Owners of small kitchens know all too well the challenges associated with trying to work in a cramped space. You may find yourself paging through websites, fantasizing about knocking out a wall and doubling your kitchen space. Certainly, that’s one way to go about it, but you can maximize your space, and save money by working within your kitchen’s existing footprint.
Here are some clever tricks to help make the most of a small kitchen.
Pull-out Counter Space
One of the biggest complaints in any tiny kitchen is a lack of counterspace. Counterspace is necessary for food preparation, workspace, and small appliances. A great way to increase the amount of counterspace you have without knocking down any walls, is to have a remodeling contractor install pull out counters.
This clever design installs a second counter just beneath your existing counter. This way, you can slide it out when you need extra space to work, and slide it back in when you need the space for walking.
Undershelf Racks
Storing an entire household’s cooking gear into only a few kitchen cabinets can be truly challenging. A great customization option is to install small racks on the undersides of your cabinet shelves. This gives you room to stack things up on the bottom shelf, and to sneak a few small items into the rack as well.
Backsplash Shelf
A sprawling kitchen may have the luxury of using a backsplash for nothing more than an artistic statement, but in a small kitchen, you have the option of putting that backsplash to work. Something as simple as installing a small shelf along the length of the backsplash can add a lot of much-needed storage space for utensils, small appliances, spices, or cookbooks.
Replace Shelves with Slide out Drawers
Static shelves in cabinets or pantries can cause a lot of problems in smaller kitchens. Every square inch of storage space is needed, and shelves tend to get easily overcrowded. This means items often get shoved way to the back and lost or forgotten.
A great alternative is to replace static shelves with slide out shelving or drawers. This way, you can see everything that is in your cabinets or pantry, and you don’t have to worry about something getting lost in the way, way back.
Movable Island
A kitchen island is a great way to increase not only storage but also available counterspace. The problem is, where on earth are you going to put one in a small kitchen?
One great solution to this problem is the movable Island. You can roll it into the kitchen when you need the extra workspace, and you can roll it away when it is not in use.
Custom Cabinetry
Small kitchens have to make good use of every tiny bit of space. You may be amazed to discover that a tall narrow cabinet with slide-out storage can fit in the space between your refrigerator and the wall, or that extra shelving can be added up above your top cabinets.
You can speak with a kitchen remodeler about what they might suggest for you. With custom cabinetry, you can get extra storage to fit anywhere.
Smart Corner Cabinets
Many small kitchens have the dreaded corner cabinet. Cabinets situated on the corner can lead to lost items, and can be very clumsy to work with. You can install slide-out, half-moon shaped shelving, or rotating lazy susans to help keep all your gear front and center.
Small kitchens don’t have to be big headaches. Really all it requires is a creative use of space, and a keen eye for organization opportunities. So, don’t go knocking down that wall just yet. See if you can work with what you have first.
Author Bio
Niv Orlian is an online marketer and the Co-Founder of DO Online Marketing, a Chicago based company that helps local businesses such as Planet Cabinets, acquire, manage, and retain local customers online