A small kitchen can be frustrating. After all, it’s a space that you need to use multiple times a day and it’s where family naturally gathers. Your kitchen should feel open, roomy, and, most importantly be a functional place to prepare and even serve meals to your family.
But you don’t always need to make significant design changes to create the feeling of more space. Visual tricks can be just as powerful as knocking down walls and rearranging floor plans. Check out these ten ways to make your kitchen feel larger.
1. Declutter and Organize
The first step to making your kitchen feel like you’ve got more space is decluttering the items that you are keeping in that space. If your cabinets are overflowing and your countertops are cluttered with single-use appliances, consider what you actually need and use regularly. Once you have narrowed down the items in your kitchen, it creates options like open shelving and glass front shelving that, with minimal and well-curated items, can make your space feel larger.
2. Ceiling High Cabinets
If you are considering new cabinets, opt for ones that reach to the ceiling. But if you’re not ready for a big remodel, consider adding crown molding to hide the empty space above the cabinets. When the cabinets reach the ceiling, they make it feel higher, giving the illusion of more space.
3. Reflective Materials
Regardless of the size, a bright kitchen will feel larger than a dark one. Reflective surfaces such as stainless-steel appliances, shiny backsplashes, and sparkly quartz countertops will bounce light around the kitchen, making it appear more spacious.
4. Accent Lighting
Just as reflective light makes a room feel larger, shadows make it feel smaller. Installing task lighting under cabinets eliminates the visual contrast of shadows that make a room feel cramped.
5. Integrated Appliances
5. Integrated AppliancesWhen appliances are integrated with cabinets, they give a very streamlined look. With fieldstone cabinets, your remodeler can install the same door fronts on your refrigerator as the rest of the kitchen.
6. Single Sink
While a double sink is useful, it can take up precious countertop space. Opting for a deep single sink option gives you more countertop space without sacrificing utility. Plus, you’ll get a more streamlined look that opens up your space visually.
7. Natural Light
As mentioned above, the more light you can bring into your space, the better. If you already have a window in the kitchen, consider removing any drapes that add heaviness and obstruct light. You can also replace the window with a style, like a casement window, that lets in more natural light.
8. Exposed Hood
8. Exposed HoodUsually, the cabinetry covering a hood space is only covering up ducts and does not add much storage. Consider replacing your hood with an open, stainless steel option. The surface not only reflects light, but the free space makes the kitchen feel roomier.
9. Modern Cabinets
The more ornate details for the eye to look at, the more cluttered your space will feel. Stick to streamlined cabinet faces to create clean lines in your kitchen. If you’re not ready to replace your cabinets, but still want this streamlined look, consider replacing the hardware with something low-profile like these JA Edgefield pulls.
10. Combine Kitchen and Dining Room
10. Combine Kitchen and Dining RoomWhile a bit obvious, it’s still worth noting that opening up your space to make it larger physically is often an option. Many homes have dining rooms or breakfast nooks that are rarely used. Combining the two spaces gives your kitchen a larger footprint and can make the dining space one your family will use more frequently. If you still want the dining area and kitchen prep space to feel separate, add a pendant light to anchor the dining space.
If it’s time to make your kitchen feel larger, schedule a consultation with the experts at Brothers. Our kitchen consultants and designers can help you turn your dream kitchen into a reality.
