How to make the kitchen look bigger

Lily Cichanowicz Lily Cichanowicz
Vilters | Schweiz, LEICHT Küchen AG LEICHT Küchen AG Cozinhas modernas
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Many can relate to the feeling of a cramped kitchen. In such settings it never feels like there is enough space for storage nor room to prepare meals on the countertop. The kitchen is a communal space, however. It should be a room where you can cook nourishing meals with your partner or make a celebratory dinner for your friends and family. Having a spacious kitchen promotes bonding activities between you and those you love. How do you achieve this if the space you have to work with feels inadequate for your needs? Here at homify we are firm believers that there is rarely a room that couldn’t be made more spacious. What’s more is that we would argue that it would only take a few simple changes to make your kitchen look more expansive.  Read this guide on how to make the kitchen look bigger, and you will see just what we mean.

Glass windows for natural light

The use of natural lighting is an age-old means of making a given area look more spacious. Sunshine makes any room few lighter and airier, two common components associated with spaciousness. This kitchen for example is bathed in natural light and the play between light and shadow creates a more visually dynamic room, which helps to make it look larger. Keeping your glass windows clean will also increase this factor as it will minimise our perceptive notion that kitchen’s dimensions are confined, as the outdoors will become part of the interior experience. Window treatments are a necessity for some. If you feel that you need the privacy afforded through blinds or curtains, we suggest that you keep them sheer or light so as not to obscure the light from reaching indoors. Natural lighting can be enhanced through the use of mirrors or by painting the windowpanes a lighter shade than the rest of the room.

Mute wall colours

When increasing the spaciousness of your kitchen we suggest that you opt for mute wall colours. Muted colours are essentially primary colours that are mixed with grey in order to make them subtler. Examples of muted colour tones include neutral colours like light eggshell, grey, tan, and some earth tones like lavender, sage, and ocean blue. Colours such as these are understated, which help to make them less noticeable. In turn, inhabitants are less likely to feel constrained or boxed in. Mute wall colours also help in maximising the effect of natural lighting. As we can see off the bat in this room, this light shade of muted taupe does an excellent job at reflecting light. Erring away from wallpapers or more bold wall colours is a good idea because they can be loud and over stimulating in a small space.

Choose light toned flooring

You might notice that light is a running theme in making your kitchen more spacious. The floor is no exception here. Darker, heavier floor materials will make the room feel weighed down and just as claustrophobic as the wrong colour wall can. Light floors on the other hand, reflect light. This kitchen by C7 Architects is filled with almost an ethereal lightness due to the combination of white walls and kitchen fronts with this pale, maple wood flooring. The result is that this kitchen looks clean and crisp, essential elements of a welcoming kitchen area. With a light floor you can easily cultivate the Scandinavian design aesthetic, something that we find particularly trendy in recent times. Much like glass windows, you’ll get the best effect of a light coloured floor if you make an effort to keep it clean and shining.

Utilise every bit: go modular

It is important both practically and aesthetically that every bit of your kitchen are is being utilise to its fullest potential. Going modular in your kitchen definitely adds a cohesive element to the room, which can make it feel more stylistically unified and refined. There are so many styles of modular kitchen arrangements today that you are certain to find one that fits your unique preferences. Taking this country-Mediterranean kitchen for instance. The modular kitchen pieces are made of exposed brick. Modular kitchen sets are not only tailored to your aesthetic preferences, however. They are designed to fit the specific dimensions of your kitchen. Further, interior designers and contractors will even take into account your specific needs for the kitchen. If you wish you had more counter space, for example, they can help ensure you get it no matter how restricted the kitchen is on space.

Make use of vertical space

Another way to ensure that you’re getting the most out of the kitchen space you do have is to make use of vertical space. This tip is quite simple and most anyone can enhance their kitchen with the implementation of a few shelves. Specifically, if you have a large cupboard, pantry, or nook, you will best be able to maximise space by installing shelves inside. Floating shelves are recommended for wall shelves because they are most minimal and won’t add any unnecessary clunk to your small kitchen.  You can even go floor to ceiling like the owners of this kitchen have. Installing clear baskets and shelves of various sizes makes the space more practical because you can see what’s there more easily, and you can accommodate your personal storage needs. Putting plants or decorative items on shelves will also give the room a final touch of comfort and cosyness.

Keep clutter free

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the best way to make your small kitchen look bigger is to keep out the clutter! When you have a small space to work with, we at homify feel it’s best to embrace it. A wonderful way to embrace the space constraints of your kitchen is to assess what you truly need and ditch the rest. Being selective about what stuff is important and what is excess is a very liberating experience that will help you to make the most use of your kitchen and give you an added sense of lightness and clarity. There are lots of clever ways to make storage space for what you decide to keep. As stated above, you can make use of vertical space through installing vertically oriented storage and shelving units. We also love this island with built in storage for cook books and wine. There are so many kitchen storage options to choose from.

Need a little help eliminating the clutter in your home? There's an Ideabook for that! Check out these 7 great tips to de-clutter your home. Happy decorating! 

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