How to Make Your Small Kitchen More Functional
Does your pint-sized kitchen leave you starved for storage and counter space? These room-expanding ideas will show you how to use every square inch of your kitchen more efficiently.
How to Make a Small Kitchen Work Better
This tiny kitchen whipped up much-needed storage space using IKEA's Grundtal kitchen series.
This budget-friendly stainless steel collection was designed to hang on walls so you can make the most of your kitchen's vertical space.
Shown here are my favorite pieces from the Grundtal kitchen series. The shelves, rail and magnetic knife rack not only frees up counter space but also makes navigating the kitchen easier by keeping cookware, dishes and utensils within easy reach.
Make Use of the Space Around Your Fridge
If you have a sliver of space between the fridge and the wall in your small kitchen, consider making this hidden DIY rolling pantry. It's perfect for storing canned goods and other nonperishable kitchen essentials.
A Double Duty Kitchen Backsplash That Increases Storage Space
A stainless steel pegboard backsplash is a great double duty feature that protects kitchen walls from spills and splatters while keeping tools that you often use handy.
The backsplash shown here is a one-of-a-kind design. However, you can make one yourself. You can find stainless steel pegboards at most home improvement stores.
A Folding Kitchen Table Can Create More Counter Space
A folding table, like this one you can DIY, can provide a spot where you can prepare and eat food without taking up valuable floor space.
How to Work Untapped Space in a Small Kitchen
We love how this tiny cottage kitchen keeps the countertop clutter-free using several clever storage solutions. Below are our favorite ideas.
The three toe kick drawers under the kitchen's base cabinets put the space that traditionally goes to waste behind baseboards to good use. You can retrofit most standard base cabinets for toe kick drawers.
A curtain rod creates a smidgen of vertical storage for utensils in front of the window.
And of course, we need to point out the small pot rack that's conveniently placed next to the oven.
An Over the Sink Cutting Board
Sure, a kitchen island can create additional counter space in a small kitchen. But if you can’t spare the floor space, an over-the-sink cutting board is an ingenious quick fix. This one allows you to rinse before chopping.
Create Kitchen Storage in a Nearby Room
If there's not enough space in your tiny kitchen to create the storage you crave, consider using a nook or closet in a nearby room. A recessed niche can be used to stash kitchen tools you occasionally use or nonperishable pantry items. A curtain, as shown on the left, can keep what you store out of sight.
Make the Most of Kitchen Corners
Corner space is usually underutilized in many homes. But when you're trying to make every square inch in your small kitchen count, corner shelving can give these awkward spots a purpose.
