Top tips for small kitchens

While we all dream of our ideal kitchen, there are always limiting factors and one of the main ones can be space.  If you live in an apartment, flat or small house then you will most likely have a small kitchen.  More modern flats and apartments have moved into an ‘open plan’ architectural style for kitchen/living rooms to maximise the space and make the kitchen area more appealing but it doesn’t change the fact that you have limited space to work with.

 

So what can be done about that.  Well at Discount Worktop Store, we are here to help.  While we may be know for offering great quality kitchen worktops online at some of the best discounted prices around, one of our main goals is to offer your a great service so that you get a great kitchen.

 

So if you have a small kitchen space to work with then we are here to help with 10 top tips for maximising your space and making your kitchen a nicer place to be.

 

1 – Use the top of your cabinets.

So if you have cupboards and cabinets running along the walls of your kitchen, what is on top of them?  This can be a great place to store some of the lesser used kitchen equipment that you can’t live without but actually only use a couple of times a month.  So things like your slow cooker.  A great cooking tool that produces truly tasty food.  It doens’t have to live on your kitchen worktop all day every day and if it sits in a cupboard, then it is taking up a lot of space.  So put it up high and out of the way.  When you know you are going to need it, simply reach up high to bring it down.

 

2 – Storage on top of the fridge.

Keeping it going with storage up high, your fridge.  If you have a large freestanding fridge or fridge freezer then there will be space on top of that for so many things.  Cooking books?  Serving trays?  Even your spice rack can live up there.

 

3 – Use your window bay as storage.

You might be thinking we have gone mad but a tall pot with all your wooden spoons and other cooking utensils can easily sit on your window ledge.  You can have a hanging bar running across your window higher up that would be a great place to hang pots and pans.  In a small kitchen, these kind of storage methods not only help increase worktop space but also add design features that others will just love.

 

4 – Add freestanding shelves.

So if you have a fairly restricting kitchen architecture that limits the size of the kitchen worktops and cabinets then maybe there is free standing space where shelves can be added.  There are so many shapes, sizes and styles of freestanding shelves that can really add a visual wow factor to your kitchen.  And the added bonus is that you can even hand things like a bag of onions, bananas, apples etc off these shelves to really add a visual factor to the room.

 

5 – Magnetic Knife Bar.

You will have seen these on so many kitchens but they really are a useful tool.  If you are struggling for drawer space and you don’t want a knife block taking up valuable worktop space then a wall mounted knife rack is a great solution.  And once again, this can add a real visual element to the room.  The only downside – you should make sure you have nice looking kitchen knives.

 

6 – Use the side of your cabinets.

So in your cosy little kitchen, there will logically be a space where the cabinets simply stop.  What is there?  If it is simply a space then use it.  You could have some hanging hooks for things like utensils, drainers, frying pans and more.  Obviously if you have small children of pets then this may be inadvisable but if you don’t then once again, this is free space.

 

7 – The underside of your cupboards and cabinets.

Okay so on some cupboards, this may simply not work however if you imagine a cupboard with dishes in it.  If the shelf is say 50cm high and you stack your plates up high but still only take half that space, why not add some hooks to the underside of the top shelf and use it to hand some cups and mugs?  

 

8 – Turn your stove top into a worktop / countertop.

What!!!  Did you just say turn your stove hob area into more worktop surface space?  This is more for those that have gas hobs.  But a wooden worktop that is cut the same dimensions as your stove top can then sit onto of the stove when it is not used.  The worktop can be stored away in a space (for example) next to the fridge freezer when you are using the stove.  And this little method can add a great contrasting worktop material to once again make your kitchen more than just a little space to cook food.

 

9 – Add shelves in all the spaces.

Okay so if all your cupboards are full then what can you do.  The space between your worktop and the higher cupboards above is a prime place to add a shelf riser and make a visual feature. This is a great place to add your herbs and spices.  Easy to access and cool to look at.

 

10 – Hang things over the stove.

This is probably a bit more obvious but hanging things above your stove is one of the easiest ways of freeing up space.  Whether it is pots, pans, utensils, a plate rack, shelves for your dry goods like pasta and rice…it doesn’t matter.  Make use of the space to free up more space everywhere else.

 

And there you go, 10 top tips to free up some space in small kitchens.  We hope this has helped.  And remember, if you have any questions about anything kitchen related (especially if it is about worktops) then call Discount Worktop Store today.

 

Great prices and Great advice.