Learn How To Make A Small Kitchen Seem Larger
Where, in your home, do you spend the most time? If you are like most families, it’s probably in the kitchen. It seems that no matter how large your kitchen is, it never feels big enough.
Several years ago, after completely redesigning the floor plan, I remodeled my kitchen. We knocked down a wall (we had the best time doing the demolition) and installed a garden window over the sink, lowering the bottom of the window to be even with the countertop. Then we added an island with an overhand and room for three chairs or stools. Finally, we put in a food-prep peninsula at table height, which also has an overhang with room for three or four more stools.
Following are several ideas to make any kitchen feel and look larger. Remember, it’s not necessary to follow all of them, but even implementing one will make a big difference in your kitchen.
Create More Storage
For better, more efficient storage, install a base cabinet with roll-out shelves rather than one with a door that swings open on hinges. This convenient cabinet is a great place to store your most-used appliances. The nice thing about pull-out shelves is that items stored way in the back are easily reached.
Redo Your Cabinets
A great thing to try is adding glass fronts to your wall cabinets or to replace solid cabinet doors with glass fronts along one wall. What a great way to give your kitchen a more open feel!
Add Light
Under-the-counter lighting will make your kitchen appear larger. Don’t forget to select light colors for your cabinets and countertops!
Create Height with Taller Wall Cabinets
Try removing those soffits. Install your cabinets to the ceiling. You can also “stair-step” the cabinets. You can accomplish this look by first starting with a taller cabinet, then lining the others progressively shorter. The open space that’s created above the shorter cabinets makes a great space to display your collectibles, baskets and teapots. The top shelves of the taller cabinets make a great place to store those seldom-used items such as holiday dishes or serving pieces.
Bring the Outdoors In
Wherever possible, enlarge those windows. Another great way to get more light in is to replace one with a garden window, installed at countertop height. For even better light, add a skylight or sky pipe.
Streamline Your Kitchen
Once or twice a year we all go through our closets, getting rid of those clothes we no longer use. The same should be done in the kitchen. Be sure to regularly reorganize your kitchen, getting rid of all those items you don’t use. This simple chore will make your kitchen feel much more roomy. When your kitchen is cluttered, it will always feel smaller.
Build a Useful Island
For those of you with an eat-in kitchen but no room for an island, consider replacing the kitchen table with an island. An island will not only give you an eating area, but you will also have added space to store seldom-used items. You can do this yourself. Start with table-height cabinets (traditional counter-height ones will work as well). Then top them with countertop material. Extend the counter 12 to 16 inches beyond the cabinets to make room for chairs or stools.
Install Storage Trays
You can find specially made narrow trays at your local hardware store or home center. These are easy to install on the back of false drawer fronts at the sink and cooktop. This is a great way to reduce your clutter around the stove and sink.
Free Up Counter Space
One contributor to a cramped-feeling kitchen is cluttered counters. You can easily solve this by installing an under-the-counter microwave, can opener, spice rack or toaster.
Open Up Those Walls
In situations where the dining room is next to the kitchen, knocking out the adjoining wall is often a wonderful way to create space. Check to see if the wall is load-bearing. If not, then this could be an easy do-it-yourself project.
Create Open Shelving
Design your kitchen to include open shelving. Openly displayed colorful plates, glasses, teapots or other collectibles always makes a small kitchen look larger. One way to do this is to simply take the doors off the cabinets and paint the inside a bright cheery color. Otherwise, take down the cabinets altogether and add colorful shelves in their place to make the room feel more open.
Avo Barsoumian has been part of the interior decorating and flooring community for the past 25 years. He owns and operates a flooring installation company in Pasadena. The carry the best in elegant hardwood flooring, beautiful laminate flooring and plush carpeting. It doesn’t matter whether your searching for laminate maple flooring for your new town home or solid hardwood floor to redecorate your older house then Carpet Wagon has exactly what you’re looking for.
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Tags: interior decorating, kitchen decorating, kitchen makeover, kitchens