A small kitchen can be cozy and super-functional. However, its design requires careful planning and non-standard solutions. In this material, we have presented 16 receptions that will help you equip a small kitchen. We have also collected 70 photos of beautiful interiors for your inspiration.

Reception 1. Bet on white

White is the best color choice for a small kitchen. After all, it reflects light, which reinforces the sense of space and visually separates the walls. If you use it not only in the décor but also select white furniture, you will create the illusion of a space that does not have boundaries.

So that the interior of a small kitchen does not seem too sterile, use a few shades of white and combine different textures. For example, the facades of the kitchen can be glossy, the walls – matt, and the apron decorated with white tiles “boar” .

Do not be afraid that white surfaces will doom you to incessant cleaning. As practice shows, they are no more marquee than the surfaces of other colors, and even more practical than dark ones. Also, in general, spaces decorated in light colors appear tidier than colorful interiors.


Reception 2. Planning the L-shaped kitchen

In most cases, the L-shaped set is the optimal solution for a small kitchen.  This is because it allows you to use two adjacent walls and the angle between them to arrange a stove, sink and a refrigerator, using the principle of a “working triangle”. At the same time, you can still leave enough space for the dining area.

However, in a very small kitchen, the only possible option is usually a linear layout.

If the kitchen is narrow, then you can consider a two-row layout. The major idea is that the passage between the furniture is at least 100 cm.

In a square kitchen area of ​​at least 9 square meters, you can arrange furniture in a U-shape. This type of layout is the most convenient for cooking, but it takes up a lot of space. Below is an example of a design of a 9-meter kitchen with a U-shaped set.

Reception 3. Redevelopment is the best way to increase space

Redevelopment always involves complicated and expensive repairs, because to conduct it you need to prepare a project and get approval after housing inspections. However, though redevelopment, you can easily achieve the best results.

 

  • The combination of a small kitchen with a living roomdoes NOT increase the area, but will help create a feeling of a more spacious, brighter and more modern space.
  • Also, the kitchen size can be increased by a balcony or loggia.
  • In some cases, the kitchen can be combined with the hallway / corridor. Alternatively, you can completely move the kitchen to the hallway or corridor, if it is large enough.

 

  • To avoid visual confusion, the combined space should be physically or visually zoned.Here are a few ideas on how to do that:
  • Zoning with different finishes on the floor, walls and / or ceiling.

For example, the kitchen area can be tiled, and the living room / hall area fitted with a parquet board (see the example in the photo below). Also in the kitchen there can be an appropriate multi-level ceiling, which will, first, hide some communications, and secondly, offer space-saving solutions.

  • Use of furniture as a separator.On the border between the kitchen and the living room you can put a sofa , console, table-island, rack or bar (see photo below). The main idea is that the dividing furniture does not interfere with the penetration of sunlight.

  • Zoning with partitions.The partitions can be low (they can be used as a bar table or peninsula), glass (so that light can penetrate into the rooms unimpeded) or in form of sliding doors.

Example of zoning kitchen in a studio apartment

Keep in mind that open planning has its drawbacks: lack of privacy, the need to always maintain order in both areas and penetration of noise and smells throughout the home.

Reception 4. Use no more than 2-3 colors when drawing up the color scheme of the interior

This will help eliminate the feeling of congestion and make the situation orderly. Another tip: bright and dark colors in the design of a small kitchen are quite acceptable, but in small doses and in combination with a neutral background.

 

Reception 5. Using the built-in technique of reduced size

Saving space in the kitchen can be at the expense of household appliances. First, the household appliances must be built-in, not stationary. This allows you to not only save space, but also create the effect of seamlessness and homogeneity of the facades of the working area. Secondly, if possible, the technique should be applied on a smaller scale.

So, instead of the standard dishwasher, it is better to choose a machine with a width of 45 cm, and a cooking surface – with two, rather than four, burners.

Thirdly, try to pick up multifunctional devices, for example, a multivark-bakery or an oven-microwave oven.

Tiny kitchens – tiny appliances

Reception 6. Uniform lighting – the secret of comfort and a sense of spaciousness

To make a small kitchen appear cozy and spacious, you need to create the right lighting. The lighting should be uniform, pleasant to the eye, without sharp shadows, and have the effect of narrowing the space. The familiar scheme of “central chandelier + furniture lighting” in a small, much narrower room, only destroys the ambience. However, spotlights, installed along the perimeter of the ceiling or wall sconces installed evenly on the walls create the desired effect of soft light.

The perfect hanging length of ceiling chandeliers and other suspended lighting fixtures is to hang at a height of 70 cm, directly above the dining table.

Reception 7. Set with an additional tier

If you do not have enough space for storage, then you need to use the vertical space. A kitchen set with an additional tier lined up to the ceiling will provide you with a lot of extra space where you can store glasses, festive dishes, grocery stocks or just junk like jam bottles.

