make it feel too dark and small. If you want to avoid feeling like your kitchen shrunk even more after painting your walls, you should opt for a lighter color paint. Lighter colors, like white or pastel shades, will open your space up and make it feel as though there is more room in your kitchen.

Utilize Wall Space

When you have a small kitchen, finding a place to put everything can be challenging. But if you utilize your wall space in the right way, you will find that there are more options for décor, storage, and whatever else you choose to put on the walls. For example, if you love to cook and you have a lot of kitchen tools and equipment, but your kitchen is too small to store everything, you can hang hooks on your walls for all your extra supplies. You can hang a spice rack on the walls, along with stunning décor that you want to look at in your kitchen every day. You have the freedom to decide how you utilize your wall space, and if you do it in a certain way, you’ll be able to make the most of your smaller kitchen.

Glass Cabinet Doors

Adding glass cabinet doors to your kitchen is an effective way to make your small space feel larger. Glass paneled cabinet doors are great for several reasons. The glass allows you to actually see into the cabinet without having to open it, which is helpful for organization and knowing where everything is. You can also use the glass doors as an opportunity to showcase your crystal or china collection. And the other great thing about glass cabinet doors is that it opens the kitchen space up by allowing the naked eye to see through the cabinet all the way to the inner wall.

Direct the Gaze Upward

Another way to make the most of your kitchen space is by directing the gaze upward. This particular tip is a savvy design technique that interior designers use all the time to make a space feel taller. Utilizing design elements like vertical lines will help draw the eye and gaze up toward the ceiling, thus opening up the room significantly. This technique creates the feeling of more height within a room and changes the perspective of size and dimension, which is a perfect solution for anyone will a small kitchen.

Find Organizing Solutions

Smaller kitchens often lack storage space, which makes organizing difficult. But there are solutions even for the smallest kitchens out there. There are various organizers available that you can put in drawers, cabinets, pantries, and refrigerators to maximize your space. However, just make sure that you follow the decluttering tip before you embark on organizing. That way, you get rid of all the unnecessary stuff and only focus on organizing the items you will actually be making use of on a regular basis.

Floating Shelves

Another amazing option that allows you to make the most of your small kitchen is floating shelves. Cabinetry is typically the major storage space within a kitchen, but unfortunately, cabinet space only goes so far. When you run out of other storage options, you can hang floating shelves to give yourself more space in a sleek and modern way. You can also utilize floating shelves as a space for decorations and displays for whatever items you would like to show off.

Open the Space

If you struggle with a tight, cramped, and closed-off kitchen, the solution is to open the space. If you have a wall that separates the kitchen from the other rooms in the house, you could consider knocking it down to create an open floor plan that will make your space feel larger. In order to knock a wall down, you do have to make sure it’s non-weight-bearing, so consult with a professional if you are unsure. But if you are able to knock the wall down, go for it, because it will allow for more free-flowing movement from space to space.

Get Clever With Decor

The final idea for making the most of little kitchens is to get clever with décor. As we previously mentioned, avoiding clutter is in your best interest. Therefore, you want to avoid over-decorating, as this will make your space feel cluttered and cramped. Instead, you should choose a few statement pieces that you would like to display and start from there. You want your décor to feel well-balanced and appropriate for the size of your kitchen, so try not to go overboard with the trinkets.

Now that you have ten ideas for making the most of a small kitchen, you can implement these strategies and techniques in your space today. Check out Discount Kitchen Direct’s selection of cabinetry and floating shelves, including the stunning maple wood shelves to elevate your kitchen.