Secrets of small kitchen design

When developing the design of a small kitchen, it is important to love it – such as it got, with all its features.

Ode to a small kitchen

Anyone who does not accept the studio layout, even a small kitchenette sees how good. In this position there is a rational grain: the kitchen, even a small one, is an isolated room with ventilation, which allows you to “lock” smells, as well as specific kitchen sounds – from the sound of dishes to the sound of running water.

Minimalism in a small kitchen

Critical dimensions

How small a square can be regarded as a disaster?

The basic size is 180 cm. This is the place occupied by a small refrigerator, a sink and an oven set side by side. If the equipment is placed along one of the walls – the design task of a small kitchen is solvable.  Any excess of base numbers opens up new opportunities.

The layout in the elongated small kitchen

Even smaller length of the wall (sometimes – up to 150 cm) – makes you abandon the oven in favor of a two-burner plate. But is there such a width?

In reality, SNIPs do not allow a width of less than 2 m (except for Khrushchev, there up to 180 cm), but due to the huge ventilation and sewer boxes, the useful width (length) for installing equipment and furniture can actually be less than 180 cm.

Kicked under the ceiling in a confined space

The design recommendations given here apply to kitchens from 4 to 8 m². But for more spacious rooms they can be useful.

The design begins with the layout

Three ways

Trying to make a big kitchen from a small one, you can choose one of three ways.

1. “Cram” more. Maximum use of the height of the room to accommodate equipment, storage systems, as well as a small dining place. Original design solutions can be not only convenient, but also expressive. The result: a bit cramped, but visually stylish.
   

   Maximum use of kitchen height

2. Free space. For storing the maximum use of utility rooms to free up more space in the kitchen. Result: it is not so small.
   

   Small kitchen under the stairwell

3. Instead of a small kitchen a large studio. Due to the demolition of the partitions, it merges with the room. The result: a spacious living-dining room, interesting design.
   

   A small kitchen in a spacious studio

The third option is beyond the scope of this article, and the first two will be discussed in more detail.

First option: post all

If you try to place everything in a small kitchen, you probably do not have to talk about design. Nevertheless, there are tried and effective solutions, one or two of which you can take into service – but not all at once.

1. Use the entire height. Hinged cabinets with mezzanines, going under the ceiling, are very roomy. This makes it possible not to occupy all the walls with furniture and equipment, only one or two.
   

   Use of the entire height of the kitchen

2. An important point in the design of a small kitchen is to use the non-standard depth of furniture. The win in 5-10 cm is already palpable. Buy cabinets, a refrigerator, a sink and an oven no more than 50 cm deep. Wall cabinets 20 cm deep are almost as roomy as 35 cm, but they are more convenient.
   

   Increased cabinet depth

3. Arrange cabinets-mezzanine around the perimeter.
   

   Maximum number of wall cabinets

4. It’s safe to use the wall by the window. The option with a sink and a desk near the window is no less attractive than a dining area.
   

   Sink on the opposite side of the window

The second option: remove all

Remove all unnecessary – this approach to the design of a small kitchen is dictated by a rethinking of the concept of home. Now little is stored for future use, preferring to get rid of unnecessary things.

Kitchen without hanging cupboards

• First, throw away or give out what is not used.
• Secondly, what is rarely used, including holiday services, is moved to a pantry, which is pre-equipped with modern stylish storage systems. There also those products which take a little “in a stock” – groats, canned food, drinks send.

Maximum free space in a small kitchen

The design of a small kitchen, in which there was only a standard set of equipment, a dining area and hinged shelves, has a lot of stylish options.

Square or long

In the layout is essential, a square room or a long one. Square kitchen – the usual from the point of planning. In the elongated to the side of the window, you can select a miniature dining area by the window.

Small square kitchen

An interesting option is when the wall with the window is the longest. If there is an opportunity for one of the short walls to establish a working area, then the opposite side has a place for a cozy dining group.

Rectangular Kitchen

Requirements for furniture

The design of a small kitchen makes high demands on furniture. Landmarks are as follows:

1. A minimum of furniture.
2. Custom depth. Hinged cases – 20-30 cm, shelves 10-20 cm, cabinets-thumbs – up to 50 cm.
3. Custom furniture: according to an individual project, which allows to optimally use the space.
4. Style.

The use of color to visually increase the small kitchen

On the style, color and texture of furniture

Inadmissible luxury – to use in a small kitchen random pieces of furniture of questionable design or standard “kitchen headsets.”

Furniture should not be cumbersome, expressive. In alliance with decoration and accessories, furniture forms the design of a small kitchen.

The color “in tone” allows it to be inconspicuous without standing out against the background of walls or floor. Sometimes a transparent table or chairs are used for the dining area. Bright designer furniture becomes an element of decor, transforming a small room.

Playing colors in a small kitchen

It is believed that the shiny surfaces expand the space. This is individually. In one project shiny cabinets look great, in others, they tire of glare. In the cramped premises, light matt furniture is more comfortable for perception.

Metal in the design of a small kitchen

Without wall-mounted cabinets

Fashionable open shelves deserve special attention. If you use them in the design instead of hinged cabinets – provided that they will be in perfect order or picturesque, well-organized chaos – the size of a small kitchen visually widens so much that it becomes unrecognizable. Especially if you compare the shelves 10-20 cm with cabinets of standard depth – 35-43 cm.

