They Managed to do What in a Small Kitchen?
Glean space-savings tips from these kitchens all sized below 100 square feet
Mitchell Parker
19 April 2017
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
If you think your kitchen can’t be roomier, take another look. At first glance, it might seem maxed out, but with a little thoughtful planning, you can uncover priceless inches that will give you an airier, more efficient space. Here are eight ideas from kitchens that hover around 100 square feet (9.3 square metres).
1. Remember recess
No, not the recess you had in school. We’re talking recessing storage into a wall. That’s what homeowner Allison Macdonald did with the cabinet seen here on the left below the open shelves. Recessing the unit gave her extra inches between it and the peninsula to create the feeling of a more open layout in 95 square feet.
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No, not the recess you had in school. We’re talking recessing storage into a wall. That’s what homeowner Allison Macdonald did with the cabinet seen here on the left below the open shelves. Recessing the unit gave her extra inches between it and the peninsula to create the feeling of a more open layout in 95 square feet.
See more of this kitchen
2. Hang your upper cabinets higher
For this 72-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) kitchen, architect Lauren Rubin hung the cabinets a little higher above the counter to give the feel of more space. Standard cabinets typically hang 45 centimetres above a counter. Rubin hung these at 55 centimetres . “I find for small kitchens, hanging cabinets 18 inches (45 centimetres) above a countertop makes things feel small and congested,” she says. “You lose some storage, but it’s important to make those small spaces feel as light and airy as possible.”
See more of this kitchen
For this 72-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) kitchen, architect Lauren Rubin hung the cabinets a little higher above the counter to give the feel of more space. Standard cabinets typically hang 45 centimetres above a counter. Rubin hung these at 55 centimetres . “I find for small kitchens, hanging cabinets 18 inches (45 centimetres) above a countertop makes things feel small and congested,” she says. “You lose some storage, but it’s important to make those small spaces feel as light and airy as possible.”
See more of this kitchen
3. Get a smaller, counter-depth refrigerator
To help open up this 120-square-foot (11-square-metre) kitchen, homeowners Matt Lynaugh and Gloria Lee opted for a smaller refrigerator that frees up physical and visual space.
See more of this kitchen
To help open up this 120-square-foot (11-square-metre) kitchen, homeowners Matt Lynaugh and Gloria Lee opted for a smaller refrigerator that frees up physical and visual space.
See more of this kitchen
4. Spring for custom cabinet
Going with custom cabinets will definitely add cost to your project, but if you’re trying to maximise every square inch of space, customising will give you the most flexibility. That’s what designer Brad Belka did for the owners of this 100-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) kitchen, which includes a recessed cabinet pantry, countertop drawers, rollout garbage cans and backless cabinets that allow plates and glasses to be accessed from an adjacent dining room.
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Going with custom cabinets will definitely add cost to your project, but if you’re trying to maximise every square inch of space, customising will give you the most flexibility. That’s what designer Brad Belka did for the owners of this 100-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) kitchen, which includes a recessed cabinet pantry, countertop drawers, rollout garbage cans and backless cabinets that allow plates and glasses to be accessed from an adjacent dining room.
See more of this kitchen
5. Use fewer but larger cabinets
For this 102-square-foot (9.5-square-metre) kitchen, designer Sarah Kahn Turner created a more uncluttered look by installing fewer but larger, more efficient deep drawers and corner cabinets with swing-out shelves.
See more of this kitchen
For this 102-square-foot (9.5-square-metre) kitchen, designer Sarah Kahn Turner created a more uncluttered look by installing fewer but larger, more efficient deep drawers and corner cabinets with swing-out shelves.
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6. Go with a waterfall-effect countertop
If you’ve got an island or a peninsula, a waterfall effect creates the illusion that it and the countertop are larger. “It offers a grander look to a small kitchen,” says Violetta Ustayev, who designed this 100-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) kitchen.
Consider Peninsulas if You Need More Storage in a Small Kitchen
If you’ve got an island or a peninsula, a waterfall effect creates the illusion that it and the countertop are larger. “It offers a grander look to a small kitchen,” says Violetta Ustayev, who designed this 100-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) kitchen.
Consider Peninsulas if You Need More Storage in a Small Kitchen
7. Consider a skinny cooktop island
This isn’t an ideal option for everyone, but if you have a small kitchen – like this 99-square-foot (9.2-square-metre) space – and like to cook with someone else at the same time, a 60-centimetre-deep island like this with a cooktop can help because it creates an open traffic path so each cook can get around.
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This isn’t an ideal option for everyone, but if you have a small kitchen – like this 99-square-foot (9.2-square-metre) space – and like to cook with someone else at the same time, a 60-centimetre-deep island like this with a cooktop can help because it creates an open traffic path so each cook can get around.
See more of this kitchen
8. Raise the roof – literally
For this 90-square-foot (8.4-square-metre) kitchen in a former bedroom, homeowners Vicki and Larsson Omberg pushed the ceiling into an attic and added a skylight to create a well-lit, airy space. Of course, this isn’t a financially or structurally practical option for everyone, but it’s worth considering. The Ombergs saved costs by tackling most of the demolition, construction and installation themselves, and were able to live in the attic and use their previous kitchen while working on the new one.
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TELL US
What tight space solutions do you employ in your kitchen? Share with us in the Comments below.
MORE
10 Things You Can Seamlessly Squeeze into a Small Kitchen
For this 90-square-foot (8.4-square-metre) kitchen in a former bedroom, homeowners Vicki and Larsson Omberg pushed the ceiling into an attic and added a skylight to create a well-lit, airy space. Of course, this isn’t a financially or structurally practical option for everyone, but it’s worth considering. The Ombergs saved costs by tackling most of the demolition, construction and installation themselves, and were able to live in the attic and use their previous kitchen while working on the new one.
See more of this kitchen
TELL US
What tight space solutions do you employ in your kitchen? Share with us in the Comments below.
MORE
10 Things You Can Seamlessly Squeeze into a Small Kitchen
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Why not give us the cost of every room u show, it would really help
That is not always possible but when it is it would be enlightening. Along with a short list of major factors in the cost - location, issues that were overcome, specialties, method of project delivery, how much infrastructure had to be accommodated added etc. Where did that cost come from? A number has little meaning without context.
I'm doing a project in California - I had no idea. Same with rural Colorado - the set up there is lots of regulation from the county and little competition between contractors - they all have their little fiefdoms which other contractors respect. Kind of like different areas of a city controlled by different mobs - with suits and ties to make it all look nice and professional.