In an ideal world we would all have large roomy kitchens, but often our kitchens are smaller than we would like, but that doesn’t mean they can’t look bigger. Plenty of small kitchen ideas can be used in how to make a small kitchen look bigger.
‘It’s always best to start from the drawing board when looking at ways to utilise small space,’ says Carolina Hansson, head of design at Luxury Flooring and Furnishings. ‘You may not be able to take on structural change to your walls and floors, but you can look to change its appearances to give the illusion of a larger room.’
From colour ideas to cabinetry styles and lighting tricks – these ideas will inspire a bright and airy kitchen, no matter the size.
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How to make small kitchen look bigger
1. Go for a bold colour scheme
It might seem like a contradiction, but actually, opting for a bold small kitchen colour scheme can help to make a cooking space feel larger.
Sometimes neutral, pale shades can make a small kitchen feel sparse, whereas a rich, deep palette distracts the eye from the compact nature of the layout.
In this kitchen, homeowner Charli Howard has opted for a dramatic aubergine shade for cabinetry which makes a statement out of the one-wall layout. To still ensure the kitchen feels spacious, opt for a lighter paint colour for the walls.
2. Choose open shelving
If you’ve chosen a playful colour scheme and a patterned work surface, keep the rest of the kitchen layout more pared-back by reducing cabinetry. In Sophie’s colourful terraced house kitchen, the part of the kitchen at eye-height looks light, bright and open as a result of removing wall cabinetry.
You can still add decorative touches through open shelving, but it will prevent the room from feeling overcrowded, and as a result, will make the room feel bigger.
3. Colour drench a room
Don’t be afraid to go big and bold with colour in a small kitchen. By colour drenching a space, you draw the eye upwards which can make a kitchen feel larger.
‘Using a “colour-drenching” technique, matching cabinet door colours to wall paint, allows the units to recede into the room, making the kitchen visually disappear,’ explains Samantha Davies, marketing director at The Kitchen Restoration Company.
4. Stick to simple cabinetry
Shaker cabinets always look beautiful, but in super compact kitchens, choosing a more pared-back design will streamline the space and make it feel bigger.
In this contemporary kitchen, simple slab doors allow the colour to stand out. Clean lines from the cabinetry, worktop, top shelf and handles also help to extend the room sideways to enhance the sense of space.
5. Make the most of ceiling height
In a small kitchen, making the most out of the height of the room is essential. Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry will elongate walls, making a compact space feel larger than it is.
In this North London kitchen renovation, homeowner Amy explains how she combined storage with a space-enhancing design. ‘Custom-built kitchen units, painted in a soft white, were designed to run floor to ceiling. The interiors are lined with oak veneer to bring warmth. ‘It gives the appearance of solid wood without the cost,’ Amy notes.
6. Choose a neutral palette
While bold colours work surprisingly well in small spaces, neutral color palettes are still a surefire way to make a kitchen feel light and airy.
When designing a small kitchen, you’ll want to balance decadent features with a pared-back aesthetic that doesn’t make the room feel cluttered. A neutral palette is the perfect antidote for this as it will add light to the look and stand the test of time.
‘There are a plethora of smart ways to make your kitchen feel spacious,’ adds kitchen expert Tom Howley. ‘To keep an open feel, choose light paint colours and reflective materials such as bright white quartz or a mirrored splashback.’
7. Go for bespoke storage
If you want to make the most out of your small kitchen, built-in kitchen storage ideas will make the most out of every inch of space.
Fluted glass cabinets are a chic way to add a touch of glamour while also adding necessary storage for glassware and cookbooks. The glass front will bounce light around a room too so you don’t need to worry about the small space feeling enclosed.
‘In small spaces it is key to maximise storage with bespoke furniture made to fit the unique environment so that no millimetre wasted,’ advises Jack from Tom Howley. ‘Think apartments in regency properties with tall ceilings or awkward niches. Bespoke solutions can be designed to suit and fit these perfectly.’
Lighting tips to make a small kitchen look bigger
8. Position pendant lights carefully
Pendants are an essential source of light in a kitchen, and particularly in a small space, they can act as the main fixture.
Marketa Rypacek, managing director at Industville says, ‘Choose kitchen pendant lights that are close to the ceiling, so your field of vision is not overcrowded, flush mounted lights are ideal for this. Don’t obstruct windows either, since the soft glow of kitchen ceiling lighting and natural lighting can work together to make the space feel light and airy.’
If a kitchen lighting idea is too low, it will crowd the work surface area and make your kitchen feel smaller than it is.
9. Add task lighting to dark corners
Sometimes in a small kitchen, it can feel like you need to keep clutter at bay and avoid any extra decor, but lighting doesn’t count in this rule. Adding a lamp to a corner of your kitchen is a great way to expand the sense of space and make the whole area more usable.
In this kitchen, more is certainly more. Lamps on the dresser unit and in the corner of the kitchen make the space even more homely and welcoming.
10. Enhance natural lighting
The simplest way to make a small kitchen look bigger by utilising light is to increase the amount of natural light that enters the room.
Opt for a compact roman blind or, like this kitchen, remove window treatments altogether and stick to a frilly pelmet. This adds flair without obstructing the light, which is especially key if the room is north-facing.
FAQs
What colours make a small kitchen look bigger?
The colour of your kitchen can have a major impact on how to make a small kitchen look bigger, and there are plenty of small kitchen paint colours for a big improvement. Light-reflecting shades will bouncing the light around the space, making it appear larger. White is an obvious colour choice for a small kitchen, but white kitchen ideas aren’t the only option.
‘Blue is the best colour for making a space feel bigger,’ advises Annie Sloan colour and paint expert. ‘It’s recessive, which means it draws the eye outwards, blurs horizon lines and gives a sense of never-ending space. It’s also a calming, meditative colour which encourages us to breath-in-and-out, creating a psychological and spiritual sense of space as well as the physical illusion. White, of course, is your other option and is so easy to work with.’
Darren Watts, store development and design director of Wren Kitchens adds, ‘‘Light colours with plenty of white tint naturally reflect light in your kitchen, making your space appear bigger. Bright white or cream is the obvious choice, but greens, yellows, and blues are also great picks.’
Strategically-placed dark coloured base units can help ground the layout and by teaming them with a paler colour at the top, the eye will be drawn upwards.
What flooring makes a small kitchen look bigger?
‘Using large floor tiles can make your small kitchen feel bigger, especially if you choose light colours. You can also use horizontal wooden or tiled flooring to make your kitchen feel wider,’ advises Darren from Wren Kitchens.
Amanda Telford, Marketing Manager at CTD Tiles also recommends using larger floor tiles to create a sense of openness. ‘In smaller areas, large format tiles can help create the illusion of more space thanks to the clean lines and fewer joints that make the floor look busy.’
Or with a small, galley kitchen, opt for directional flooring that runs the length of the kitchen and will draw the eye along.
What kind of splashback makes a kitchen look bigger?
‘Choosing a glass panel splashback can make your kitchen feel bigger, by reflecting the light throughout your space,’ says Darren from Wren Kitchens. ‘You can also choose glossy tiles that complement your chosen aesthetic.’
‘Opt for tiles in a striking colour as it adds contrast to interiors, you can get tiles in all styles and sizes that can be positioned in all different ways,’ recommends Amanda , from CTD Tiles. ‘To create the illusion of a bigger and taller room, then lay your tiled splashback vertically as this will draw the eye up.’
While designing a small kitchen might mean making some compromises, there are still so many ways to make it look stylish and practical for everyday life.
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