Many of us spend a considerable amount of time in our kitchens. However, many people don’t have the luxury of a great deal of space. Kitchen sizes in the UK have been decreasing steadily in recent decades, and the average kitchen size is now just 13.4 square metres.
Unless you have the budget and the space for an extension, it’s a case of ‘work with what you’ve got. In this article, we’ll share our tips on how to make a small kitchen feel larger.
Getting clever with colour
Lighter colours in your kitchen will tend to open up the space – and make you feel like you have more of it. While white is a popular choice for kitchens, you may find this a little uninspiring. Instead, consider a natural pale green or add a colour pop of sunshine yellow to brighten up your room.
When it comes to colour, don’t stop with your walls. Replacing cupboard doors and drawer fronts to switch them to a lighter colour can help open up the room. I know what you’re thinking – ‘I can’t afford a new kitchen suite’, right? The good news is that you don’t have to.
At Kitchen Makeovers, we can replace drawer fronts and doors quickly and easily – and at a fraction of the cost of a brand-new kitchen.
Lighting
The right lighting can make a huge difference to a small kitchen and help create the illusion of size, as well as adding a cosy warmth.
Use spotlights to brighten up the kitchen’s dark, poky areas, and don’t be afraid to play around with different lighting combinations to highlight the space you have. While you’re at it, try adding cabinet lighting to complete the picture.
On the tiles
When it comes to kitchen tiles, a lot of people tend to play it safe with plain white or colour block tiles. While these give a clean, simple aspect, they can actually make the kitchen look smaller, which is the last thing you need.
What’s the alternative?
Tiles with geometric patterns are not only bang on trend at the moment but can also open up the space in your kitchen as these draw the eye vertically and lengthways, creating an optical illusion of space. Although using geometric patterns can be effective, it’s important that you don’t go overboard. Using too many patterns in the kitchen can make the space look busy and achieve the opposite of the desired effect.
Total transparency
Clever use of transparent or see-through accessories in your kitchen can really help to open up the space as these mean that the eye will continue to view the space as a whole rather than being interrupted. Clear plastic chairs, glass dome lights and transparent surfaces can all lend a hand in making your kitchen look bigger than it is.
Dull and dark worktops can suck the light out of a kitchen and make it look smaller. By changing these to transparent versions, you create an illusion of space and add a clean and modern aspect to your room. At Kitchen Makeovers, we specialise in affordable kitchen solutions, and our qualified and experienced team can replace your worktops in just a couple of days – and at extremely affordable prices.
Heart of glass
If all of your kitchen cupboards are solid, this could make the room look smaller. Adding glass panels to the fronts of cupboards and cabinet doors adds a touch of class to the room, particularly when you add lighting, and also creates depth which, in turn, opens up the space.
At Kitchen Makeovers, we make light work of replacing cabinet fronts to make a room look larger and add value to your home without the expense of a brand new kitchen.
On reflection
Ordinarily, we don’t tend to think about using mirrors in our kitchens. However, this might just be the key to making your kitchen feel larger.
Adding a large, statement mirror to one wall allows you to maximise sunlight in your kitchen and makes the room look considerably more spacious. Complete the effect by going for reflective surfaces throughout the kitchen, such as stainless steel, glass and high gloss paint. As well as making the room look more spacious, this will give your kitchen a distinctly modern and glamorous feel.
Storage solutions
One of the biggest challenges of a small kitchen is storage space, something that most of us never have enough of.
At Kitchen Makeovers, we can help you to think outside the box – quite literally – when it comes to making the most of your space. Solutions such as shelving and taller cupboards with new frontages can help to solve your storage problems and make your kitchen look less cluttered – and, therefore, larger.
We’ll help you to make the most of every inch of your kitchen space, including every hidden nook and cranny.
Small but perfectly formed
When viewing a property to buy, most people focus on the kitchen and the bathroom as these two rooms are the most expensive to renovate/redecorate. Most buyers will think twice if the kitchen is poky or has dull, tired or old-fashioned decor as they will expect to have to spend big bucks on updating it.
If you’re considering selling your home in the near future, showing your kitchen some love can help increase your property’s overall value.
Following the tips in this article to make your kitchen look larger and adding smart new worktops and cupboard/drawer fronts can add instant appeal to a potential buyer as well as creating an attractive space for you and your family to relax at the end of a busy day.
At Kitchen Makeovers, we understand that your home is your castle; and the kitchen is your home’s heart.
Many people dream of a new or upscaled kitchen, but in 2022, when the country is in the grip of a cost of living crisis, many feel that this dream is simply out of their reach.
Thankfully, that doesn’t have to be the case. Our expert Kitchen Makeovers team can freshen up your kitchen and add the illusion of extra space at just a fraction of the cost of a brand new kitchen. Not only do our solutions save you money, but they can also add significant value to your home when it comes to selling, which is good news all round for UK homeowners.
Get in touch today to see how we can help you make your small kitchen feel larger.
