Have a kitchen small doesn’t always mean compromising on style or functionality. In fact, with the right planning and tips, you can transform any compact space into a standout cooking area that’s bursting with charm and efficiency. In this guide, we’ll explore proven strategies and innovative ideas that will help you make the most of your kitchen, no matter its size. Get ready to unlock your space’s true potential and bring your dream kitchen to life.
Planning Strategies for Compact Kitchens
Developing the Ideal Layout
The first step to transforming your small kitchen is to define a smart layout. Consider the shape of the space: is it rectangular, square or L-shaped? Analyze the dimensions and see how the furniture and appliances can be better organized. Fitted kitchens are excellent options for compact spaces, as they allow for a more intelligent use of the space.
The Power of the Work Triangle
A fundamental principle in kitchen organization is the work triangle, which connects the refrigerator, sink, and stove. This layout promotes efficient circulation, making cooking more practical and comfortable. Consider this arrangement when planning your kitchen. small kitchen.
Using the Walls
In small spaces, every inch counts. Use the walls to install cabinets, shelves and niches, taking advantage of the height of the room. This not only optimizes space, but also adds a touch of style to your space.
Practical Tips to Optimize Your Small Kitchen
- 1. Strategic Lighting: Good lighting can do wonders for a small kitchen. Prioritize natural light, keeping windows free of obstructions. Use white lights and directional lighting points to create a more spacious and welcoming environment.
- 2. Choice of Colors: Light colors and pastel tones are your allies in compact kitchens, as they help create a feeling of spaciousness. If you prefer darker colors, combine them with lighter tones to maintain balance.
- 3. Make the Most of Every Space: Niches and shelves are smart solutions for storing utensils without taking up useful space. Position them above the countertops to keep everything within reach.
- 4. Smart Handles: Opt for recessed or alternative handles to save space and add a touch of modernity to your small kitchen.
Small Kitchen: 52 Ideas to Inspire Your Decor
Check out these stylish, compact, and compact kitchens in a variety of styles that have everything you need to cook for yourself or a crowd.
01 – Small American kitchen with wooden drumsticks
This 72.47m2 Parisian mini-loft by interior design firm Space Factory features an open kitchen built on a smaller above-ground floor compared to the rest of the apartment, which is decorated with glossy white cabinets, subway tiles and wood-strip accents that add warmth and texture.
A custom built-in slim bar helps visually divide the space, provides extra counter space for meal prep, and features a slide-out component that doubles its width for mealtime, with white wooden chopsticks that can be stored in the recess when not in use.
02 – White Floating Shelves
A way to keep a small kitchen light and airy is to use open shelving instead of overhead cabinets, which can make a small space feel cramped and claustrophobic. The key to making this work is to keep the open shelving well styled.
Blogger Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess kept this small kitchen light, bright and airy U-shaped with an all-white palette that includes floating open corner shelves for storing dinnerware, spices and pantry staples.
A cool-toned silver stove and stainless steel vent create a focal point, and the symmetry of the space and organized shelving contents make the small space feel lived-in and organized at the same time.
03 Charming and simple small kitchen
This small kitchen of St. Quirky art, a handful of plants and a sparkling crystal chandelier prove that a small kitchen can handle as much style as any other.
04 – Simplicity in decorating a small kitchen
This small kitchen Fantastic Frank's L-shaped dining table is built seamlessly into a corner of a larger dining space equipped with a large table and chairs, allowing it to disappear into the background at mealtime.
The all-white kitchen has glossy lacquered cabinets in a sleek flat-front design that matches the all-white backsplash. A large picture window floods the small kitchen with natural light, making it open and airy.
05 – Horizontal lines in small kitchen decor
In this small kitchen of Georgia Zikas Design’s apartment-style kitchen, a corner bench at the end below a window overlooking the skyline. A round tulip-shaped table with no sharp edges allows for easy maneuvering in the compact space.
Glass-front cabinets help keep the narrow kitchen from feeling too closed in, and a glossy tile backsplash on the opposite walls helps reflect light around the room.
06 – Small kitchen with central island
If you dream of having a kitchen island but don't have the space for one, try installing a peninsula. This small kitchen designed by Rashida Banks for Emily Henderson Design has a sleek quartz waterfall-edge island with seating for three, anchored by a pair of vintage-style black and gold pendant lights that define the space and add retro charm.
