Space-Saving Design Hacks for a Compact Kitchen
Take a look at some design hacks you can use to get the most out of your small or compact kitchen.
21/09/2020
Small homes and apartments can have a lot of charm, but they are usually lacking in the amount of kitchen space you end up with. Because of this, you might end up trying to find ways to make the best use of the amount of space you have in your kitchen. Below, we will look at some design hacks you can use to get the most out of your small or compact kitchen.
Add Baskets on Top of Your Cabinets
Many kitchens have a lot of space on top of their cabinets. This space can be used to store items that you do not use that often, so you do not have to keep reaching up to get items you use often. There is a huge selection of boxes you can buy online that will help you store cookbooks and extra kitchen utensils on top of your cabinets.
Declutter Your Countertops
For compact kitchens, countertop space is always at a premium. There is a lot that you need to fit on there while ensuring enough space remains for cooking, washing, and general kitchen use. To save some space, start by moving your microwave to a cabinet.
Next, have a contractor install a boiling water tap. This eliminates the need to have a water kettle on the countertop and save you some space. Lastly, get an induction hob installed. Induction hobs cook faster, safely, and cleanly while blending with the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. When turned off, your hob can also be used as part of the countertop.
Go With Open Shelves
Open shelves allow you to store a lot more items on there because if you convert your cabinets to open shelves, you eliminate the thickness the doors take up, which can be used to stare an extra row of glasses or cups. This transformation might call for a small-scale kitchen renovation. If you are not a DIY person, you could get in touch with designers such as Kitchen Capital to do the alterations for you. When doing the necessary renovations to find some extra space in your compact kitchen, they will help you come up with designs and do the necessary alterations so you can not only get the extra space but also the style you would like to achieve. You can find more information here on how they can help you redesign your kitchen to help you save some space, no matter your kitchen’s size.
Make Use of Blank Walls
If you have a blank wall in your kitchen, you can make use of it by adding a floating table or shelf to it. This table or shelf can then be used as extra dining or counter space. If you have a really cramped space, you could also add a table or counter that folds so that it stands flush against the wall when not in use.
The floating table or shelf can also be added across a window to create additional dining and sitting space with a view of the street or whatever view you have when you look outside your kitchen window.
Next, you could find some rails and add them to the blank wall. These rails can be used to hold pots and pans at different levels. In addition to netting you some additional space, these railings can also give your kitchen some character.
The rails mentioned above can also be used to hang some sliding baskets. This is especially useful for people who have a lot of cereal boxes and cooking supplies but limited counter space to store them all.
Lastly, there are magnetic knife holders. While some people prefer to display their collection of knives on their countertops, that extra space is too valuable in a compact kitchen. Mounting a magnetic knife holder on a blank wall is a way of giving that wall some purpose while saving some counter space in the process.
Add Some Space in the Corner
If you have some extra space on one or two corners, usually below some counters, adding some shelves at these corners could net you some extra space. An added bonus is that these shelves can have three or four levels, which will allow you to add more items on there and save more space elsewhere.
Corner cupboards often get dismissed, but they are another option for carving out some extra space in your kitchen. To get the most use out of them, ensure you get a reputable designer to add some pull-out corner cupboards. These cupboards can then be used to store anything you like, including pots, pan spices, food tins and more.
Install Vertical Shelves
Everyone is familiar with horizontal shelves but that does not mean that just because that is how it has always been done, it is the only way it can be done. If you have shallow cabinets, installing vertical shelves is a good way of finding extra space for larger items that might not fit if the shelves were installed horizontally. Adding vertical shelves also eliminates the chance of the shelves crashing down when you add heavy items in there or open them too fast.
Add a Mini Island
Although it might fit a bit tightly, it is still possible to add a mini island in the middle of your compact kitchen. All you need to keep in mind is that the mini island needs to be small enough so as to leave some space around but large enough to give you some extra counter space. This way, you can leave some items on top of the counter while you prepare your meals or use the mini island some other way.
Add a Small Dishwasher
If your kitchen is being constructed or undergoing renovations, consider adding a small dishwasher. This might not seem like it will save you some space, but it will! It is a good place to hold dirty or wet dishes that would have otherwise sat in your sink or on a rack on top of your counter, thereby taking up valuable space. There are slim dishwashers that are perfect for compact kitchens if you look hard enough.
Add a Giant Shelf That Holds Everything
For those who do not want to add to have smaller cabinets but would still like to have enough space for all their utensils and cutlery, adding a giant shelf works really well. The shelf can span from the floor to the ceiling and can be divided into sections for all the different items you have. A giant shelf also makes it easy to reach all the items you need without having to deal with cabinet doors and separate shelves.
Forego the Kitchen Island
A kitchen island takes up a lot of space and even though it is functional, it can be replaced. In place of the kitchen island, you could have a simple table with chairs. With a smaller table and chairs that can be pushed under the table when not in use, you can get a lot of space out of a small kitchen.
Creativity is very important when you are looking for ways to get as much space out of your compact kitchen as possible. To make things easier on yourself, look around the kitchen and see where something can be added or done differently to give you additional storage space.