Kitchen cabinet designs for small space

We will analyze all 7 rules and 4 mistakes on real photo examples of small kitchen design.

• 7 Ideas for small kitchen design
  • 1. Small kitchen to the ceiling
  • 2. Built -in hood
  • 3. Not more than two colors
  • 4. No accessories
  • 5. We unload the countertop
  • 6. Modern modern small kitchen interior
  • 7. Custom furniture and built-in appliances
• 4 Errors in the interior of a small kitchen
  • 1. Transparent boxes
  • 2. Lack of upper cabinets
  • 3. Foundation of the floor
  • 4. A lot of design on a small area
• How to equip a small kitchen
• Small corner Kitchens

7 Design Ideas for a Small Kitchen

Hereinafter we will assume that a small kitchen also means not an unlimited budget . All advice will be to maximize the result/price ratio.

1. Small kitchen up to the ceiling

Upper cabinets in small kitchens should always be built up to the ceiling. Even if you don't get it, you will always find some rarely used items that you can stuff into the upper lockers and forget. Without a gap, the design of a small kitchen looks monolithic and the furniture is not perceived as boxes hung on the wall. There will be no question of masking the ventilation pipe from the hood. Rubbish, dust and grease will not accumulate.

It is better to buy a stepladder for a penny and climb up a couple of times a season than to waste both appearance and storage space.

You can always either lower the ceiling in the cabinet area, or increase the height of the upper cabinets, or both. Photo examples:

By the way, handles on the upper cabinets are not needed: both with hinged opening and with lifting mechanisms, the facades are simply made 1 centimeter longer and open at the bottom. Upper cabinets should look solid.

If you do, the handles must be the same and either all horizontal or all vertical.

The photo below is an example of a good design for a small kitchen, where just following the tips from this first point would make this design already chic.

If your area does not exceed 7 sq. m., see my material about the design of kitchens in Khrushchev. Also read a separate article specifically about the features of choosing a kitchen set for a small kitchen - furniture for a small kitchen is critical. Here we are considering options for 7-12 square meters. m.

Naturally, there are exceptions to any rules, and I have an article with beautiful pictures of kitchens where the canons don't care. But here we are talking about small kitchens where there is no time for experiments.

2. Built-in hood

Everyone is used to the fact that built-in appliances are expensive. And this is true, but not for hoods. A built-in hood costs even less than a regular one: from $35 for a regular built-in hood and from $50 for a telescopic one. It makes sense to take it among the cheapest ones. they are no different from the expensive ones. The advantage of such a hood is the space around the pipe in the cabinet, which does not disappear as in the case of ordinary ones. We have all the tea/coffee/condiments stored there. Compare. Plain:

Wasted a lot of space. And built-in:

3. No more than two colors

Maximum one primary and one accent. Moreover, the facades should be of a calm color. There is a mandatory set of items for cooking, and in a small area the concentration of these items is very high. And they also have their own colors.

The best color combination in terms of price/performance ratio is still white with wood. In general, you need to be careful with bright colors in the design of a small kitchen - the risk of overdoing it is too high.

A Scandinavian style kitchen is beautiful with dirty accent colors that are easy to match with natural finishes.

Bright colors are acceptable, but you are at risk.

4. No accessories

If the only function that an object in the interior of a small kitchen performs is a beautiful appearance, then this is an extra item. Stylish design is achieved by competent planning, selection of materials, furniture and equipment.

A good indicator of an extra item is its constant movement to different places without being used. Remember the photos of real small kitchens that you liked. Was it the accessories? In any case, the small dimensions of the kitchen require a complete rejection of accessories.

When looking at photos on the Internet, always imagine them in actual use: with all appliances, utensils, towels, etc.

Then it will immediately become clear why it is impossible to overload with accessories and flowers.

The same goes for fridge magnets, travel plate collections, etc. There is nothing wrong with this and for a family it can mean more than appearance, but from a design point of view, this is not the place in a small kitchen.