07 – Decoration with geometric effects
This small kitchen London-based Emilie Fournet Interiors has a geometric patterned tile backsplash that extends all the way to the hood vent, defining the open kitchen area and adding movement and interest to the space that makes it feel dynamic and expansive, rather than small and cramped. The U-shaped design puts everything you need to prepare, cook and serve meals within easy reach.
08 – Small rustic style kitchen
This small kitchen Lobster and Swan's rustic kitchen is anchored by a large central oven and outfitted with stained wood countertops, olive cabinets, and open shelves stacked with crockery, glassware, and cookware in natural materials. Instead of a small kitchen, a round bistro table and chairs provide a dining area and an extra surface for preparing meals.
09 – Small kitchen in a classic and clean style
This small kitchen by Fantastic Frank is tailored to fit perfectly into the room’s angled walls to maximize storage and functionality. The airy, minimalist Scandi kitchen features light gray cabinets, a pale wood floor, mixed metals, a whisper of pink on the walls, and pendant lights hanging from a rosy pink cord that adds a note of studied nonchalance.
10 – Classic small American kitchen
This small kitchen Desiree Burns Interiors' bachelorette pad is open to the living room, and is outfitted with simple white cabinets, a classic Smeg refrigerator, gold hardware, mixed metals, and a pair of accent pendant lights on the island's built-in countertop that double as a space-conscious dining area.
11 – Folding dining table in the integrated kitchen
In this small kitchen In a Parisian space designed by Space Factory, a custom-made burnt wood folding table creates a dining area that can be neatly stowed away when not in use to open up the space. Black wood cabinetry and a textured concrete wall finish give the uncluttered space a minimalist, masculine feel.
12 – Minimalist style in the dream kitchen
This small kitchen This London kitchen designed by Sebastian Cox for deVOL Kitchens features mixed wood cabinetry that adds texture and style, and a minimalist layout that keeps the space modern. In addition to a large window to the outside, the designers added an interior studio-style window over the sink that overlooks the main entrance, a clever way to maximize natural light and create additional sightlines in a small space that helps maintain an open feel.
13 – Small kitchen, simple hallway
This long, narrow kitchen from Fantastic Frank has a wall of cabinets, countertops, and appliances on one side, leaving room for a small bistro table and chairs on the opposite side.
14 – Small kitchen in Scandinavian and off-white style
This small kitchen, but airy and small in size, by Fantastic Frank in Stockholm, is authentically Scandinavian at its best, with its simple white and silver finishes, a streamlined wall of cabinets and appliances, bentwood chairs painted white, and a small table covered in a lace tablecloth to add a little hint of vintage style.
15 – Kitchen with a traditional and serene touch
This small kitchen from deVOL Kitchens has an alternative traditional feel with plenty of internal storage so it doesn't feel cluttered, and features a color palette of wood and white, gray and light.
16 – Contemporary Country House Kitchen
Blogger Ursula Carmona, from Home Made By Carmona, installed a small kitchen L-shaped in the corner of this open kitchen and dining room remodel. The kitchen's light palette matches the rest of the room and recedes into the background when not in use.
17 – Kitchen with Back Door to Home
This small kitchen by Jessica Nelson Design is arranged in a double L-shaped configuration that maximizes functionality while accommodating the presence of the back door. Packed with storage, the kitchen’s palette of soft whites, grays, light woods, and mixed metals keeps it feeling streamlined and serene.
18 – Integrated environment with small and modern kitchen
In this small kitchen In an open kitchen designed by Eric Gilmer and Sven Simon of DasMod, in conjunction with interior designer Sara Simon of Handsome Salt, matte black wall paint contrasts with white cabinetry and creates continuity with the living area on the other side of the room. A small dining table floats in the middle of the space between tall windows, and a large, colorful painting creates a distracting focal point, making the kitchen disappear into the background of the open space.
19 – Kitchen using reclaimed furniture
Rustic reclaimed wood and textured walls make this DIY English kitchen from Lobster and Swan feel warm and inviting.
20 – Csmall kitchen in New York style
Interior designer Alvin Wayne made the most of this compact New York-style kitchen, using cabinetry and countertops in a mix of matte black and glossy white finishes. A mix of silver and copper accents liven up the neutral color scheme, and the oversized design lets the city skyline views shine through.
21 – Using Neutral Colors in Decorating small kitchen
This small kitchen This U-shaped kitchen from Violets & Vinegar Design keeps it simple with a clean palette of white, gray, and black. A subtle pattern in the backsplash tile adds interest, while the countertops are kept clean to keep the small space looking crisp and clutter-free.
