When living in a small apartment, your designing options are quite limited. This is twice as hard when you have a small-sized kitchenette and big kitchen appliances that require more space. However, a smart design can help you plan well and make sure that you use wisely all the space that you have in your kitchenette. Here are some ideas how to maximize your kitchenette space by clever design.
Work space – work space is the most important space in your kitchen. It is the space you need to cut vegetables, prepare meals, mix and stir milkshakes, etc. Counter space it a great benefit in a small kitchen, especially if you count in stovetops and sinks. You can enlarge your work station by using flush mount inserts for your stove and sink. By covering your stove and your sinks with instant worktops you will get additional space in your kitchenette.
Kitchen Triangle Design – kitchen triangle is the space between your refrigerator, stove and sink. Imagine a triangle connecting these three parts of your kitchen and you will see all the available space between then. In larger kitchens, it is advised to keep the three close together because these are the things that are used the most in the kitchen. However, in order to maximize the available space in your kitchenette, it is best to spread out this triangle and free up additional space.
Light Colours – in order to make your kitchen feel more spacious and open, use bright colours and light. Choose white tiles, light work tops, bright colour cabinets and bright appliances. This will give your cramped little kitchen a feeling of an open space. In order to add light to your kitchen, use under cabinet lighting and overhead directional spots. These small tricks will help your kitchen look bigger than it really is.
Storage – If you have a small kitchen, you definitely should find some creative storage solutions. Don’t leave your things in the open, instead put your appliances, microwave and toaster under the cabinet. Other equipment can be stored in corner cabinets, using lazy Susan style of shelves or bin style corner drawers. Clever storage will help you start using all the available space in your kitchen.
Separating Storage - storage place is not always available in small kitchenettes. A good solution for this problem is storing your food in another place outside your kitchen. You can use a separate pantry in a closet or a room. In addition, you can use built in shelves in a closet that will make a good pantry for storing food and appliances. This way you will free up even more space in the kitchenette.
Breakfast – in order to save space, you can put your breakfast preparation products such as coffee, toaster, microwave, kettle, etc, in a separate place in your apartment.
Open Floor Plan– A good trick to make a kitchen look larger is an open floor plan. The open floor plan means opening up doorway and sometimes even knocking out some walls in order to open the view throughout the kitchenette. This tip is not possible for all the kitchens, but if it can be done in your kitchen you should definitely consider this solution.
Wheeled Cart – another great tip is a mobile cart that can free up some space in the kitchen. You better use a cart that will be as tall as the kitchen worktops and will be used as an additional counter when making meals. The multi tired wheeled cart can be used also as a storage place for cookware, groceries, appliances and more. When you finish using it in the kitchen, you can simply wheel it out of the kitchen and out of your sight.
