Kitchens are definitely the heart of the home, playing host to casual conversations with family and friends, family meals or a quiet afternoon tea for one. And in the midst of the recent economic shift, many people are downsizing to a smaller home and a smaller kitchen area is the new way of life. Luckily, there are tons of small space kitchen design ideas to make the most of your smaller kitchen.
People are spending valuable time in their homes and it’s worth making your space comfortable along with maximizing your limited space. Here are some hints and tricks for making your small kitchen look and feel open, comfortable and efficient.
1. Observe and understand how your family really uses the kitchen space. It is strictly for dining and casual time? Do you just eat at the kitchen table but socialize in the family room? When you evaluate how you use your space you get a better idea on how the layout will work for you. You might want to write out your kitchen routine. Seeing your day-to-day kitchen use on paper will give you an accurate idea on how you and your family actually use your kitchen space and what your function needs are. What works or doesn’t work for you.
2. When it comes to color, texture and style you need to choose what makes you feel good. What are your favorite design styles? What is the focal point of a kitchen? It’s usually the entire space, not like the living room which can be the fireplace or the T.V.! You need to make the kitchen feel like one complete unit and one way you do this is by keeping your backsplash color and pattern uninterrupted. That will keep your eye moving around the kitchen making it fit in rather than standing out causing the eye to stop. The backsplash needs to flow well.
3. Your cabinets, hardware, flooring and appliances should be one neutral hue. This will create the appearance of a fluid, balanced space. You can use simple, flat cabinet doors without a lot of detail or even glass doors. The plainer the detail of the doors, the better for smaller spaces.
4. Small kitchens can benefit from open shelving. This provides a contemporary and clean look. You will, of course, need to keep your dishware and glassware nicely straightened but this shouldn’t be a problem since you are limited on space and it works best when all items are in their correct space. Think about buying new dishware in a solid color and stack them for a cohesive look. Make your dishware part of your décor.
5. One good thing about having a small kitchen is when you do re-design; it doesn’t cost nearly as much as a big kitchen! So it’s more affordable to put a bit of luxury into your life. Granite or engineered stone countertops can be within your budget with a smaller kitchen. It’s a beautiful and functional, a detail that works big in a small space!
For more information on kitchen cabinet options visit www.cabinetrestorations.com or call Kitchen Make-Overs (925) 753-5002.