22 – Shades of green in small kitchen decor
This charming country kitchen from deVOL Kitchens has an L-shaped design that embraces the small space with its pitched ceiling and cottage charm. Multi-toned green finishes on the walls, backsplash tiles, lower cabinets, and open shelving are mixed with warm antique brass plumbing fixtures, stained wood glass-front upper cabinets, and terracotta floor tiles with a weathered patina.
23 – Californian Kitchen Style
This light and bright California kitchen by Cathie Hong Interiors has tons of natural light that makes the understated white, black, and gray palette feel fresh, while mixed metal accents add sparkle.
24 – Shared and compact kitchen
This small kitchen Designed by Parisian interior design firm Space Factory, the kitchen shares space with the entrance. The designers used an atelier-style glass and metal partition to visually divide the space, and used a striking mosaic floor to tie it all together. The entrance side of the cabinets that divide the rooms is painted with chalkboard paint to delight children, while leather handles add a sophisticated touch to the black kitchen cabinets contrasted with the light wood countertops.
25 – Small and stylish apartment kitchen
This small kitchen Mary Patton Design's condominium creates the illusion of a larger space by sticking to a light, bright white palette dressed up with luminous gold-toned accents and adding minimal countertop items.
26 – Using darker tones in decoration
Dark green paint on the cabinets and lower walls makes this Notting Hill London kitchen by deVOL Kitchens feel cozy and warm, while a dramatic cool marble backsplash and antique brass countertops and accents add polish and style. Open shelving with a thin brass border provides easy-access storage for tea supplies and glasses and flower vases.
27 – Victorian style in small kitchen decor
This historic Victorian kitchen in Cambridge, MA, was remodeled by interior designer Tyler Karu, who worked with the homeowners to restore the home’s original character and details that had been erased during previous renovations. The modestly sized kitchen features quality materials with a timeless yet updated feel. Wall hooks on the empty wall house a decorative and practical display of wooden cutting boards.
28 – Small U-shaped kitchen
This U-shaped kitchen by Cathie Hong Interiors maximizes every nook and cranny with floor-to-ceiling wraparound cabinetry, a kitchen island with built-in storage, and a white and gray palette with mixed metal accents that make it feel light and airy.
29 – Minimalist style kitchen with its multifunctional island
This top-floor Paris apartment, designed by Space Factory, has high ceilings and is flooded with light from skylights in the roof, making the small kitchen Make a room feel larger. A deep teal lower cabinet has a grounding effect, while a tall marble backsplash and clear, open shelving maintain a light and airy feel. A small kitchen island houses the stove and includes a breakfast bar for two.
30 – Simple kitchen in a mini loft that goes all out with cleanliness
This tiny Stockholm studio by Fantastic Frank has a kitchenette to match, neatly tucked under the loft bed's stairs that fold out for extra storage.
31 – Using Sage Green as a highlight in the Kitchen
In this small kitchen from interior design studio Bees Knees, the sage green color of the lower cabinets is applied to the visible bathroom cabinets, through the hallway door, creating a sense of continuity.
32 – Simple and small kitchen in retro style
In this small kitchen designed by Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design, a retro-style refrigerator sits alongside the built-in L-shaped cabinetry, sink and oven, helping to define the space.
33 – Simple American Kitchen using neutral tones
This small kitchen in New York by interior designer Alvin Wayne has neutral-toned finishes that allow it to blend into the open living area, while a large neon sign at the end of the hallway creates a distracting focal point.
34 – Simple open-plan kitchen
In this small kitchen In an open-plan Paris space designed by Space Factory, a custom-designed dining table sits in front of the kitchen wall in place of an island. It is accompanied by a custom-designed leather countertop that sits behind the living room sofa, dividing the space and creating a separate space within the 72sqm apartment.
35 – Small kitchen with a touch of black furniture
This small kitchen Berlin’s Fantastic Frank has minimalist vibes, with its matte black lower cabinets, industrial-style sink and light fixtures. A light-colored countertop adds warmth and light, and a black-and-white wall art adds minimalist décor.
36 – Classic and simple style kitchen
This lovely L-shaped London kitchen from deVOL Kitchens has dark lower cabinets topped with marble countertops, leaving room on the walls for framed art and a vintage wall sconce that creates an open, uncluttered feel. Brass, gold, and copper accents warm up the space.
37 – Small kitchen using a bit of Rustic and Modern styles
This remodeled 1950s Texas Lake House kitchen by Erin Williamson Design has a modern rustic vibe, with warm tile, rustic beams, clean white cabinets accented with wood pulls, glass pendant lights, a retro-style refrigerator, and wood and woven bar stools around the peninsula.
