36 small kitchen ideas: decorating tricks for the most compact of spaces
Designing a small kitchen that meets the needs of a household can be a bit of a balancing act. Marrying functionality and personality is tricky enough when there is ample room available to you, not least if you're struggling for storage opportunities or trying to find furniture that won't rob you of floor space. But rooms that put your ingenuity to the test can become the cleverest and most original in your home.
The key to designing a small kitchen very much lies in multiple and concerted design tricks rather than a single solution—the way in which you use colour, the introduction of reflective surfaces to maximise natural light, and a consideration of the flow and how the eye travels around the room.
'A layout designed to your needs and lifestyle will make your space work harder. Clever storage solutions and thoughtful design will maximise the space efficiency,' says Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr. 'To start, ask yourself what items you really need and use on a daily basis. Clear out those extra baking dishes that are never used and collecting dust, not to mention the dry food that has been lost to the back of the cupboard and is well over its expiry date. Having an organised kitchen brings a sense of calm and is especially important in a compact kitchen.'
Below we have looked at our favourite kitchen designers and retailers to find the best small kitchen ideas and included some clever space-saving tricks from experts.
Use every inch
Never leave corners unaccounted for. An integrated bench and modest bistro table can create an informal dining nook that can be used for leisurely breakfasts as it can for home working. The wall lamps help to delineate it as its own little pocket, and some simple upholstery and cushions add some much-needed comfort.
Pictured: Suffolk Kitchen at Neptune, designed by Nigel Hunt, Head of Design at Studio Huntreay
The one-wall kitchen
The one-wall kitchen is truly an exercise in ingenuity. Often the only viable solution in a studio apartment or open-plan kitchen and living room, this diminutive layout is most successful with lots of internal storage solutions like a Le Mans corner unit or pull-out pantry.
Pictured: Marlborough Terracotta Tile at Ca'Pietra
Full fat colour
In a small space, you can afford to be bold with colour. There are few shades that can match the energy of a bright green, and the cream-coloured walls and antiqued splashback temper its vibrancy. The sweet arrangement of accessories makes a case for mixing decorative touches among the kitchenware.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by John Lewis of Hungerford
Vintage
This vintage kitchen renovation is a lesson in decorating to scale, with irresistibly tiny pendants, wall art, and dollhouse accessories. Unfussy Shaker cabinets are softened with a frothy cafe curtain, and the warm glow of a table lamp is sympathetic to dark and poky corners.
See the rest of this vintage kitchen renovation
Feature appliances
If you're a fan of a feature wall or feature colour, but tentative about using too much eye-catching colour in a small space, go for a feature appliance instead. This will afford you a pop of colour without feeling overpowering.
Pictured: Limehouse Kitchen at Neptune
Glass fronts
Galley kitchens do well with a run of wall cabinets, but all that bulkiness can overpower a small space. Glass fronts feel much lighter, diffusing the intensity of colour overhead and revealing an artful mix of kitchenware inside. The mismatch of uppers and lowers feels relaxed and a little less formal than the usual coordinating sets.
Don't forgo styling
Small spaces shouldn't necessarily mean paring back your design personality. Fewer pieces and minimal decoration will create a more open environment, but kitchens are often so functional that they require a bit of character to soften them. If you are really stretched for space, adding colour to your surfaces is the best way to achieve this.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Olive & Barr
Try antiques
Leave it to an antiques dealer to master the mix of old and new. The neat uniformity of the fitted cupboards (these are by Pluck), is offset with an old kitchen island and a collection of well-worn things. The ruddy chalk wash on the walls adds further texture and warmth, and the pendant light is like a fabulous disco ball in the middle of it all.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at Pluck
Make space for wishlist features
Don't disregard your dream kitchen features just because space is tight, just scale everything down. This diminutive bar area takes up the tiniest footprint, but it could be made even smaller with a freestanding trolley that could be rolled in and out of a kitchen on a whim. See the rest of this vibrant Victorian terrace here.
Pictured: Kitchen designed by Oakley Moore
How to tackle dark corners
Dark and cramped corners are sometimes unavoidable, so layering lighting is key. 'Add task lighting through strategically placed wall lights and pendants over the most used areas such as the island and food preparation stations,' says Al.
