Expand Your Space, Not Your Square Footage
Have you ever felt like your kitchen walls are closing in on you? Wondering if there’s a way to make your small kitchen feel larger without a full remodel?
In this guide, you’ll learn simple, effective steps to visually expand your kitchen using clever design tips.
By the end, you’ll have practical ways to transform your small kitchen into a spacious, functional area with a kitchen remodeling project.
Step-By-Step Guide to Making a Small Kitchen Look Bigger
- Clear Out Clutter: Remove unused items from countertops and cabinets to open up the space visually.
- Choose Light, Glossy Paint: Paint walls in light colors (like white or soft pastels) with a high-gloss finish to reflect light.
- Update Window Treatments: Swap heavy curtains for light, airy options or leave windows uncovered to maximize natural light.
- Change Hardware: Replace bulky or ornate cabinet handles with simple, sleek hardware.
- Install New Lighting Fixtures: Add softer, balanced lighting that can be adjusted to create the perfect ambiance.
- Add Reflective Surfaces: Place a mirror or mirrored backsplash to create depth and reflect light.
- Repaint or Refinish Cabinets: If keeping cabinets, paint them in light colors or consider a two-tone look.
- Switch to Open Shelving: Replace some upper cabinets with open shelving for an airy, spacious feel.
- Downsize Appliances: Swap large appliances, like fridges or sinks, for more compact, space-efficient options.
- Remove Popcorn Ceiling: Smooth out textured ceilings for a cleaner, taller appearance.
Contact us today about your kitchen remodel.
1. Stick to Bright Colors
Moody blues and grays have their place, and it isn’t in a small kitchen. Since these dark colors can make an already tight space feel even tighter, opt instead for a fresh coat of bright paint.
Antique whites and warm taupes are always a safe bet. But for a more playful vibe, choose a peachy nude or light blue.
Liven up your space with these kitchen colors.
2. Get Glossy
When selecting your paint, remember that high-gloss paints work wonders in small spaces. That’s because the sheen reflects natural and artificial light, making the kitchen seem bigger than it is.
3. Ditch Your Cabinets
Many homeowners have a deep emotional connection with their kitchen cabinets. How else would they conceal clutter? But when you hire a general contractor to replace your upper cabinets with open shelving, your kitchen goes from small to palatial.
Open shelving helps a room feel brighter and more open. It also provides an opportunity for homeowners to add personal touches to a room that may be too small for paintings and other decorations.
4. Repaint Your Cabinets
If you can’t bring yourself to bid adieu to your cabinets, consider a quick paint job. Dark wood stains like walnut and ebony absorb light, making the room dark.
The solution? Opt for a stark white or a very muted gray. You may even consider a two-tone look, painting your lower cabinets a slightly bolder color like emerald and your upper cabinets a soft sage.
More colors for cabinets in small kitchens.
5. Swap Out the Hardware
While a professional is giving your cabinets a facelift, consider having them swap out the hardware. Since overly ornate cabinet pulls detract from your clean and minimal look, replace them with stainless steel knobs. The simpler, the better.
6. Nix Your Clutter
Disclaimer: This is more a cleaning project than a remodeling endeavor. However, cluttered countertops create a sense of chaos and busyness. (Think: the exact opposite of what you’re going for).
Dedicate a Saturday to paring down your kitchen gadgets and trinkets. Create three piles – keep, trash, and donate – and get busy. Throw away spaghetti-stained Tupperware and boxes of stale cookies, gift things you haven’t used in ages, and keep only what is useful.
How to organize your kitchen to de-clutter it.
7. Store Keepsakes
If you just can’t part with your grandmother’s china or a super fancy pressure cooker, consider stowing these items in the attic or garage. Less stuff equals more elbow room.
8. Pop the Popcorn Ceiling
Do you have a textured ceiling? If so, it’s cramping your style by making the walls of your kitchen seem shorter than they are.
Though removing a popcorn ceiling is very time-consuming, it’s relatively low-cost. A general contractor will cover all furniture with plastic, then lightly spray the ceiling with a garden pump sprayer filled with water. (This will cut down on dust). After 15 minutes or so, they’ll get to scraping with a six- to 10-inch drywall knife.
Speaking of cost, what does a kitchen remodel cost?
9. Repaint the Ceiling
While a crew is clambering up ladders, consider having them give your ceiling a fresh paint job. A stark white is a safe choice. However, painting the ceiling the same color as the walls can offer a sense of seamlessness that makes the ceiling look higher.
