The challenge of a small kitchen

Living in the heart of a city or holiday hotspot can result in less floor space, but it doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style or convenience. If you visualise your small kitchen as a sleek, chic and carefully engineered space, every ‘solution’ becomes a fresh design feature. As the modernist mantra goes, form follows function.

Plan your ideal lifestyle

A small kitchen is an opportunity to improve your culinary practices. For example, following up on those plans to eat fresh, healthy food can quickly translate into a space-saving change of habits. Cutting back on ‘emergency’ tinned and frozen food supplies makes the pantry obsolete and frees up freezer space. 

Want to make the transition easier? Try a smart solution like Samsung’s Family Hub 2.0, a fridge that can digitally track your expiry dates and reorder fresh food when you’re running low.

Create a workflow

Small kitchen ideas tend to centre on individual space-savers like door hooks and fold-out cupboards. These are great, but don’t mean a thing unless they’re integrated into your routine as well as your design.

Consider how you prep and cook your meals. Make sure the fridge is next to a clear surface, which is beside the oven. If you think in modular terms, you can break down your space into useful areas and apply those space-saving solutions to each one: like using utensil hooks above certain work surfaces to keep them clear.

Conceal or reveal

‘Clutter’ is a global epidemic. A quarter of Americans say their home is already too cluttered. If you want a minimalist space, your assessment of what you need must be brutal. 

If, however, every kitchen gadget and cherished piece of antique kitchenalia brings you joy, keep them. You just need a storage solution that fits – often it’s as simple as open shelving. Free from the confines of cabinetry, you can use an entire wall space. 

Match your materials

Spain is a Mecca for luxurious kitchen design, because the Spanish know how to choose the right materials. Take our shelving solution above. For a period kitchen, rustic reclaimed oak or antique mahogany can make all the difference. Displaying your items on such perfect pedestals can transform them from common clutter into works of art.

Well-chosen materials can also create features to break up a monotonous small kitchen design and generate a more lively feel. For example, one of this year’s top kitchen trends is adding a surprising splash of colour, whether that’s scarlet cupboard door handles or bright green glassware.

Look at lighting

As essential for aesthetics as it is for practical purposes, lighting is a serious consideration in small kitchen design. If you can bring in natural light with a skylight or by removing doors, you’ll immediately make the space feel airier.

Avoid large, central light fittings that cast shadows without illuminating surfaces. Instead use task lighting, such as cabinet lights and spotlights attached to shelves or recessed into cabinetry. Use smart lighting systems to independently dim and alter the colour of lights. It’s a great way to shift focal points and moods, making the room feel fresh every time you enter.

If all of these small kitchen ideas are a lot to integrate, you might benefit from working with a kitchen designer. Alternatively, you can explore our other interior design tips to see how your kitchen fits in with broader themes and trends.