5. Unload the table top as much as possible

The smaller the area, the more difficult it is to clean. Because there is not enough space on the countertop and when cleaning you have to rearrange objects from place to place. You've probably heard the wrong triangle rule about the fridge, sink, and stove. Actually the center of a small kitchen is a free horizontal plane. Because of all 3 points, we first put food and dishes on the table, and only then we perform manipulations.

Therefore, the first task is to remove everything from the countertop. What is possible is stuffed into closed places, and for the rest we need roof rails . A must-have item in a small kitchen, but one that limits the design of the backsplash because it will always be perceptibly obscured. We hang special shelves on the rails and store things on them. Here is a perfect example of organization (but not design):

We make an apron uniform without drawings and patterns (bright is possible).

6. Modern interior of a small kitchen

This is not a hard and fast rule, but classic styles are more expensive to implement and love large areas. In addition, there are many household appliances, and almost all of them have a modern design. To maintain the style of the interior and the technique, you will have to greatly narrow the range of choice and raise the budget. Plus, there is too much non-functional decor in the classics, which just eats up square meters.

The only classic design styles that I would consider for a small kitchen are Provence and light neoclassic.

7. Custom-made furniture and built-in appliances

Unfortunately, this item can only be solved with money, but it is very important. The area of ​​your apartment also costs money, and in a small kitchen, every sq.m. on account. Therefore, it is logical to overpay for the manufacture of furniture exactly to your size and for the equipment built into it.

A particular pain is the built-in microwave, which unreasonably costs 3+ times as much as a stand-alone one and starts at $200. There are no objective reasons for such a price, and it looks like a cartel of all manufacturers. But it really looks much better than freestanding and saves the most scarce horizontal areas in a small kitchen, so with tears in your eyes it is still worth forking out. Or take the risk of making the furniture exactly the size of the usual one. But keep in mind that for built-in ventilation through the front facade, and for ordinary ones through the back panel, it can overheat.

Many people lay a niche for a built-in microwave and put a regular microwave in it, but with the ability to switch to a built-in at any time.

4 Mistakes in the interior of a small kitchen

Not following any rule from the 1st part is a mistake, but we will not repeat it. The following rules are relevant specifically for small kitchens, in others they may not be errors.

1. Transparent boxes

Same planning error. Before repair, imagine beautiful drawers with glass inserts and lighting, from where beautiful neatly arranged dishes will be viewed. Only after the repair, a small kitchen will bring you a little reality.

In medium and larger kitchens, glass inserts are still acceptable, but in small ones there will be too much overload with details.

2. No upper cabinets

Without upper cabinets, practicality suffers in addition to appearance. Kitchens without hanging cabinets look cool only on a very large area, otherwise it looks like there is not enough money for the upper ones yet. Well, it does not pull on the design idea.

Open shelves are also not an option here, believe me, Designwiki.ru will not advise garbage.

Functionally, upper cabinets are a must: an extractor hood and a drain from it, a dish dryer (it is inconvenient to take it from below). And in general, taking from above is more convenient than constantly bending.

If the kitchen has a corner and a short side, hang the cabinets on the long side.

3. Floor joint

The floor must be the same. Either laminate everywhere, or tiles everywhere, no joints and thresholds. I analyzed in detail in the material which floor to choose for the kitchen.

4. Lots of design in a small area

Don't be smart. The most harmful thought that can come during a repair is that it turns out too simple and needs to be complicated. No need. There are extra sq.m. - there is a design, but in kitchens up to 10 meters it is necessary to do as simply as possible .

Upper cabinets should preferably be uniform and monolithic. Compare and keep it simple:

How to furnish a small kitchen

furniture is the main thing in the design of a small kitchen.

If you have a kitchen with a balcony, you can add it. This can be done simply by removing the window block. In place of the former window sill, we install a countertop and get a table or bar counter. The balcony will need to be insulated.

If you need more working area, but the size of the room does not allow and there is no balcony, then you can make a tabletop window sill. At the bottom of the boxes will not be added, because. there will be a battery, but more space on the table.

If you decide to move the sink to the window, take into account the nuance with the trash can. Usually it stands under the sink, but if the sink is near the window, then the battery will also be there, which means that the garbage will quickly deteriorate and smell. Find another place for the bucket.

