Are you stuck with a small kitchen but you have some big ideas? Do you have kitchen envy and you wish that you had the counter space and floor space that your friends or family have. At times, you've thought of knocking down a wall or putting an addition on to your house but that's simply not in the cards right now. You are stuck with a small kitchen so you must make the best with what you have. How can you make the most of a small kitchen, though? How can you make your small space feel more spacious and more pleasant for you and your family?
Denying that you have a small kitchen will get you nowhere while accepting what you have to work with is necessary as your first step in remodeling your kitchen. You can still dream about having those big stainless steel appliances and that center island as big as a Broadway stage someday but for today, acceptance is the name of the game. Accept your kitchen as it is and love it for being cute and cozy. Imagine how many miles of walking you you avoid by having a little kitchen and the amount of time you save cleaning thanks to the small space you have.
Next, comes the planning phase of your kitchen remodel. Again, your smaller kitchen is going to be much less expensive to remodel than a larger kitchen so thank your lucky stars. One of the great things about having a small kitchen is the fact that you can afford high quality materials. Often you can find small quantities of high quality materials like stone counter tops, tile flooring and lights that have been discontinued or are leftovers from previous jobs. High quality materials will make you proud of your small kitchen. Don't skimp on quality or getting what you really want. It makes a big difference when you're all done.
Your lighting scheme is one aspect of a remodeling job that is often an after-thought for most people. Planning this out ahead of time and including it as a specific category in your design is a must. You have under counter lighting that you can explore, main lighting fixtures as well as accent lighting which can show off different aspects of your kitchen such as cabinets or a focal point. A well thought out lighting plan that's original and granular can be used to set the mood for your kitchen whether you're having a holiday party or sneaky around late at night for a midnight snack. Check out different fixtures and explore all your options including track lighting. It's not just for your living room or den anymore.
When choosing patterns for floor tile, wallpaper and fixtures, remember that a small pattern will feel more natural in a small area. Small floor tiles and small patters for wallpaper won't overwhelm a room. The same holds true for fixtures and appliances. Smaller fixtures, such as light fixtures, will blend in more easily. A smaller refrigerator, mixer or coffee maker will seem more in scale with the kitchen than it's giant stainless steel counterpart.
Planning our your storage is also another concern that you should think about before you begin to remodel your kitchen. Finding storage for things that you don't use often such as mixers and blenders can free up counter space and keep things looking uncluttered. Buying some of these appliances and household items that come ready to mount under a cabinet is another option. Microwaves, can openers and even coffee makers are made to go under the cabinet these days. Take advantage of this nifty option. Putting other large items tucked away in a cabinet is a good idea also. While it might be nice for your mother to see the mixer that she bought you when she comes to visit, allowing it to live in an upper cabinet or in a nearby closet might make things easier at other times. In a kitchen, less is often more.
Even though we have only touched on a few aspects of kitchen design and remodeling, you should be encouraged and excited about the options that lie ahead for you and your project. Your petite kitchen is nothing to be ashamed of and with a little ingenuity and planning you can make this space rich with the latest trends and materials. The hard work and effort is bound to pay off for you in a work space, meeting place and attractive center of your home that you, your friends and family will enjoy for years to come.
Denying that you have a small kitchen will get you nowhere while accepting what you have to work with is necessary as your first step in remodeling your kitchen. You can still dream about having those big stainless steel appliances and that center island as big as a Broadway stage someday but for today, acceptance is the name of the game. Accept your kitchen as it is and love it for being cute and cozy. Imagine how many miles of walking you you avoid by having a little kitchen and the amount of time you save cleaning thanks to the small space you have.
Next, comes the planning phase of your kitchen remodel. Again, your smaller kitchen is going to be much less expensive to remodel than a larger kitchen so thank your lucky stars. One of the great things about having a small kitchen is the fact that you can afford high quality materials. Often you can find small quantities of high quality materials like stone counter tops, tile flooring and lights that have been discontinued or are leftovers from previous jobs. High quality materials will make you proud of your small kitchen. Don't skimp on quality or getting what you really want. It makes a big difference when you're all done.
Your lighting scheme is one aspect of a remodeling job that is often an after-thought for most people. Planning this out ahead of time and including it as a specific category in your design is a must. You have under counter lighting that you can explore, main lighting fixtures as well as accent lighting which can show off different aspects of your kitchen such as cabinets or a focal point. A well thought out lighting plan that's original and granular can be used to set the mood for your kitchen whether you're having a holiday party or sneaky around late at night for a midnight snack. Check out different fixtures and explore all your options including track lighting. It's not just for your living room or den anymore.
When choosing patterns for floor tile, wallpaper and fixtures, remember that a small pattern will feel more natural in a small area. Small floor tiles and small patters for wallpaper won't overwhelm a room. The same holds true for fixtures and appliances. Smaller fixtures, such as light fixtures, will blend in more easily. A smaller refrigerator, mixer or coffee maker will seem more in scale with the kitchen than it's giant stainless steel counterpart.
Planning our your storage is also another concern that you should think about before you begin to remodel your kitchen. Finding storage for things that you don't use often such as mixers and blenders can free up counter space and keep things looking uncluttered. Buying some of these appliances and household items that come ready to mount under a cabinet is another option. Microwaves, can openers and even coffee makers are made to go under the cabinet these days. Take advantage of this nifty option. Putting other large items tucked away in a cabinet is a good idea also. While it might be nice for your mother to see the mixer that she bought you when she comes to visit, allowing it to live in an upper cabinet or in a nearby closet might make things easier at other times. In a kitchen, less is often more.
Even though we have only touched on a few aspects of kitchen design and remodeling, you should be encouraged and excited about the options that lie ahead for you and your project. Your petite kitchen is nothing to be ashamed of and with a little ingenuity and planning you can make this space rich with the latest trends and materials. The hard work and effort is bound to pay off for you in a work space, meeting place and attractive center of your home that you, your friends and family will enjoy for years to come.
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