Having a small kitchen has its challenges. We all would love to have tons of counter and storage space, but small kitchens don’t usually come with either. Unless you’re willing to take down walls and expand the size of your kitchen, it can be frustrating to have a lack of space. You may not be able to expand the size of your kitchen, but in this post, we’ll discuss our top 10 ideas on how you can make your small kitchen look larger.

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Small Kitchen Renovation Recommendations

Before we talk about some interior design tips to make a small kitchen look bigger, I want to share a couple of ideas for your small kitchen renovation.

Having a small kitchen isn’t all bad. If you’re planning a kitchen renovation, the one advantage of a small kitchen is that you will likely spend less money on the cabinetry. This allows more of your budget to go to lighting, appliances, and other luxury details.

Before you get too deep into the planning process, ask yourself how you currently use your kitchen on a day-to-day basis. Do you always tend to chop veggies in a particular spot? Make sure you have a shallow drawer nearby that holds your knives. Are the kids always coming in after school to raid the fridge for snacks? If so, is the fridge in a convenient spot for that so that it doesn’t get in your way when you’re prepping dinner? Your design and storage, particularly in a small kitchen, need to reflect your day-to-day use of the space.

Always be flexible! We had a client with a very small kitchen, but when they asked us to come in to design and quote their kitchen reno, they had tons of things they wanted included in the design, such as an island, pot and pan drawers, recycle pull-outs, a prep sink, and so much more. You have to be flexible and recognize that you might really want an island, but there usually isn’t any room for it in a small kitchen.

10 Ways to Make a Small Kitchen Look Bigger

1. Paint the ceiling an unexpected colour.

By selecting an unexpected colour for the ceiling, it draws the eye up. This creates the illusion that the kitchen is taller.

Colour in the kitchen is like seasoning in your food; it will be bland without it. Don’t be afraid to experiment with colour. For example, if you have all white kitchen cabinets, consider blue for your ceiling. You can also paint the ceiling a lighter shade of the same colour as the walls.

Ceilings are typically painted in a matte finish because we don’t want to draw attention to them. However, if we want to draw the eye up, consider semi-gloss or even glossy paint. This is fast becoming a new trend in kitchens. However, you need to ensure that your ceiling is perfectly smooth.

2. Tile Backsplash

You can use your tiled backsplash to make a small space look bigger by installing matte tiles, light natural tones, or even highly reflective glossy or glass tiles in one colour. Stay away from small or heavily patterned tiles, which can overpower a small space.

3. Luxurious Small Details

These small details can draw your eye to them instead of focusing on the size of your kitchen. Consider decorative handles, some gorgeous lighting, particularly over a peninsula, or a statement backsplash.

4. Open Shelves

Open shelves will always create a more airy look and make the space look bigger. Wall-to-wall cabinets can block out light, making your kitchen appear even smaller and cramped. Try placing a mirror on the wall behind the shelves. It will make the space appear twice as big.

5. Kitchen Furniture

In a small kitchen, rethink your use of kitchen furniture. If possible, get rid of the table and chairs in your kitchen. Many of my clients tell me that most meals are eaten separately (not as a family), and most often it’s in front of the TV. This eliminates the need for a breakfast table. Also, if you have a dining room, use that space for eating when you’re eating together as a family.

If you really need a table in your kitchen, consider a narrow, small kitchen table and push it completely against the wall when not in use. You can use a bench that can slide out of the way when not needed.

6. Wall Cabinets

If you have tall ceilings in your home, you can create extra storage in a small kitchen by stacking two medium-height wall cabinets on top of each other. Although you might need a step stool to reach the higher cabinet, it will create a lot of extra storage. In the higher cabinets, store things you only use occasionally, such as your turkey platter, Christmas cookie trays, etc.

If you have shorter or standard ceilings, leave space between the cabinets and the ceiling so it doesn’t enclose the space.

7. Banquette / Bench

In the right space, installing a banquette or bench provides not only extra seating, but if you make the top of the banquette a hinged lid, you’ve got extra storage space inside as well. If you’re a small family, the bench might be the only seating you need in the kitchen. When necessary, you can always bring in additional chairs.

Banquettes can also work great in a bow or bay window. By filling the space with a banquette, you get a great reading space or spot to house your plants, and you gain valuable seating and storage as well.

8. Tile Flooring

If you plan on tiling the floor of your kitchen, use large-format tiles, which will give the illusion of a larger space. Large format tiles usually start at 12" x 24", but they come in much larger sizes too. We installed 16" x 16" tiles recently in our clients’ kitchen, and they looked gorgeous!

Wood-effect tiles are great options for small kitchens. They are typically long, narrow planks. Select a grout that is similar in colour to the tile itself, and it will create a more fluid look.

9. One Wall

If you have a particularly small, narrow space, consider putting cabinets on one wall only. Create floor-to-ceiling cabinets throughout this entire space. Utilize every inch, but only on this one wall. This will streamline the look and really open up the space.

10. De-Clutter

Clutter will make any kitchen look smaller and cramped. Remove small appliances from the countertop and tuck them away in an appliance garage or pot drawer. You can even relocate them to the basement if you don’t use them too often. Install a wall-mounted magnetic knife strip on the wall and put your knives close to where you use them most. How many mugs do you truly need? One of our clients had over 20 mugs hung on cup hooks under her upper cabinets. Her household only consisted of two people, so she kept six mugs and donated the rest.

Bonus Tips

Glass upper cabinets: By installing glass in the doors of your corner upper cabinets, it breaks up the heaviness of solid cabinets and creates a more airy look to your kitchen.
Swap the table for an island: If you’re fortunate enough to have space for a table in your small kitchen, swap it out for an island. This still gives you a place to sit and eat if you include an overhang, but it also provides some much-needed storage.
Wall colour: Paint the walls the same colour as the cabinets. The units will blend into the walls, and the space will feel more open and fluid.
Pull-outs: By installing pull-outs in your pantry and base cabinets, you create better storage and make it easier to get to items that are near the back of the cabinets.

In summary…

When you’ve got a small kitchen and expanding the space isn’t an option, there are options you can utilize to create better storage and make your small space appear bigger. Simple things like using the right type of tile on the floor or your backsplash will make a big difference. Sometimes, appearances are everything!