When we think of square footage, we tend to only consider how much room you have side-to-side. However, when it comes to kitchens, going vertical can be just as helpful for gaining extra storage.
In a small space, every design moment counts—and you should feel free to have fun with each! You may not have a lot of square footage to play around with, but that doesn’t mean the floor that is showing needs to be boring.
Cabinet space is at a premium in small kitchens, making your countertops a natural overflow zone. And, when you’re staring at your stuff all day, you’re going to want to make sure it’s pretty.
When it comes to making any small space functional, sneaking in storage wherever you can is essential. The thing is, that may not always look like traditional cabinetry.
A small kitchen that feels and functions well doesn’t just come down to taming physical clutter—it requires taming visual clutter, too. Everything your eye rests on in a space can either add or detract from the room’s calm feeling so, in most cases, you want to keep small spaces free of too much visual clutter.
Many apartment dwellers aren’t just contending with a small kitchen—they’re also up against rooms that get very little natural light, which can immediately make a space feel more snug and claustrophobic.
You don’t have to sacrifice the coveted island when designing a small space. By scaling down the footprint—or opting for a free-standing piece—you can still incorporate that extra surface area without sucking up all your available square footage.