4 Min. Read
Tearing out walls to create a larger kitchen isn’t in the cards for every renovation. When it comes time to start your kitchen remodel, how can you make the most of your space and be happy with the result when major structural changes can’t be made? Surprisingly, there are many solutions that can help open up a small kitchen and they’re quite convincing.
You might be happy to know that most of these ideas are cost-effective and easy to use. Simply by using some visual tricks like color, a mixture of materials, different lines and more you can make your kitchen appear larger. Explore 9 ideas for how to make a small kitchen look bigger below.
1. Use a White Color Scheme
Bringing white into your kitchen design will help the room appear larger. Not only is this one of the best colors for kitchen walls, but it reflects light well, brightens your space and even makes the ceiling height look taller. Whether you use it for wall cabinets, countertops, or everything, this tip alone is sure to give you the appearance of a larger kitchen.
2. Improve Your Lighting
Most homes do not have proper lighting for everyday functions. This includes ambient, task, and accent lighting. The easiest way to improve the appearance and size of your kitchen remodel is with updated lighting in all these categories.
Ambient lighting consists of chandeliers, recessed lights and flush mount fixtures. These provide your main source of light for working in the kitchen. Task lighting is more direct like LED undercabinet lighting and pendants. And accent lighting like sconces and picture lights are perfect for creating ambiance. With a variety of this lighting, your kitchen will be stunning, functional, and your eyes will thank you later.
3. Shorten Your Wall Cabinets
Do you have a soffit or low ceiling? Remove the soffit if possible and install wall cabinets a minimum of 3”-6” below the ceiling or more if possible. Doing this will draw the eye up, giving your kitchen the appearance of a taller ceiling. Creating space between the cabinets and ceiling will reflect an airy, open design.
4. Add Reflective Materials
The easiest way to visually increase the size of your space is by adding reflective materials. This can include glass fixtures, glossy backsplash tiles, metal finishes or mirrors. Light can reflect and bounce off these finishes making your kitchen look more spacious. For more of a designer look, consider using a mixture of metal finishes to add interest.
5. Trade Cabinets for Shelving
Even if kitchen storage is minimal, open shelves can do a lot to enlarge a small kitchen. Shelving gives you the ability to create visual interest, warmth depending upon the finish, and a spacious design. This also gives you the opportunity to have fun with some colorful décor and dishes.
Using wall cabinets on every wall of a small kitchen can look bulky. By simply removing a few wall cabinets around the kitchen window or creating a focal point near the edge of the kitchen, you can dramatically impact the overall “openness” of your kitchen design. Explore a variety of styles like white oak, walnut and even stainless steel floating shelves for a unique look.
6. Use Low-Contrast Color Schemes
Are you wondering how to make a small kitchen look bigger with less white? If white isn’t your favorite color, try using low-contrast color schemes. Light blue, soft gray, or taupe are all great base colors to build from. These also happen to be some of the best colors for kitchen walls. Accessorize with lighter warm tones or brighter pastels to stay away from a dark, closed off kitchen.
7. Choose a Sleek Range Hood
Your choice of hood will dictate the focal point of the kitchen remodel. It can either open up the floor plan or appear too large and bulky. Focus on a minimal hood design that matches your cabinet style while keeping the space light and uncluttered.
Additionally, choose a standalone wood hood that does not sit next to cabinets. Undercabinet hoods or hoods meant to sit in between cabinets will add to the heaviness of a kitchen design. Use a chimney-style hood that vents outdoors for the best minimal appearance.
8. Remove the Clutter
Use high-efficiency storage solutions to keep your small appliances, produce, and other foods off the countertops. In a small kitchen, countertops are valuable real estate and easily impact visual clutter. The fewer items there are on the countertops, the more spacious the kitchen will seem.
Clever cabinet accessories like the base pantry pull-out above, roll-out trays, pots and pans organizers and much more help maximize your kitchen storage. With efficient storage solutions, your kitchen will be much more organized. Take the time to allocate specific spaces for each of your kitchen tools. This will leave you with a more organized kitchen and cleaner countertops.
9. Change Perception With Lines
For narrow kitchens, use lines to influence perception of the space. Any room can appear wider by using horizontal lines to your advantage. Use a long horizontal backsplash to make the kitchen look bigger. Subway tiles or rectangular tiles will help draw the eye across the room. You can also achieve this effect with pop-up horizontal wall cabinets and patterned flooring like horizontal tile or herringbone floors while enhancing the kitchen design.
As you can see, there are endless ways to trick the eye and make any room appear bigger. Now it’s up to you to decide which of these tips to use in your upcoming kitchen remodel. Use a mixture of these tips to create a dynamic kitchen design you will love. Your neighbors will soon be envious of your larger kitchen!
Get started on your remodel today. Explore Cabinets now!
