Imagine being in a small kitchen bumping into each other, searching for oven gloves, or reaching for pots and pans in the deep storage. If you think that the size of the kitchen is the source of all your woes, and going bigger is the only answer, do not despair. We have some tricks and tips that ought to make your kitchen feel a lot bigger.
Colour
The good thing about light colours is that they help to visually expand the space. The trick is to switch from dark colours to light on walls, cabinet fronts, furnishings, and floors. Doing this will make the kitchen look light, airy, and large. Stick to a few colours from the light colour palette as these will reflect light and make the space feel bigger. You can paint cabinets the same colour as the walls as these erase visual boundaries that might stop the eye and glide over surfaces without a break. This works like an optical illusion. This movement deceives the mind into thinking that the room is bigger than it actually is. Another trick is to use white on cabinetry, countertops, walls, and the ceiling. This trick aids in creating a seamless space without edges or boundaries and reflects light, enhancing the sense of space and making the walls recede. These simple visual tricks will give a smart and coherent look to your kitchen and in the interim usher an effect of serenity and expansiveness.
Lighting
Choosing lights for your kitchen can get really tricky. Wherever there’s space for lighting make sure you use this occasion to the maximum. Use down-light with decorative fixtures over the island and prep station, use flush or recessed fixtures, use under-cabinet lighting, pendant lights add ambiance to meals served on an island or peninsula, and a mix of focused and recessed lighting as much as possible. Introducing these lights will help your kitchen look larger. Make sure your chandelier or pendant light is not too low or large, as it can obscure views out the window or of your fellow diners. Natural light makes any space appear larger and brighter. If you don't have large windows to let the sunlight in, keep the window embellishments and treatments minimal. For privacy, try window treatments in ultra-light hues or an opaque shade that allows light in. Plus, adequate lighting improves functionality. Combine form and functionality by adding several layers of lighting.
Glass
If you are open to drastic changes in your kitchen, then you can replace solid cabinet doors with glass ones. Glass fronts lighten the look of the cabinets and tricks the eye by allowing it to travel past the cabinet frames, into the depths of the cabinets, so the walls feel farther away and helps the kitchen seem more expansive. Having a glass cabinet is not sufficient, ensure your cabinet is clutter-free and colour-coordinated from the inside and out as well. You need not always open the doors to see exactly what lies inside, and their transparent nature might even tempt you to keep your cabinets cleaner and more organized than normal. Glass cabinet doors are available in various styles that range from those with a classic wood frame to the trendy translucent ones.
Glossy and shiny
When choosing materials, gloss finishes will help bounce light around the room, creating the illusion of space. Reflective surfaces, such as ceramic tile, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, glossy floors, satin paint, and glass tiles, subtly amplify the effects of natural and artificial light, thereby making small kitchens seem larger. Glossy finishes and polished shelves are a great addition to a small kitchen. Reflective surfaces further accentuate the lighting in your small kitchen and give it a lively, dynamic vibe.
Mirror
Mirrors are especially useful when there is no, or minimal, natural light in the kitchen. They can help to open the space up and bounce light around. A great design trick is to use mirrors to reflect spaces where the room opens up, like a doorway, alcove or window. Reflecting these spaces gives the illusion of extending the small space, making it look bigger.
Tile
Light-coloured tile, metallics, or glass tiles can almost serve as mini-mirrors and help increase the light in the room. These tiles act as a reflection and shine and bounce light. Try not to break up the visual flow of the floor; long lines and large tiles are better than small grids. Ceramic tiles are an example of reflective surface which amplifies the effects of natural light, thus making your kitchen appear larger.
Storage
Nothing makes a room feel smaller than when it is short on storage space so therefore, look for all the areas that could provide useful storage. When space is limited, you need sleek, effective storage that you can pack with everything from plates to pasta. Find creative storage solutions or go for deep drawers, recessed shelves, or sliding pantries that make the items more accessible and are a more space-efficient option than a standard cupboard. Changing cabinet doors to pullout drawers can give you access to dramatically more space.
Vertical
Vertical lines are a fabulous addition to the small kitchen, and by drawing your eyes upwards, they actually help make the room appear far more spacious and relaxed. A striped pattern with a mix of dark and white tones often does the trick. A simple brick wall or a tile backsplash can also work brilliantly when done right. Keep cabinets long and leaner, rather than square to lead the eye upwards and emphasise the height of the room. Choose patterns and visual elements on walls and ceiling that help to guide the gaze towards the ceiling giving the impression of greater height. Just like the other tricks, this is another edition to the optical illusion.
Continue to read How to Make a Small Kitchen Look Larger (Part - 2) for more tips.
