by Natalia Jones

Created on: May 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 23, 2010

A big kitchen seems to be on everyone's wish list, and somehow the kitchen we end up with rarely ever lives up to the kitchen of our dreams. So for those of us who have to find ways to make the tiny area that is our reality live up to the grand space in our fantasy, the following tips are a guide to making small kitchens look larger.

1. Downsize your Appliances

Often people with small kitchens don't realize that smaller appliances can work just as well with their lifestyles while creating a feeling of more square footage in the kitchen. A gargantuan microwave and a mammoth refrigerator serve only to further dwarf the size of your kitchen. By scaling your appliances to your space instead of shopping for the biggest you can afford, your kitchen will appear larger and you will gain some elbow room as well.

2. Try Open Shelving

In a small kitchen, especially one that is also enclosed, a wall of cabinetry can be oppressive and make the room feel even more boxed-in. By installing open shelving on one wall the room automatically becomes lighter and brighter.

3. Light it Up

Light opens a space up. Naturally the more light flowing into the kitchen the brighter and roomier it will feel. If you don't have a window in your kitchen pay special attention to your lighting. Install under cabinet lighting for an instant kitchen face-lift. You can also put lights above your cabinets if they do not go to full ceiling height.

4. Maximize your Space

By choosing custom cabinetry that utilizes every square inch of your tiny kitchen, from Lazy Susans to get to those hard to reach corners to slim floor to ceiling pull outs that can hold spices and other nifty kitchen items, you can get the most out of your space. These investments will also be excellent for resale as buyers place a high value on a functional kitchen.

5. Clear the Counter Clutter

Maybe it's easy to reach on the counter to grab your ingredients and you like seeing your cool coffee mugs on their hangers but clutter is the enemy of small kitchens. Choose the things you must have on hand and put everything else away. This gives a calmer and cleaner appearance and the eye is more restful, instead of darting around the corners of your small room trying to take in the rooster shaped salt and pepper shakers and the quirky shaped bottle opener decorating the kitchen counter.

6. Tear Down a Wall

If you have the budget and your structure allows, you can also remove a wall to open the kitchen up to another room. An open concept floor plan is considered more desirable by most house hunters as it allows for a more casual setting and gives the cook the opportunity to be in on the action. This is another way to ensure you get value on your investment at resale time.

There are lots of ways to celebrate your small kitchen in style and utilize the space wisely. All you need is to start thinking outside the box and make some small changes to the way things are laid out to showcase the positives of your kitchen space. 

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