19 Small Kitchen Ideas for Space-Saving and Style

If you’re frustrated by a lack of space in your kitchen, you’re not alone. Whether you’re living in an apartment or one of the many older homes around Richmond, Virginia, small kitchens are a common challenge for homeowners and renters alike. These spaces often demand a little extra creativity when it comes to fitting in all the essentials without feeling cramped or cluttered.

It’s important to consider your kitchen’s layout and storage potential, along with your personal cooking habits, when trying to make the most of a small space. Our expertly curated list of 20 small kitchen design ideas will help you maximize every inch while keeping your kitchen sleek, stylish, and functional.

Storage Solutions

Maximize vertical space

Using wall space as storage will free up precious counter space and cabinet space. Install hooks or shelves for storage, along with over-the-door storage, tall pantries, or hanging racks. Add a magnetic knife strip to hang your sharp knives, and utilize space above appliances with storage baskets.

Take cabinetry to the ceiling

If your kitchen layout allows it, install floor-to-ceiling cabinetry. This will give you maximum storage in a minimum amount of space, reduce clutter, utilize vertical space, and offer a seamless, uninterrupted look to your kitchen design.

Incorporate pull-out cabinets

Pull-out cabinets add the most storage to the smallest amount of space. Their improved accessibility reduces clutter, helps keep all kitchen items in a designated space, and increases kitchen efficiency. Spice pull-outs, pull-out drawers and shelves, and pull-out trash cans are all great ways to incorporate a pull-out in your kitchen.

Design Aesthetics

Match hardware and décor

Do you have a modern or traditional kitchen design? Industrial or vintage? If you have a small kitchen, matching the cabinet and drawer hardware to your style will enhance the overall flow, making the space feel larger. You can use one type of finish for drawers and another for cabinets to mix metals for a fresh, updated look.

Incorporate a Scandinavian/minimalist design

A minimalist kitchen design involves simplicity, functionality, and clean lines. More specifically, a Scandinavian design incorporates the best of minimalism with a neutral color palette, emphasizing function over form. Clutter-free counters, integrated appliances, a functional layout, and clean lines make a small kitchen appear as large as possible without extra clutter.

Use large floor tiles

Fewer grout lines on your tile flooring enhance continuity and make the kitchen appear larger. Use light-colored tile to amplify the sense of space further or continue the flooring from adjoining rooms to make the kitchen and living areas as seamless as possible.

Limit the color palette

Limit the color palette to neutral tones to keep a small kitchen looking as large as possible. Taupe, white, off-white, gray, and beige are all excellent neutral colors that are beautifully timeless. Incorporate a couple of shades of one color to keep things exciting and multi-tonal.

Paint with light colors

Don’t be afraid to go beyond the neutrals with light yellows, blues, greens, and other light colors. Avoiding dark and moody colors is an easy way to keep your small kitchen light, bright, and airy.

Use Sage Green

Sage Green's soft, muted hue recalls the most calming aspects of nature. It also is an excellent backdrop for a small kitchen, either on the walls or cabinets. It can help reflect the light to make the kitchen appear brighter and more open while adding a sense of depth to the space.

Functional Enhancements

Utilize an island on wheels or a bar cart

A small, mobile island or an even smaller bar cart gives easy access to extra counter and storage space. Its mobility is a bonus, so you can move it out of the way when guests are over or into the center of the room when needed for meal prep.

Use your sink for extra space with an insert

Using a sink insert to create extra counter space in your kitchen is a smart and practical solution, especially in smaller kitchens where every inch counts. The piece is built to match the rest of your counters and easily slides into place when the sink is not in use. It adds additional prep space and declutters counters. Some come with integrated cutting boards and strainers for added functionality.

Swap cabinets for shelves

Open shelving is one of the simplest ways to maximize your kitchen space. Remove all or some of your upper cabinets and install open shelving. Display your kitchenware, appliances, cookbooks, and plants artfully and thoughtfully so this display will be as beautiful as it is functional.

Add a peg rail for hanging pots

A peg rail is a functional and stylish tool to hang pots, pans, and other utensils. It is made of either wood or metal and hangs as a single strip along your kitchen wall. The pegs can be inserted to hang your kitchen tools along the peg rail. This keeps your most used items easily accessible and organized while adding a decorative element to your kitchen.

Don’t forget about the space above your cabinets

If your cabinets don’t go all the way up to the ceiling, utilize that extra storage space! Get decorative baskets to store extra paper towels, kitchen towels, or seasonal items. Display your cookbooks and knick-knacks for an added decorative touch. Learn more about decorating above your kitchen cabinets to use this space fully.

Create a focal point

Creating a focal point in a small kitchen makes the space more inviting and visually appealing. Choose a bold backsplash, statement lighting, a feature wall, unique flooring, or hang large pieces of art along one wall for a gallery effect.

Stretch the backsplash to the ceiling

A kitchen backsplash is always a must if you want to add design flair and personality to your kitchen. Extending the backsplash up to the ceiling allows you to draw the eye upward, creating an illusion of a larger space. Let your creativity and personality shine with your backsplash, and remember to choose colors that play off your cabinets.

Illuminate the kitchen with lighting

One of the most effective ways to open a small kitchen space is to ensure the room is bright and cheerful. Undercabinet lighting is an easy way to up the elegance and ambiance of the kitchen. Recessed lighting and flush-mount fixtures are the best ways to light up the kitchen without bulky or heavy fixtures. If you opt for a hanging fixture, make sure it fits the space in size and aesthetics.

Get super organized

Always keep your worktop clutter-free

Enhancing your small kitchen starts with keeping only the essentials on your countertops. At the end of each day, tidy up your space by putting away dishes and avoiding storing utensils and kitchenware on your counters. A clutter-free environment creates a sense of tranquility and makes cooking and meal prep more enjoyable.

Making the most of a small kitchen requires thoughtful design and smart storage solutions. From utilizing vertical space with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and peg rails to adding mobile islands and pull-out cabinets, there are many ways to maximize functionality without sacrificing style.

Incorporating minimalist design, neutral color palettes, and innovative features like sink inserts can create a sleek, efficient kitchen that feels larger and more inviting.

Credit: Fabuwood