Colour
The good thing about light colours is that they help to visually expand the space. The trick is to switch from dark colours to light on walls, cabinet fronts, furnishings, and floors. Doing this will make the kitchen look light, airy, and large. Stick to a few colours from the light colour palette as these will reflect light and make the space feel bigger. You can paint cabinets the same colour as the walls as these erase visual boundaries that might stop the eye and glide over surfaces without a break. This works like an optical illusion. This movement deceives the mind into thinking that the room is bigger than it actually is. Another trick is to use white on cabinetry, countertops, walls, and the ceiling. This trick aids in creating a seamless space without edges or boundaries and reflects light, enhancing the sense of space and making the walls recede. These simple visual tricks will give a smart and coherent look to your kitchen and in the interim usher an effect of serenity and expansiveness.
 |
| Light colours visually expand the space |
Lighting
Choosing lights for your kitchen can get really tricky. Wherever there’s space for lighting make sure you use this occasion to the maximum. Use down-light with decorative fixtures over the island and prep station, use flush or recessed fixtures, use under-cabinet lighting, pendant lights add ambiance to meals served on an island or peninsula, and a mix of focused and recessed lighting as much as possible. Introducing these lights will help your kitchen look larger. Make sure your chandelier or pendant light is not too low or large, as it can obscure views out the window or of your fellow diners. Natural light makes any space appear larger and brighter. If you don't have large windows to let the sunlight in, keep the window embellishments and treatments minimal. For privacy, try window treatments in ultra-light hues or an opaque shade that allows light in. Plus, adequate lighting improves functionality. Combine form and functionality by adding several layers of lighting.
 |
| Natural or artificial, lights help your kitchen look larger. |
Glass
If you are open to drastic changes in your kitchen, then you can replace solid cabinet doors with glass ones. Glass fronts lighten the look of the cabinets and tricks the eye by allowing it to travel past the cabinet frames, into the depths of the cabinets, so the walls feel farther away and helps the kitchen seem more expansive. Having a glass cabinet is not sufficient, ensure your cabinet is clutter-free and colour-coordinated from the inside and out as well. You need not always open the doors to see exactly what lies inside, and their transparent nature might even tempt you to keep your cabinets cleaner and more organized than normal. Glass cabinet doors are available in various styles that range from those with a classic wood frame to the trendy translucent ones.
 |
| Glass tricks your eyes |
Glossy and shiny
When choosing materials, gloss finishes will help bounce light around the room, creating the illusion of space. Reflective surfaces, such as ceramic tile, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, glossy floors, satin paint, and glass tiles, subtly amplify the effects of natural and artificial light, thereby making small kitchens seem larger. Glossy finishes and polished shelves are a great addition to a small kitchen. Reflective surfaces further accentuate the lighting in your small kitchen and give it a lively, dynamic vibe.
Mirror
Mirrors are especially useful when there is no, or minimal, natural light in the kitchen. They can help to open the space up and bounce light around. A great design trick is to use mirrors to reflect spaces where the room opens up, like a doorway, alcove or window. Reflecting these spaces gives the illusion of extending the small space, making it look bigger.
Tile
Light-coloured tile, metallics, or glass tiles can almost serve as mini-mirrors and help increase the light in the room. These tiles act as a reflection and shine and bounce light. Try not to break up the visual flow of the floor; long lines and large tiles are better than small grids. Ceramic tiles are an example of reflective surface which amplifies the effects of natural light, thus making your kitchen appear larger.
Storage
Nothing makes a room feel smaller than when it is short on storage space so therefore, look for all the areas that could provide useful storage. When space is limited, you need sleek, effective storage that you can pack with everything from plates to pasta. Find creative storage solutions or go for deep drawers, recessed shelves, or sliding pantries that make the items more accessible and are a more space-efficient option than a standard cupboard. Changing cabinet doors to pullout drawers can give you access to dramatically more space.
 |
| Vertical cabinets make the kitchen look spacious |
Vertical
Vertical lines are a fabulous addition to the small kitchen, and by drawing your eyes upwards, they actually help make the room appear far more spacious and relaxed. A striped pattern with a mix of dark and white tones often does the trick. A simple brick wall or a tile backsplash can also work brilliantly when done right. Keep cabinets long and leaner, rather than square to lead the eye upwards and emphasise the height of the room. Choose patterns and visual elements on walls and ceiling that help to guide the gaze towards the ceiling giving the impression of greater height. Just like the other tricks, this is another edition to the optical illusion.
Continue to read How to Make a Small Kitchen Look Larger (Part - 2) for more tips.
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