Be clever with your layout. There is no need to complicate the design in a small kitchen, but the most insane layout options should be considered. Sometimes very interesting options for arranging furniture can turn out.

The idea: custom kitchen sellers offer free plan creation - use it, ordering is not required.

A two-burner cooktop is enough for almost everyone.

Small corner kitchens

If the shape of the room is closer to a square, then our option is corner kitchens. Otherwise, there will be too much free unused floor, and in a small area we cannot allow this.

In general, corner furniture is the standard. There are very good reasons to refuse it. The layout of the corner kitchen should always start with the refrigerator. it is the only one that occupies all 3 levels (lower cabinets, apron area, upper cabinets).

The junction of the countertop and the non-built-in refrigerator cannot be fixed and moisture will get into the end of the countertop. It must be laminated as open.

With the corner version, we will have 1 corner for the L-shaped or 2 for the U-shaped. Using the corner lower cabinets is extremely inconvenient. You can put up with and store rarely used things there. And you can use special fittings for corner cabinets, but it costs simply unrealistic money.

Washing can be done on the corner. From the point of view of design, it does not look very stylish, but the practicality is maximum - an uncomfortable corner will be occupied by communications and filters, access to which is rarely needed.

Now you know everything about the design of a small kitchen. But you can, at least for the sake of the photo, see the material about the design of the kitchen up to 6 sq.m. or read about the design of a small bathroom =)

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Very small kitchen design (80+ real photos)

It's no secret that the most frequently visited place by the hostess is the kitchen. However, not all women are owners of a large kitchen. And so you want this room to be functional, comfortable, and most importantly, cozy.

Designers' advice will come to help in solving this problem, which you can use and turn the proposed ideas into reality.

Contents

Which layout to choose

Square kitchen

Corner sets are suitable for square kitchens. In them, you can conveniently distinguish between a working and dining area. With this solution, the refrigerator, sink and stove can be arranged in such a way that they form a working triangle. Everything you need will be within walking distance.

An oval dining table can be placed opposite the set. This table can accommodate a large number of people.

If the design of the kitchen is quite small, for example, 2*2 m, then a folding table will do.

Wide window can be used as a dining area.

Rectangular kitchen

Rectangular kitchens are best placed along the walls. Instead of a dining table, it is better to give preference to a bar counter.

To visually expand the room, you can hang a large mirror on the walls or install a mirror kitchen apron.

For this option, it is preferable to choose curtains with a large pattern.

Extra light needs to be considered as the work area needs to be well lit. If the window is small or located on one wall, lighting is indispensable.

Small kitchen doors can be sliding to save space.

Irregular kitchen

These rooms usually have niches, spaces or ledges. The built-in closet fits perfectly into the recesses of the walls. It can accommodate kitchen utensils, household appliances.

A refrigerator or an unusual built-in bar can also take a place in a niche. It is better to make a kitchen set for such a kitchen to order or choose an option in which the doors of the upper cabinets will rise vertically.

Rules for choosing furniture for a small kitchen

1. You should be guided, first of all, by the issue of comfort and only then by your own taste preferences. For example, you should not buy a bulky sideboard made of solid wood that you like, which carries a minimum functional load, and at the same time clutters up an already small room.
2. To begin with, it is necessary to consider all existing types of layout. A kitchen plan drawn on paper will help a lot with this. One of the options is sure to suit the arrangement of a small kitchen.
3. Hanging cabinets, shelves and other pieces of furniture look much better in small spaces. And you should also choose the highest possible racks, literally resting on the ceiling - they will help save space in the room.
4. It is recommended to rationally use all free corners by installing headset parts, household appliances and other important elements in them.

When choosing furniture for a small kitchen, one should take into account such parameters as volume and ergonomics. The headset should be as compact as possible externally, but at the same time roomy. You should not choose furniture that resembles a design of huge boxes. It should be quite light and pretty, and occupy all corners, niches and other useless spaces.

