The kitchen is one of the most important rooms. It’s where we prepare our food for ourselves and our family. As you might know, cooking can get messy and complicated, but things get much easier with a good kitchen layout and functionality.

Sadly, many people don’t have that much space in their kitchens. If you lack space, you should consider different ways to get that extra room you need so much. As a designer, you need to know how to make the most out of tight kitchens since few of your clients will have large homes.

Here are the essential tips that can help you maximize kitchen space.

Hide all appliances.

As time goes on, more and more different kitchen appliances become available. People could get only tall and large refrigerators that took a lot of space in the past. Today, you can build all devices into the kitchen, including dishwashers, microwaves, ovens,  and refrigerators.

They can save a lot of space, but these appliances offer different customization options, including doors and additional paneling. Modern kitchens are no longer random and chaotic, and that’s why built-in devices are so popular, especially in contemporary kitchens.

Integrated appliances also offer seamless design since you fit them into kitchen elements. They look more natural, and it is easy to combine the proper devices with your kitchen.

Implement creative storage options.

The kitchen is where people need to put many items, including vegetables, fruit, utensils, spices, sauces, etc. That calls for many different storage options, but you will have to get creative if you have little space.

Start with hooks and put them everywhere you can. People can use them for aprons, rags, utensils, etc. Consider storing things out in the open where they don’t take up valuable space and are easy to grab.

Leave no corners untouched, and every one of them is a good place for jars or plants. If you have a window in the kitchen, you can also use it to store items on the inside window sill. Hang up cabinets on as many walls as you can to increase your storage space.

Remove non-essentials.

Since you’re trying to make the most of your kitchen and make it functional in a tight space, you will likely have to remove things the kitchen doesn’t need.

For example, if you’re designing a kitchen for a house where two people will live, you don’t need huge storage space for glasses and mugs. Leaving room for 5-6 pieces of each is simply enough.

Avoid doing things according to “norms” but switch back to that “basic” way of thinking. What is actually essential for a kitchen? With this kind of mindset, it will be easier to figure out which items you should remove and how to free up space.

Go vertical.

One of the best ways to maximize space in a kitchen is to add as many vertical storage options as possible. Today, it’s easy to create customized solutions that fit a specific kitchen perfectly. Include as many upper cabinets, corner shelves, racks, hooks, plate rails, magnets, and sliding shelves.

Yes, vertical solutions can sometimes be annoying and unreachable for more petite people, but they can help you fit in everything you need from that area of your home.

With this approach, you can quickly solve storage issues, but it is not the only thing to consider, so read on.

Add light to open up your space.

One of the oldest tricks in the book is to add natural light to your space when you want it to open up and look visually more spacious. So, when including storage on your windows, consider the natural light that needs to be coming in.

At the same time, think about window design since you don’t want decorations blocking the sunlight from coming in. Window dressings should also be simple without any shades or complex styles that will reduce sunlight.

Natural light isn’t important just because it creates a sense of more space, but it will also make it easier to see all the corners and small compartments you’ve added to use them with ease.

Use lighter colors.

With modern kitchens, you should keep things simple as far as colors go. Adding many different colors to your kitchen can look tacky and entirely out of place. At the same time, it will create chaos in the whole area instead of making it more functional, and you don’t want that.

You should choose two different color options that complement each other and use different shades for floors, walls, appliances, and cabinets. In general, it’s always a good idea to add a lot of white since it enhances light and opens up your space further.

Having a white floor, walls, countertops, and cabinets make your space look larger. Always focus more on lighter color schemes for small kitchens to make them shine.

Consider folding tables.

If you want to have a dining table in your kitchen, you can implement it without sacrificing functionality and style. Many smaller tables that are reasonably practical and don’t take up a lot of space.

However, consider adding folding tables if you genuinely want to create a cozy kitchen with exceptional functionality for your clients.

These tables are easy to install and save up a lot of floor space. As the name implies, they stand folded against the wall, and you can expand them into a table with a single pull. They can also double as coffee tables and serve as comfortable workspaces.

Conclusion

In the end, remember to think about the visual experience and aesthetics of the space when finding the best solutions to maximize space. It’s generally a good idea to use mirrors as they can give more flair to the whole room while also making it look bigger.

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