Open shelves with curly sides came in modern kitchens from the fashionable Provence. They look great within the classical Italian style and the Mediterranean. Narrow cantilever shelves are a gift of Scandinavian design.

Open shelves in the interior of the kitchen

Color and trim features

In the design of a small kitchen white in the finish does not happen much. A milky shade of ceiling, walls, light floor – a wonderful background for furniture pastel colors.

White on white

White furniture on a white background – bust, so it will not be possible to create a perspective. Or, in this case, the walls must be painted in a pastel or other calm shade, or there should be colored elements creating a perspective and a decorative accent.

A small kitchen in white

In the white kitchen, they can become, for example:

• black forged dining group;
• Wallpaper with a large graphic pattern on one of the walls;
• spectacular glass apron with illumination from the inside;
• Open shelves with dishes carefully selected in color;
• vintage oven, sink, refrigerator (not necessarily all at once).

Sex is very important, it’s a pillar. Because it is better to make a little darker furniture and walls. The tiles laid in staggered order, but diagonally, will contribute to an optimistic mood, and the parquet of light wood species – pacification.

Dark floor in a small kitchen in white

Accessories

A small kitchen is already overloaded to fill it with bright decorative accessories. But without them – how to achieve originality, expressiveness, get away from an impersonal standard?

In a small stylish kitchen there can be only one, a fairly large object that attracts attention, and one or two smaller, to balance the space. This principle is used by the Japanese in drawing up a bouquet of ikebana – the art of achieving perfection in miniature.

The role of the main accent can be played by a dining group, a stylish refrigerator, curtains, a spectacular poster on the wall or a few small objects combined in a painterly composition. The decorative accent is highlighted not only by color, but also by the original form.

Decor in the design of a small kitchen in white

Why is a strong decorative element in the design of a small kitchen important?? In a too small room it is impossible to use spectacular furniture or decoration, it will not only be visually too tight, it will be psychologically difficult to be. However, the complete absence of any special, artistically valuable details, too, is undesirable, this will make the room sadly mundane.

A stylish element on a neutral background is the only way to create an image, make the design of a small kitchen pleasant and memorable.

Windows and Lighting

Lighting is a powerful tool in the design of a small kitchen. Limit one ceiling chandelier – hence, opt out of the possibility to optically expand the space.

Light in a small kitchen

LED illumination of the working area and shelves exorcises darkness from the most shaded corners, not only creating a festive atmosphere, but also doing homework in the kitchen is pleasant.

The lamp above the small dining area is the strongest accent, creating a special atmosphere around the dining table.

Lighting in a small kitchen

Natural lighting in a small kitchen is very important, therefore modern design of windows often implies the absence of curtains. When choosing curtains, they prefer a one-color, semi-transparent, not overloaded draperies.

By the way, contrasting in color, small curtains can play a bad service, visually crushing the plane of the wall. Preferably the fabric “in tone”, and the size – in the entire wall, from the ceiling to the floor.

Natural lighting in a small kitchen

Alternative design solutions for curtains in a small kitchen:

• horizontal blinds;
• fashionable roll-blinds;
• Roman curtains.

What design style is possible in a small kitchen?

Hard question. The range is very limited, and more often it is necessary to talk about the features inherent in the style, and not about the implementation of the idea in its entirety.

The most important thing is choosing a certain direction, taking from it what can be used in cramped conditions. Mixing styles is not welcome ever, but in a small kitchen – especially.

So, let’s consider what design directions can be implemented in a small kitchen, highlight their strengths and what imposes restrictions:

1. Minimalism. Laconic forms and bright accents. With a lack of space, it is better to embody it in the kitchen, from which much is taken out to the pantry. Or actively use the under-ceiling space. Youth option.
   

   A small kitchen in minimalism styles

2. Provence. Do not forget about the delicate pastel color, open shelves and curtains in the flower. Additional storage systems in the pantry do not interfere. The dream of all the girls.
   

   A small kitchen in Provence style

3. High tech. The combination of metal, plastic and shiny surfaces – it’s important not to step back in details from clear style assumptions. A pantry is needed.
   

   Small kitchen in high-tech styles

4. Functionalism. This, perhaps, is the only direction that can reconcile the reserves and ergonomics. Little kitchens are not only a Russian asset. Inventive approach, non-standard, bold ready-made solutions are offered by manufacturers of compact systems that combine all the necessary equipment – from a dishwasher to a trash can. Expensive and cool. The pride of a bachelor.
   

   Design of a small kitchen

5. East style. Remove all unnecessary, install the most modern equipment, low simple furniture. On the windows – roll curtains. Mats, dishes and decor in the style of the country of the rising sun. Convenient, calm and stylish.

Conclusion

No matter how small the kitchen was, it is in the power of the owners to make it comfortable and attractive. Yes, something will be thrown out of the utensils. Yes, it will be necessary to refuse from purchases “for future use”. Yes, the order on it should be maintained ideal. But, having applied ingenuity, effort and good taste, it is possible and in a small kitchen to create a design of such a level that it will cause admiration.

Photo gallery – bathroom redevelopment

Video:

Author: Irina Ivanova