Pictured: Original BTC Cobb Rise And Fall Pendant at John Lewis
Open display
'Open shelving encourages a tidy space because items are on show,' says Tom Howley, design director of the eponymous kitchen company. 'It’s a great opportunity to display treasured pottery or copperware instead of hiding them away behind closed doors. Arrange glass jars containing dried goods or exotic spices in size order on an open shelf for a practically stylish pinch of colour. Open shelving helps light flow through and can make a kitchen look bigger. It’s a great kitchen storage alternative if space is at a premium as shelves make smaller spaces feel less cramped.'
Pictured: Laura Jackson Café Flore paint at COAT
Layers
The more layers you can squeeze into a small space, the more inviting it will be. Designer India Holmes does this in spades with an imaginative mix of cabinetry and tongue and groove panelling, veined marble surfaces and wallpaper that mimics the intricate motifs of Portuguese tiles. Stacks of plates overhead and little hooks for mugs free up countertops, and a rug adds a decorative flourish underfoot.
Pictured: Kitchen designed by India Holmes. Rici Rug in Jay at Pelican House
Dark kitchens
Play to the limitations of a light-starved kitchen and meet dark with dark. The trick to pulling it all off is to concentrate the drama to your cabinets and go light on walls and floors. Avoid white in this instance as the contrast can be too stark and lean instead on a warming mix of pink and terracotta. If you’re brave enough to go for black cabinetry, accent with light-reflecting brass hardware.
Pictured: Kitchen design by Charli Howard. Marrakesh Hessian Bejmat Tiles at Bert & May
L-shaped kitchen
While tempting to fill a small space with as much storage as possible, floor-to-ceiling cupboards can be totally imposing if overused. Combining a section of tall cupboards with floor and wall units creates varied storage options and breaks everything up.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at Pluck
Integrated seating
One for truly compact kitchens. If you can't spare any floor space for a breakfast bar stool or chair, cast your eye around for opportunities for integrated seating. A sweet window seat just needs a spare corner, and the joy here is that you can create extra storage underneath.
Pictured: House Beautiful Bamboo Venetian Blinds at Hillarys
Clear your vertical space
Try using statement features, colours, and patterns below eye level, and keep vertical space clear and clutter-free. This clever use of tiles makes the most of existing surfaces.
Pictured: Soho House Redchurch Street Tile at Bert & May
Internal windows
Brighten gloomy kitchens with internal windows that increase a sense of space and improve the flow of natural light. This dreamy kitchen by Golden Design is further lifted with cheerful pistachio cabinets and whisper soft pink walls. The potted plants look as though they have lined up in the hope of bathing in some real sunlight.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Golden Design
Colour drenching
The all-over yellow paint is a clever design trick here. Creating lots of breaks with different bands or blocks of colour can interrupt the line of vision, making a room seem smaller.
Pictured: Cabinetry and walls in Haymarket No.47 at Mylands
Make a feature of storage
As we have said many times, storage is a small kitchen essential. And whilst hidden storage is a great space-saving tool, you can also turn your storage into a design feature in itself. We love this vintage floor-to-ceiling unit from the Used Kitchen Exchange.
Pictured: Pre-loved kitchen at Used Kitchen Exchange
Freestanding units
Built-in everything is not always the best option. Freestanding butcher’s blocks, vintage sideboards and units on wheels offer total flexibility in small spaces – you can move everything in and out to accommodate extra guests, and the whole thing looks personal and layered, as if lovingly assembled over decades.
Neutrals
'Colours can trick the way our brains perceive depth and scale. For those in small-space living, a white kitchen will make your compact lifestyle seem larger and brighter,' says Lizzie Beesley, head of design at Magnet. 'According to colour psychology, white also evokes feelings of peacefulness and cleanliness – alleviating the stressful feeling of clutter in a small space.
'If you don’t fancy opting for an all-white, do be careful with contrasting wall and floor colours. The bigger the contrast, the smaller the room feels sense-wise. Hence, it’s best to match light walls with light floors and tiles and then introduce other colours through accessories and hardware.'
Pictured: Winchester Kitchen at Magnet
Use wallpaper as a design tool
Use wallpaper to draw the eye to your largest expanse of wall, or a source of natural light. 'Creating a feature wall by using some exciting wallpaper or a standout colour can help make the space livelier and help bring the focus of the space to the new wall,' says Vicki Foster, interior stylist at SCS.
