A Guide to Kitchen Area Design

A large kitchen with hardwood floors and a center island.

When considering creating a compact kitchen layout, develop a list of your must-haves, especially appliances, which can let your space get filled up quickly. Consult with a competent kitchen designer.

The kitchen is the heart of your home and should be the most comfortable part of your house. (Image by user32212 from Pixabay) 

Open shelving and glass cabinets assist in creating depth.

While closed cabinets are ideal for keeping kitchens looking neat, having too much of it on the upper half of the walls is likely to make a tiny kitchen appear even smaller – you’re effectively extending the solid wall outwards into the room.

Use awkward nooks to be creative.

Because of the low bottom edge of the windows, it is challenging to extend the worktop to the end wall. Instead, a lower countertop can be installed, transforming the awkward nook into a lounging space ideal for enjoying a cup of coffee while gazing out the window.

Use movable furniture.

When there is limited space, an island unit can be more of a hindrance than an asset. Even a narrow permanent island would have made the space on either side feel small and compromised. On the other hand, a freestanding vintage table offers additional prep space when required and can be moved away from the way when entertaining.

Consider U-shaped solutions.

Transform your kitchen into a stylish, functional space with U-shaped kitchen. (Image by Barry D from Pixabay) 

A U-shape design is frequently the best bet when packing several units into a small space. The disadvantage of two corners is offset by additional closet space on the boundary. The key to creating compressed U-shaped kitchens is to make the most of every available space.

Include an Island.

Kitchen islands can be used for various purposes, including storage, extra work surface, and seating. By incorporating breakfast bar concepts into your kitchen layout, you can make the area go further by adding a convenient place to eat and drink. It also takes up less space than a bulky kitchen table.

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Kitchen Mistakes To Avoid

The kitchen is the one area of the house that can impact a promising buyer’s choice to make a lucrative offer on your home or pass it up in favor of another. 

So, the following are the mistakes to avoid when redesigning a kitchen:

Remember storage.

This kitchen storage idea is the ultimate in space-saving. It gives a neat look to your kitchen. (Image by Jesse Bridgewater from Pixabay) 

Whether you fill a small kitchen with intelligent fitted solutions like pull-out larders and pull-out corner cabinets, or you take advantage of the chance in a larger kitchen to have only enough space for the components you use all the time plus others that you want to showcase, hiding the away the rest in a walk-in larder or pantry.

Remember a doorway to the garden.

If your kitchen is adjoining a garden and there is currently only a glass overlooking it, now is the time to redesign the layout so that doors to the garden can be installed. Then, you can establish an outdoor dining area beyond the doorway on the deck or the patio.

Invest in layout planning.

From custom-designed paint colors to all the accessories and appliances, decide your layout. (Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay) 

When you’ve decided on your favorite kitchen company, each designer will present you with various options, which you can incorporate into your final plan. It is well worth your time to visit at least three different kitchen designers with jagged plans you have created yourself.

Only design a small kitchen if you cannot help. 

You might well be restricted on floor space in an apartment or tiny home. However, if you have a large dining area and small kitchen now, use renovation as an advantage to either merge the spaces by going open-plan, taking the caveats above into consideration, or by replacing the capabilities of the two rooms.

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Make sure to complete the kitchen lighting.

Light is a key element of your kitchen’s aesthetic style, and it’s also essential for cooking. (Image by EDDIE LEE from Pixabay) 

Kitchen lighting is essential, and it has to strive effectively in this busiest of rooms. Dimmable lighting should be included so you can set one atmosphere for food preparation and another when eating. Remember to include separate lighting switches so that all of the lighting in your room’s zones can be controlled independently – via a well-placed switch and intelligent control.

 

Ways to make a small kitchen appear larger

However, the most common kitchen size we see is often smaller than what is portrayed in the media in home magazines. 

 

If you’ve got a small kitchen and want to make it appear larger, we have a few ideas for you:

Reduce the amount of clutter.

To keep clutter at bay, consider sorting your kitchen drawers. (Image by Solomon Rodgers from Pixabay) 

Clear off your countertops to keep sight lines open. To assist you in accomplishing this, your countertops cabinetry can include inventive storage solutions. A food preparation utensil drawer will eradicate the need for a countertop kitchen caddy. In addition to the standard knife block set, you could have a knife drawer installed.

Appliances should be hidden behind the cabinetry.

Appliance cabinets will match the rest of your kitchen cabinets. This will keep your kitchen’s design consistent and sleek and make it appear larger. The image below shows a dishwasher concealed behind a cabinet panel.

Use light colors.

White kitchens are trendy now but provide more benefits than being visually appealing. The light colors always reflect more light than the dark colors, making your kitchen appear more prominent, open, and airy.

Utilize Reflective Materials.

Reflective furniture reflects light, giving your kitchen a modern appearance, and making it appear larger. (Image by Connoman from Pixabay) 

Mirrors and other reflective materials are well known for making a space appear larger, which is why they are frequently used in restrooms, living rooms, and hallways. Apply the same thought process to your kitchen.

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The compact kitchen is the perfect solution for small spaces and offers an aesthetically pleasing appearance. (Image by StockSnap from Pixabay) 

Your kitchen ought to be a happy place for you. Face it, you’re heading to spend much time in the kitchen cooking, cleaning, and organizing, so it might as well be someplace you enjoy spending time. Though your kitchen is small, it does not have to feel small!

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