10. Brighten Up Your Window Treatments
Dark and heavy curtains are great for the bedroom but not so great for a small kitchen. Drowning out natural light is a sure way to make your galley-style kitchen look and feel smaller than it is.
What should you do instead? Either ditch the window treatments entirely or get shades that offer privacy while still allowing light to pilfer in. Plantation shutters are a smart choice.
11. Add a Mirror (Or Two)
Mirrors are magicians – they can trick the eye into believing the kitchen in your boxy bungalow is bigger than it is. That being said, don’t shy away from incorporating a mirror (or two) into your kitchen design.
You might also consider adding a mirrored backsplash. Though this is a gutsier move, a mirrored backsplash does wonders by reflecting the natural and artificial light in your kitchen.
Here’s some help with choosing a backsplash.
12. Change the Flooring
Though vintage black-and-white kitchen floor tiles add a retro flair, they tend to be visually distracting in a small space. For a calmer and cleaner look in a corridor kitchen, consider hiring a general contractor to install a light gray herringbone tile. If you have a boxier space, consider large, 12×12 kitchen tiles.
13. Shrink the Sink
Farmhouse sinks are all the rage right now. After all, these palatial tubs make washing dishes (and your baby) a cinch. But huge sinks can take up a big slice of your small kitchen.
Instead, consider purchasing a simple, one-compartment sink. Many hardware stores even sell sinks with custom cutting boards that slide over the compartment when it’s not being used. This provides you with even more counter space for chopping veggies and filleting fish.
14. Slim Down Your Fridge
The typical fridge takes up about 20 square feet. Though that might not seem like much, the average galley-style kitchen is a mere 70 square feet. If you do the math, that means your fridge is eating up 30% of your kitchen.
The solution isn’t to dig a root cellar or exclusively store provisions in a cooler. No, the solution is to swap out your gargantuan fridge for a slimmed-down model. Nowadays, most big-box hardware stores sell efficient fridges that are perfect for tiny spaces.
15. Upgrade the Lights
Do you feel anxious and overwhelmed in your cramped kitchen? It might be your lights. Research suggests that fluorescent lights can increase your heart rate and induce panic attacks.
To turn your frenetic cooking area into a palatial retreat, consider purchasing lighting fixtures that offer a softer and more balanced spectrum of light. Depending on your budget, you may even have your general contractor install smart light bulbs, which can be dimmed and adjusted using your phone.
Examples of Using Kitchen Ideas to Make Small Kitchens Look Bigger
In this section, we showcase real examples of how homeowners transformed their compact kitchens using clever design choices. Each example illustrates the impact of specific changes, helping inspire ideas for making your kitchen feel spacious and inviting.
Bright Color Makeover
A narrow, dark kitchen became airy and expansive by repainting with antique white and adding a glossy finish. The high-gloss paint reflected light beautifully, creating the illusion of a larger space.
Cabinet-Free Transformation
By replacing traditional upper cabinets with open shelving, a condo kitchen opened up considerably. The absence of bulky cabinets provided both extra light and space for displaying decor, making the kitchen feel expansive and personal.
Mirror Magic
A small city kitchen gained an unexpected feeling of openness by incorporating a large mirrored backsplash. The reflective surface amplified both natural and artificial light, giving a previously dim space a brighter, more open atmosphere.
Optimized Storage
A cluttered kitchen appeared twice as large after removing excess gadgets and downsizing the refrigerator. Slimmed-down appliances and a simplified layout gave this kitchen a sleek, spacious feel.
FAQs About Kitchen Ideas for Small Kitchens
What color floor makes a kitchen look bigger?
Light-colored flooring makes a kitchen look bigger by reflecting natural and artificial light. Ideal colors include bleached wood tones, soft whites, sandy beige, and soft grays.
What color countertops make a kitchen look bigger?
White or light-colored countertops make a kitchen look bigger by creating a seamless, open feel. Low-contrast colors like pale yellow, gray, and green also enhance the sense of space. Using a light palette across cabinets, backsplashes, and walls further increases the illusion of openness.
Make Your Kitchen Work for You With Portico
When it comes to designing a kitchen that feels bigger, Portico knows all the tricks and techniques to maximize every inch. Our team will handle the entire remodel with quality, care, and a keen eye for detail.
Ready to turn your kitchen dreams into reality? Fill out our contact form today, or give us a call, and let’s start designing a kitchen that feels as big as your ideas.