The visual perception of the kitchen set also plays a huge role. This means that the color of the furniture that will be installed in a small room is extremely important. Light glossy surfaces will help to visually increase the space.

However, it is not recommended to buy a set that matches the color of the walls exactly. It is also very important to correctly place bright accents that will enliven the room and give it a twist.

Some design tricks can help make your kitchen look bigger. Mirrored surfaces will add depth to the room, exactly the same function is performed by glass doors and shelves, chrome-plated metal handles, and so on. At the same time, it is important to maintain harmony so that the kitchen looks stylish and attractive.

Equally important is the arrangement of furniture in the kitchen. For small spaces, it is recommended to choose a linear or L-shaped layout, abandoning the island, U-shaped and two-line layout. And also for a very small kitchen, built-in furniture is ideal, helping to save space as much as possible.

Choice of household appliances

Every housewife wants to use household appliances that greatly facilitate the process of cooking, these include a food processor, blender, microwave oven, steamer, bread machine, multicooker. And there is also a coffee maker, electric kettle, ice cream maker, toaster. How to place all this in a room that has a very modest size?

Designers advise to use the highest cabinets with deep niches, in which you can easily hide some of these items, taking them out when needed. You can place an electric kettle and a coffee maker on the work surface, as the most commonly used devices.

Narrow cabinets with rolling doors, located between the lower and upper tiers of the headset, are also perfect for storing household appliances.

Narrow dishwashers and ovens save space in the bottom row. The cabinets themselves must be equipped with appropriate mechanisms that provide quick and free access to the necessary devices.

There is a wide choice of such mechanisms - zapachny, folding, with a rotating carousel, folding and so on. Properly organizing the space of a small kitchen is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

Color and decor

Here are some basic recommendations:

• For a small room, light, warm shades are suitable.
• It is important to ensure that sufficient natural and artificial light enters the work area.
• The color of the walls should also be light shades.
• It is better not to use more than two colors in a small kitchen, otherwise staying there may become psychologically uncomfortable.
• "Painted" walls in a small room are also not appropriate.
• The color of the furniture should be in harmony with the walls.
• An excellent solution would be glass or transparent furniture that seems weightless and enlarges the space.
• Light-colored transforming table will complement the interior of a small kitchen.
• Roman blinds or blinds are a good decor element for a small kitchen.

How to save space in a small kitchen

There are many ways to save space in a small kitchen: .

• Install additional shelves in cabinets, and then their capacity will increase significantly.
• Properly use every free corner to install household appliances or corner cabinets.
• At the very top of the headset, you can install roomy boxes to store rarely used devices and items.
• If the cabinet is not high enough, it is recommended to place an additional shelf above it, it will be an excellent place to store kitchen utensils.
• All frying pans should be placed on the special railing mechanism, stacked with each other.
• A special side rack attached to the door of the set can store baking paper, foil, cling film, trash bags and other kitchen items.
• Directly under the sink, place a tension rod, placing the household chemicals used in cleaning on it.
• Books and magazines with favorite recipes are recommended to be stored on a separate shelf attached to a free space on one of the walls. This shelf can also be installed directly on the refrigerator.
• Use a wall-mounted dish rack to save space on worktops and cabinets.
• Chopping boards are conveniently hidden in the side "pockets" attached to the inside of the lower cabinets.
• A metal cornice can be attached to the side panel of the headset to store kitchen utensils.
• To store knives and other small metal objects, use a special magnetic tape attached to the wall in the “apron” area. The same magnetic tape can be used to store small jars of spices.
• All items with long handles should be collected and placed in one place.
• Regular paper holders used in offices can be adapted to store thermoses and bottles.
• Wall shelves help unload cabinets.
• Additional shelves with high legs can be installed on the work surface.
• The table in a small kitchen can be folded down by attaching the top to a wide window sill.
• A hanging structure can be placed above the working area, using it to store ladles, ladles, pans and other similar utensils.
• The cutting board can be operated simply on the surface by turning off all the burners.
• You can dry dishes not in a bulky dryer, but on a soft microfiber mat that quickly absorbs moisture and does not take up any space in the kitchen.