Pictured: Hedera wallpaper at Sanderson
Sliding doors
Improve the flow of a small kitchen by installing clever sliding doors on castors. 'Sliding doors are a great space-saving design feature, and offer a clever way to contain cooking smells as well as creating a broken-plan kitchen layout,' says Al.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Olive & Barr
Joyful colour
'Colour is incredibly emotive and can change the way we feel – so choosing a bright yellow is sure to make you feel happy spending time in the heart of the home. Not only that, but yellow is a great option for kitchens as it can make rooms feel bigger and brighter and can also make people feel happier and calmer too,' say the experts at GoodMove.
Pictured: Cabinets painted in Woad, and walls painted in Stock, both at Little Greene
WFH spot
Even the smallest of kitchens may need to serve as a home office, but there are clever ways of achieving this without compromising space. A shallow shelf to accommodate a laptop, a breakfast stool that can be tucked away when not in use, and stylish storage boxes to contain clutter is really all you need.
Pictured: Shaker 5 Piece in Sage Green at Wren Kitchens
Using runners
Rugs and runners are so infrequently used in the kitchen for fear of ruining them with spills, but they are a great design tool. A narrow runner can highlight the length of a kitchen and direct the eye towards your best source of natural light or some interesting cabinetry.
Pictured: Shaker kitchen at Neptune
Think about your surfaces
Your work surfaces take up considerable space in the kitchen, so don’t waste an opportunity to introduce brightening and light-reflecting finishes. A white marble is a brilliant choice, especially when used in large blocks.
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Plain English
Prop everything up
A tried-and-tested stylist's trick. Propping your flatter accessories – chopping boards, framed artwork, recipe books – on shelves or work surfaces will add a layer of decoration without taking up counter space.
Pictured: All crockery and accessories at Dunelm
The breakfast bar
A failsafe solution if your small kitchen can't quite accommodate a dining table, is a breakfast bar. This really can be as easy as installing a shelf as a makeshift table, and bar stools that can be tucked away to save on floor space.
Pictured: Heather Bar Stools at Cult Furniture
Larders
'Rather than filling the walls with units, opt for a full-height larder for those everyday items, allowing wall space for open shelving,' says Al. 'Using reclaimed wood shelving adds character and contrast to your brand new kitchen. Use this area to let your personality show through by displaying your favourite glassware or ceramics.'
Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Olive & Barr
Look for opportunities
Ceiling drying racks are becoming hugely popular (they are currently the most popular utility room trend on TikTok, according to research by Magnet), and they are a great choice for smaller kitchens. Choose a natural wood design so it feels a touch vintage and country-inspired, rather than purely functional.
Pictured: Quinta Marron Tile at Bert & May
Balancing small workspaces
For the tiniest of worktops, make sure you leave plenty of vertical space above to create the illusion of a more expansive area. Forgo shelving in little corners like this – the extra storage won't be worth losing any preparation space.
Pictured: Walls painted in Re:mix Normandy Grey at Little Greene
Bespoke storage
Find opportunities in your kitchen for hidden storage, like a spice rack integrated into your cabinet doors or a toe-kick drawer in the base of your cabinets. 'Ideally, work surfaces need to be kept as clear as possible for food preparation and effective cleaning. Reserve space for daily necessities such as your coffee machine, kettle and microwave. If you have room, a bi-fold pantry is a fantastic way to hide away these small appliances,' says Tom.
Pictured: Devine Kitchen at Tom Howley
Bring the outdoors in
As well as clever design tricks and storage solutions, you can simply introduce nature into your space by integrating aspects of the outdoors – plants are an obvious one, as well as useful herbs like mint or sage.
Pictured: Assorted plants at Plant Envy
Reflective surfaces
Highly reflective gloss tiles are a great way to create a sense of space, so too is bright quartz or a mirrored splashback. Metallic finishes will have the same effect, so opt for a silver finish on your larger appliances – this works brilliantly if you have a full-height double fridge.
Pictured: Hessian Rectangle Zellige Tile at Bert & May
Colour balance
Dark cabinetry is a fabulous choice and easy to keep clean; just be sure to balance dark with light. As seen here, contrast darker units with lighter paint colours and countertops to expand the perceived space of your kitchen.
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