Top Design Trends for a Small Kitchen

Having a small kitchen is not always a choice, sometimes it’s just the way it has to be. Thankfully because some people are in the same boat you may be in. there are guides such as this one to help you figure out new ways to design your kitchen so it’s nice and livable, but still lets you use the amount of space you have. If you are doing Kitchen remodeling in Atherton but you still only have minimal space to work with, or you are choosing to create a smaller kitchen, here are a few things you will want to consider for your designs. And if you are looking for a kitchen contractor you should call a kitchen remodeling contractor in Atherton for a consultation. Atherton kitchen contractors are skilled at getting the most kitchen from a small space!

Wrap Around Shelving

If space is an issue in terms of where to put everything, but you love to cook in the kitchen, chances are you have a lot of pots and pans, herbs and ingredients and accessories that you use for cooking that you are not about to just give away or throw away. In order to fix a situation like this, think about wrap around shelving. This forms a sort of U or horseshoe shape that starts at the peak of the stove and works its way around.

These shelves can be multi-level which gives you the ability to put stuff you use rarely like steamers and crockpots on the high shelves, and then things like pots, pans, plates and glasses on the bottom shelve and then even further down; herbs, salt and pepper shakers, oils, vinegars and more on the bottom shelf. Then hanging under the bottom shelf are hooks for things like spatulas, slotted spoons, whisks, etc. Everything and I mean everything has its place and it will keep you incredibly organized! Plus, it looks kind of cool too.

Open Shelving

Yet another design trend for small kitchens that captures the beauty of the kitchen and yet utilizes the space you have. If you already have a small kitchen you've tried cooking in, chances are that things like open cabinets, open drawers and even the angle of these things while closed, can cause a real cluster of problems - lot of banging around, lots of frustration. Instead, what you can do is create open shelving units for everything from glassware and plates, to cooking items like woks, pots, pans, skillets, and instead of placing them in cabinets with closed doors - leave it all open.

Not only does this help you save space, but when the eye visually sees the back of the cabinet, it sees it as another layer of space and it will in turn make the room seem bigger, even if it’s not. open shelving can be done using a variety of materials like wood and metal, as well as copper and brass finishes.

Hang Your Pots

There are two ways you can go about this and both save space. The first option is to hang your pots up, preferably above an island. This might seem less functional because you have this big thing of hanging pots and hooks all over the place, which is where the second option comes into place. The second option actually doesn't hang up anything; instead it can be made to hang ON the wall.

This can be done quite a few different ways and there are even some pieces that you can do yourself. They are dramatic, artsy, beautiful and functional. One that really caught my eye was one made out of copper pipes, it was then screwed to the wall, and hooks were welded onto the pipes and that would be where you would hang everything off of. Very cool looking.

Roll Away or Small Islands

If you love the look and usefulness of kitchen islands, but you simply don't have the space for a huge one, there are two other options you can consider. Islands are pretty to

look at, but a lot of home cooks and Chefs also love them because they add counter space and are a superb place to cut, chop and cook. One option is a roll away cart. These carts are sort of microwave looking carts from the 80s and 90s and they have wheels as well as counter space up top - usually wood blocks. These are nice because they do give you extra counter and cooking space, but when not in use you can just wheel it away! The other option is smaller islands. These are much like the carts in that they are tiny, but they are unmovable and stay where you place them.