In a compact kitchen, it’s useful to find ways to maximise every millimetre. Take a look at these projects to see how the designers have used clever tricks to make a small space work more efficiently for the homeowner.
Work out which areas need most height
A small niche beneath a sloping ceiling might not be the most obvious place to put a kitchen, but here it’s worked perfectly. The designers have slotted plenty of storage and worktops into the area – and have even gone large on colour.
The trick here was to position everything in its most functional location. The end of the worktop extends to form a breakfast bar, so there’s no need to crouch beneath the eaves.
The sink has been placed below a roof window to provide extra headroom, while the rest of the worktop goes round the corner where the ceiling is higher.
The tall half of the room has been fitted with lots of cabinets to make the most of the height, and there’s another work surface for the owner to use.
Even the tiny triangle where the sloping roof meets the wall has been put to use with a pair of shelves.
Save precious inches
When space is tight, even a worktop overhang can take up valuable room. That’s why designers took inspiration from a commercial kitchen to find a solution for this cooking area.
The steel work surface has a moulded front to form a waterfall edge profile, which catches oils and fluids before they drip over the front of the island. It means there’s no need for an overhang and instead the worktop sits neatly flush to the cabinets.
Create easy access
Despite the kitchen's compact size, a larder unit was successfully incorporated into the design. It was skillfully positioned in the corner, right at the end of the run of base cabinets.
However, a hinged door opening out to the right would have made it tricky to access the cupboard. So a clever solution was to hinge the right door to the left one, creating a bifolding design. Both doors open to the left, so the owner can easily get to the contents of the cabinet.
Pack in personality
Functional design can also be full of character, as this small, galley-style kitchen shows. The owners were keen to avoid wall cabinets, which might have encroached on the space, so open shelving was the best option.
The team designers made this quirky design from their clients’ collection of wine crates, customising the box shelves with under-cabinet lights.
Reflect and refine
Mirrors are design heroes in a small home, and are often used to add a sense of space to hallways and living rooms. If your kitchen also needs a boost, why not try one here, too?
In this small cooking area, architect has installed mirror glass over an entire wall. It reflects the tiny kitchen, creating the illusion of a much bigger area and boosting light levels in the room.
Double up
Multifunctional furniture can offer some genius solutions in a small space. Take this birch ply kitchen peninsula for example – there’s more here than meets the eye. Those solid triangular sections aren’t just there to look good, they also pull out to form table legs.
The top of the peninsula opens out to rest on top, creating a dining table when the homeowner has guests over.
Go mobile
If multi-tasking furniture isn’t an option, try something that’s light enough to move around. The circular table in this small, open-plan room can be picked up and moved when more space is needed.
