Think big with a tiny kitchen

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Harbourside kitchen, Tim Jasper Tim Jasper 廚房
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We all have that one spot (or room) in our homes that we call our personal favourite. But whether it’s the bathroom where you can soak for hours, or the living room where you can lose yourself in a fluffy couch and a good novel, there is no denying that a home’s kitchen has a certain kind of magic as well. 

Known by many as the hub (or heart) of the home, the kitchen is a magnet for friends and family dropping by for a visit, as they tend to gravitate towards it, either to offer their help in slicing some veggies, or to delegate over a glass of wine. 

However, a tiny kitchen soon sends everybody fleeing, as nobody enjoys being cooped up in a space-pressed environment. But before you start asking around for not-too-expensive kitchen planners, read on, as there are a few less costly (and quicker) ways in which you can not only insert some space, but also add some charm and warmth to your tiny kitchen.

A round approach

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In the right environment, straight lines can be quite striking and visually stimulating. However, they can also be quite limiting in terms of space or energy flow. And when your space-pressed kitchen starts filling up, it becomes time to look at some clever alternatives. 

Case in point, this delightful little round corner by Oliver’s Kitchens. Cutting the 90° corners out and replacing them with a smooth, curvy substitute doesn’t just allow for a softer visual effect. It also allows for the sink and countertop stove to be placed at slanting angles, using up every possible square centimetre and saving on counter space. 

Cutting out the corners really makes a tremendous difference, yet it is the last place that most people would start looking when looking to conjure up more surface areas.

Out of sight

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shelf is a great way to display your collection of cookbooks or fascinating range of spices. But it does tend to make a space look busy, and that is why a lot of us prefer to keep them out of sight, either in a closet or a small cupboard. 

What if you expanded your cupboard into something a bit bigger (like a pantry), and stuffed some more elements in there that tend to take up kitchen space? Just see our delightful solution above by Maple & Gray, who decided that the microwave has no business taking up valuable counter space. 

But isn’t a microwave an element that we use on a daily basis? Yes, but so is jam or salt. And all it takes to get hold of those is the swift opening of a pantry door. Problem solved!

Mixing old with new

Kitchen cabinets are fantastic. They add to the aesthetic value of the kitchen, they serve as storage areas, and their countertops make wonderful surfaces for a multitude of different functions (from food preparation to display areas). However, cabinets also take up a lot of space.

So, what can we do? How about losing a cabinet or two and replacing it with a simple old dresser? What have we lost? Nothing really, as we can still use the dresser/desk’s surface area, and can put whatever we need to store simply under the table as is, or in a container (as shown above by Studio 102, who also prove that old furniture can still have new uses by inserting a countertop stove into an antique desk). 

But what have we gained through all this? Visual space – the fact that we can now see more of the wall and floor makes the kitchen seem bigger.

The answer to that angle

Corners can be quite difficult to deal with, especially when it comes to inserting drawers. The solution is always to insert a drawer on the one side and perhaps a cupboard on the other – and this usually works, as long as you don’t want to open both at the same time.

Enter Tim Jasper, who shows us above how unique and clever a corner drawer can be solved by turning it into… well, a drawer. What was once a headache has now become a simple solution that offers up more space than a single drawer. Presenting adequate space for cutlery (or whatever else you wish to store in there), this closed corner drawer fits in beautifully with the rest of your kitchen. Yet when opened up, it becomes an ingenious little problem solver!

Turning tables

Open-plan areas work quite effectively when merging different rooms / functions into one space, and here Bilgece Tasarim shows us how to go one step further. 

Instead of inserting cabinets to close off the kitchen area, opt for a dining table and chairs instead (a set that blends in with your cabinets and counters, of course). This results in a neat little dining space that is still part of the kitchen. Or it can function as a desk for your home office space (or for when the little ones are looking for a place to do their homework). 

And when you’re out of counter space and need more surface area to put down that multitude of dishes, simply remove the chairs and watch your dining table turn into an extra kitchen counter.

Clever little corners

Think that just because your kitchen is a bit small you can’t show off your sophisticated side – like your love for a decent winery? Think again. 

Pictured above, Germano De Castro Pinheiro proposes a very decent solution for those of us who want to display our love for a good Merlot, Pinotage, Chardonnay, etc. With a little niche in the wall area right next to the door hinges (which you always thought you can’t use for anything), that weird space turns into a mini wine cellar. This saves expertly on valuable floor space, plus allows you to stock up for when friends drop over. 

Since we’re busy freeing up space, why not check out some more Simple ways to make your home feel bigger?

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