Also see our other materials:

High kitchen set for a small kitchen

Reception 8. Facing walls with mirrors

Mirrors in a small kitchen can create a miracle – “double” up the kitchen. If you hang a mirror in front of the window, the amount of light in the room will also double. Here are three ways to use this trick:

  • Covering one wall completely with a mirror;
  • Facing the mirror with a fragment of the wall, for example, near the dining area;
  • Installing a conventional floor mirror.

Reception 9. Finishing with “optical illusion”

Ideally, the walls of a small kitchen should be monophonic, although some types of prints and patterns can visually enlarge the space:

  • If you paint one accent wall in a wide horizontal strip, the walls appear to move apart and the room looks wider.This method is great for elongated and narrow rooms, but not suitable for low ones.
  • Small kitchens often have low ceilings. You can easily correct this drawback with the help of wallpaper in a vertical strip or with a vertical pattern, for example, in the form of trees. True, any verticals somewhat narrow the space, so they should be used in moderation, for example, only on one wall.
  • Wallpapers with rhombic or -shaped patterns help stretch up the ceiling of a small kitchen, making it appear bigger.

By the way, large and bright patterns and prints in a small kitchen are contraindicated, as they visually overload the interior and make the space appear seven smaller.

Similarly, these tips work with the finishing of the floor:

  • Floorboards / lamellas / tiles in a small kitchen are best laid diagonally.If the kitchen is narrow, then the laminated / parquet board should be laid across the room. One-lane laying of the board / laminate is preferable to stacking in the descent or “herringbone” with small dies.

Just as clothing with horizontal stripes visually increases the volume of a person, the striped floor as in this photo stretches the kitchen by some margin.

Reception 10. Finding hidden reserves for storing things

If the storage space is sorely lacking, take note of the following solutions:

  • From two cupboards and hanging closets you can create a niche, and in it place a small dining area. It is important that at the same time the furniture or color of the walls is white.

  • You can hang cabinets or shelves directly above the door.

  • Benches, banquettes of kitchen corners, pouffes or sofas often have built-in boxes hidden under the seat.

  • The place under the sink can serve as a repository for household trivia.

  • Free space on the countertop or cabinet with the help of small banks, the covers of which are screwed to the bottom of the enclosure.It is convenient for storing spices and other bulk products.

  • If you use a stationary refrigerator, use the space above it or around it for your benefit.

Reception 11. Multifunctional and compact dining room furniture

  • If your way of life allows, instead of a dining table, establish a bar rack, a folding or coffee table.

Small kitchen with breakfast bar

Folded folding table looks more like a hinged shelf

  • If the mini-tables are not for you, choose a rectangular or square table, as opposed to round or oval.It is desirable that the table is visually light and not too large. It is also better if the table is laid out and / or has built-in boxes for storage of napkins, candles and other trifles.

Rectangular kitchen table in a small kitchen

When choosing a dining table or, say, a bar, try to select one that is not too big nor too small. Remember that one person has a seat width of about 60 cm. The depth of the countertop must be at least 45 cm.

  • Chairs for a small kitchen should fit the lungs in weight and in appearance.If guests often come to your home, borrow folding chairs, which you can fold and hang on the wall.
  • Transparent chairs from polycarbonate (the price for a chair-replica Louis Ghost 4-5 TR) – are a brilliant idea for a small kitchen.They do not completely clutter the interior due to their “invisibility”, can stack on each other, almost do not scratch, do not break, are easily cleaned and weigh light.

Reception 12. Reconstruction of the windowsill

For instance, make the windowsill a part of the headset or turn it into a bar counter. Just do not forget to make a few holes in the windowsill to circulate warm air. Otherwise, the windows will constantly fog, and this likely results in the appearance of mold.

In the following photos, you can see examples of making a window sill in a more functional place.

Windowsill as a continuation of the table top and headset

Reception 13. Denial of the door

Swing doors “eat” a lot of space and clutter small kitchens, so it is better to abandon such doors. Instead, you can simply leave an open doorway, decorated with clypeus, remake it into an arch , hang a curtain or install sliding doors.

However, also keep in mind that the open opening provides some inconvenience. For example, the smells of food penetrate into adjacent rooms more easily, and any noise from the kitchen can be heard throughout the rest of the home.

Reception 14. Minimum decor and decorations

An example of this idea is that magnets brought from travel should be removed from the refrigerator and taken to the dacha. However, completely removing accessories and ornaments is not necessary, as the interior appears almost inhabited. Live plants, pairs of paintings / posters and clocks on the wall are enough.

Reception 15. Window design with short and concise curtains

For a small kitchen, the following types of curtains are ideal:

  • Roman curtains;
  • Rolling shutters;
  • Panel;
  • Jalousie;
  • Classic shortened curtains with easy assembly;
  • Curtains-cafe.

Roman curtains in a small kitchen

Reception 16. Elimination of confusion

The fewer the objects in a small kitchen, the better. Try to organize storage so that everything that is usually placed on the table top (from dishes to appliances) is hidden in drawers and lockers.

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