38 – Modern and luxurious small L-shaped kitchen
This small L-shaped kitchen by Bees Knees interior design is positioned in the corner of the kitchen in a well-distributed and optimized way for everyday use, with an island for 3 low stools with suede upholstery, giving a more modern and luxurious feel to the space.
39 – Simple and functional U-shaped kitchen
This small kitchen deVOL Kitchens’ individual kitchen has a U-shaped layout that maximizes space along three main walls. One wall is dedicated to storage, including closed lower cabinets, and a wall of built-in glass-door front cabinets. The opposite wall has a window over the sink that fills the kitchen with natural light, while the back wall is dedicated to an oversized range hood vent that creates a focal point along with the light yellow, vintage-style oven.
40 – Using white and blue in kitchen decor
The light blue decor with black tones and the white countertops and tiles make this small kitchen by Cathie Hong Interiors becomes fresh and functional.
41 – Simplicity in furniture and functionality at the same time
This small kitchen designed by Jess Bunge for Emily Henderson Design has open and closed cabinetry, a large countertop and sink along one wall, with a freestanding oven positioned alone against the back wall as a matter of necessity. To distract the eye and make the space feel larger, a convex mirror with an ornate gilt frame is hung on the wall.
42 – Eclectic style in a small and cheerful kitchen
This small kitchen by K Shan Design has a big personality and an eclectic, upbeat vibe thanks to the colorful wallpaper, black and white checkerboard floor, geometric backsplash tile, and gold-toned bar stools around the island.
43 – Small kitchen with contrasting decoration on the flooring
This London kitchen by Emilie Fournet Interiors pairs emerald green backsplash tiles with white and light gray cabinets, countertops, and subfloors. A double layer of dark wood wraparound shelving fits into the reclaimed wood ceiling and provides contrast.
44 – All urban look for those sitting near the window in this small kitchen
In this small kitchen In a Georgian-style apartment in Bath, England, by deVOL Kitchens, a two-seater breakfast bar is built next to the window to provide a cozy spot for a cup of coffee or a meal.
45 – Retro style kitchen full of life
This country kitchen by Rockport Building Partners has plenty of built-in cabinetry painted in a retro pastel mint green, vintage pendant lighting, and a modern kitchen island with a pair of French bistro stools.
46 – Downstairs there is a small kitchen too
This compact kitchen by Mindy Gayer Design Co. is located on the lower level of the home, laid out in an L-shaped kitchen with a small island in a wood finish that seats two stools. Tall cabinets optimize vertical space, and a neutral color palette with warm wood accents and natural fabric accents add warmth to the open space.
47 – Outdated California Kitchen Makeover
This modern home in Eichler, California, in San Jose was renovated by Cathie Hong Interiors, who transformed the dark, dated space into a space fit for 21st-century living. The designer added an island to optimize circulation, replaced old cabinets, and added new appliances, tile, light fixtures, and open shelving.
48 – Brick flooring in small kitchen renovation
One small kitchen The old house was renovated with durable sealed brick floors, black cabinets, reclaimed marble counters, and plenty of recessed lighting to make up for the lack of natural light.
49 – Small kitchen with L-shaped central island
This small kitchen Mid City Interiors' bungalow kitchen features an L-shaped island with built-in storage that provides seating for four while helping to define the kitchen area. Built-in cabinets in the L-shaped corner portion of the kitchen go all the way to the ceiling to maximize storage.
50 – Small minimalist kitchen in Mini Loft
THE small kitchen The minimalist design of this top-floor duplex, designed by French interior design firm Space Factory, was built along a wall next to a staircase inspired by a Kapla game. A single shelf above the sink is painted in an Yves Klein blue that matches the pops of color found throughout the open space, and a single plywood panel on the front of the cabinet next to the oven echoes the raw material of the staircase.
51 – Featured tile in small kitchen decor
This small kitchen by Erin Williamson Design is located in a 1950s multi-unit A-frame lake house on the shores of Lake Austin, TX. The designer replaced the cramped and dated kitchen by removing the upper cabinets, adding a striking black and white tile backsplash to modernize it, and taking advantage of the vaulted ceilings that make the compact space feel much larger than it is.
52 – Floral printed curtain in the decoration of a small kitchen
This new L-shaped alcove kitchen by Studio Peake can be banished from view thanks to a green and white patterned curtain hanging from the ceiling just outside the box opening.
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