How to maximise space in your kitchen / diner

For many people, the kitchen truly is the heart of the home. And, in order to ensure that your kitchen runs smoothly, you need to make sure it is liveable and that you can work well with the space that you have. If your kitchen is on the more compact side then how you maximise the space that you do have can really make or break the way in which your kitchen works for you. Every aspect of a smaller kitchen needs to be perfectly laid out, designed and planned. Attention needs to be on all the little details such as where the appliances will go and how you can get the most out of the space you do have. 

It is always worth speaking to a kitchen designer when you are looking at remodelling a smaller kitchen. It can be far more complex than planning the layout of a larger room. And, they will certainly have some tricks up their sleeves to 

Here are just a few tips to get you started.

Breakfast bar

If you think that a breakfast bar will take up too much room then think again. It doesn’t have to – it will, however, take up less room than a kitchen table. You might need to sacrifice a couple of cupboards in order to put a breakfast bar in. But, a small one will give you kitchen greater versatility

Drawers instead of doors

Making the switch from cupboards with doors to drawers for your kitchen storage can gain you a huge amount of extra usable storage space. Drawers allow you easy access to everything from the front to the back of the space. However, it can be much trickier to reach the back of a cupboard. You can also utilise more space vertically this way as well. Instead of things stacked high in a cupboard that threaten to tumble out, you can split them into drawers and store more.

Use the walls

When space is at a premium you need to use it as carefully as possible so don’t overlook the walls. Carefully placed shelves can really help when it comes to storage and can utilise those areas that might otherwise not be put to good use. In addition to shelves you may also want to consider pegboards or rods. These are a great way of getting essential utensils off the worksurfaces and onto the walls. This could gain you not only space on your worktop but also an empty drawer as well in terms of your utensils.

Consider your handles

Maximising the space in your kitchen isn’t just about how you store things in cupboards and drawers. It is also about making a small kitchen appear bigger. Whilst many people understand that lighter colour will work really well to achieve this, handles are another area where you can create the illusion of more space. Look for sleek handles that don’t stick out too much or even inset troughs to grip instead.