Renovating a Small Kitchen? Get Inspired With These Ideas

Upper cabinets can overpower a small kitchen and make it feel closed in. Replace them with open shelving to let in more natural light and open the space. This pulls the eye past the cabinet frames and around the kitchen. Keep those open shelves orderly and color-coordinated, because clutter makes a room feel crowded. And put frequently used items on the shelves, not tchotchkes that will become dust magnets.

Matching the color of upper cabinets to adjacent walls and backsplashes makes a small kitchen feel more spacious. That’s because strong, contrasting colors visually divide the room and make a room look tinier than it really is. If cabinets are the same hue as the walls, your eye groups them into one large background and the kitchen looks larger. Choose bright paint colors that reflect and bounce light to make the room feel cleaner and bigger.

Go with taller-than-standard upper cabinets to draw your eye upward, and make the ceiling look higher. This does more than create an optical illusion, though. Maxing out the cabinets also adds more storage by using every square inch of space. If you can’t afford new cabinets, insert small prefab ones on top of existing upper cabinets. Then paint them all to match. Use cabinet hardware with a contemporary design to keep the eye moving and create the illusion of spaciousness.

Install a backsplash with strong horizontal lines, like shiplap or subway tile laid in a bond pattern. Those horizontal lines make the kitchen feel wider than it really is. Add open shelving to repeat and emphasize those lines and create a cohesive illusion of a larger space. Remember, helping a small kitchen look bigger is more affordable than remodeling it to gain square footage.

Connect your small kitchen backsplash and countertops visually to create a streamlined look. Matching the colors simplifies the space, creating large visual areas that make the room feel spacious. Use the same paint color or the same material for the backsplash and the counter. In this space, a white quartz counter coupled with white marble tiled walls create a seamless look that prevents a small kitchen from feeling too busy.

Pick related colors for the walls, counters, cabinets and woodwork to make a room feel more expansive. Sudden shifts from dark to light colors make a room look smaller because the colors visually cut the room into smaller zones. In this kitchen, cabinets, trim and backsplash are close in color value so the eye doesn’t trip over sudden changes. Subtle touches of color in the island, plant stand, bar stools, and on the accent wall keep the dullness of monotone and makes a small space look serene and spacious.

Sunlight makes any space look larger, so welcome it into your small kitchen by keeping window treatments to a minimum. Let the view out the kitchen window feel like an extension of your kitchen. Skip heavy drapes and blinds and go with sheer curtains, or leave the window completely uncovered.

A wall-mounted range hood with clean lines make a small kitchen feel larger than an undercabinet hood. Getting rid of the visual clutter of a cluster of cabinets and a range hood, opens the room and gives the space a cleaner, lighter look.

Maximize the space in a tiny kitchen by building a slim, L-shaped bench and adding a kitchen or bistro table to create an efficient dining nook. Built-in drawers under the benches create additional storage space. Don’t have the skills to craft a built-in? Place a pair of slim benches in the corner instead, with baskets underneath for storage. Seating and storage, what’s not to love?

A traditional swing door gobbles up 14-square feet of usable floor space, such a waste in a tiny kitchen. Reclaim that square footage by putting a sliding barn door on a pantry. You’ll have more room to maneuver. Paint the barn door to match the cabinets for a cohesive look that draws your eye through the kitchen.

Open shelving can be used elsewhere aside from in place of upper cabinets. Consider adding an open shelf above the refrigerator or other appliance, like the stove. This not only uses the space wisely but can also be used to display decorative pieces.

Kitchen cabinets with glass panels can instantly make the room appear larger. Glass panels are available in see-through or frosted finishes.

Mirrors can be used in any room to make it seem bigger than it actually is. Mirrors reflect light and give the illusion of extra space. You can place mirrors on a free wall, if you have one, or on kitchen shelves. Mix and match different sizes and shapes or opt for one large statement mirror, depending on your personal style.

Keep kitchen appliances, like microwaves, stowed away to free up counter space. Appliances tend to be bulky and can make a kitchen feel cramped. Putting them away can really open up a room, and make it appear more organized. If you don't have a space to hide your microwave or other appliance, consider a small option, like the one pictured here.

Consider adding doors to your kitchen to bring natural light in. A pair of French doors that open up to a yard or patio make a great addition to any kitchen.

The more lighting, the brighter any space will look. Make your kitchen seem bigger than it is whether you add pendant lights, lamps, or accent lighting. Under-cabinet task lighting not only makes the room brighter, but also makes it easy to tackle jobs in the kitchen, like meal prep and cleaning.

Adding skylights is one of the most impactful ways to enhance a room's brightness, in turn making it appear larger. If you're able, install a skylight or two in your kitchen to bring natural beauty in while making the room feel more spacious.

Stainless steel appliances reflect lighting, keeping the kitchen light and bright. Of all appliance colors, stainless steel is the best option for a smaller kitchen.