Remodeling Tips for Your Small Kitchen
Many of us wish we had large, spacious kitchens, but the fact is that we live in small homes and condominiums, so space is hard to come by. But if you're dreaming of remodeling, there are plenty of possibilities for small kitchens.
The kitchen is still the most popular room in the house, but small homes are far more likely to have a tiny area with just enough room for essential appliances or no separate space at all. Start your remodeling wish list to include the barest minimum of essentials, and then see how many extras you can fit in.
Believe it or not, you will be able to find all sorts of neat gadgets and space-saving designs to create a workspace worthy of a gourmet chef. Look at as many different styles as possible and seek professional advice. Expert planners will help you squeeze the most efficient use out of whatever room you have available. Some even specialize in small homes (and the kitchen is the most frequently remodeled room today).
Work out exactly what you want in your kitchen. Are you a gourmet chef or are you more apt to reheat foods from your favorite deli? How much time (beyond frequent trips to the refrigerator) are you going to spend in the kitchen? Is your kitchen just a place for cooking, or does it need to provide an eating space or a home office in the corner?
A small kitchen doesn't give you much space to use as a dining room, but you can carve out a little eating area large enough for you to have your morning coffee and breakfast. A small circular table or a drop-leaf design takes up less space than a big square design (think about little garden tables). Consider folding chairs that can be stacked out of sight when you are not using them. If the kitchen adjoins an open living room, you can create a dining area in the corner and divide the two with an island or peninsula cabinet.
If it is necessary to include your laundry in the same area, you can opt for a unit that combines both washer and dryer to free up more space. Stacking appliances one above another will make them more easily accessible. Unless your kitchen area is confined to one wall, a horseshoe layout will ensure that all necessary appliances and gadgets are within easy reach. The outer worktop can also serve to dividing the kitchen from your dining area.
The smaller the kitchen, the faster it is to fill up. Ultra streamlined units can be designed with the back cut down to reduce how far they extend into the room. Many manufacturers produce cabins in a range of sizes. You can refinish existing cabinets by updating them with paint, gloss, or varnish and replace the door and drawer handles. However, you will find that modern cabinetry has been designed to give you more efficient use of small spaces. For space saving solutions, look for doors that fold or slide (either sideways or on a sash-window principle). Half height or split wall cupboards are useful, with doors that swing upward or fold back into the cupboard rather than swinging out into the room.
If you have room for free standing furniture that can work as dividers or additional storage space, the sky is the limit (ok, the ceiling is the limit). The kitchen, more than any other room needs clever storage areas and contemporary designers are rising to the challenge. New designs focus on what were previously called 'dead spaces by using carousels, built in racks, built in wine racks, miniature spice drawers, cabinets for garbage bins and places to hold extra pans and the like.
Consider your space carefully, seek professional help, and think of every cupboard, drawer, shelf, trolley and rack as a way to create the designer kitchen of your dreams.
Further reading: Small Spaces for Modern Living: Making the Most of Your Indoor Space
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