HOW TO MAKE A SMALL KITCHEN FEEL BIGGER

We want to talk about light, not just any light – kitchen light! We’ve made it through the shortest day of the year, and in our eyes, that means there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Undoubtedly, it may well be a very long tunnel (a minute extra a day), but we definitely see some light shining on through. That got us, at The Kitchen Partners, thinking about how wonderful light is! Not just that it’s lovely we’re getting more daylight in our day, but how light can be used as an advantage in the kitchen, for those with a smaller space.

Okay, so your kitchen may not be as big as you’d like. You’ve dreamt about a big open-plan kitchen that spills off into your dining or living room, like the beautiful handleless kitchens you’ve seen in the magazines; but you realistically don’t have the space. It’s a matter of fact, and sadly, unless you look to extend it’s the layout you’re stuck with – but fear not, my kitchen loving friend. Small is good too, small is great in fact (mighty some would even say). If you’ve got a small kitchen space, it opens up potential to get really clever with your design ideas. Hidden nooks and crannies you’ll spend just that bit too long opening and closing in front your friends, when they first come round to see your new dream kitchen layout.

You’ve got to use the space wisely, and here at The Kitchen Partners, (Whiteladies Road, Bristol) business owners and kitchen designers Clinton & Fiona Patey know exactly how to do that.

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: HOW CLEVER USE OF LIGHTING CAN BRIGHTEN UP YOUR KITCHEN AND MAKE IT SEEM BIGGER.

Lighten Up:

You can make both the natural and artificial lighting do the work for you, when it comes to making a small kitchen space feel bigger. The general rule of thumb is to use light, soft tones (white & grey) and reflective materials to bounce light around the room. As lighter shades are more reflective this will allow both natural and artificial light to bounce off, making your kitchen feel airy and open. That being said, if you’ve had your heart set on having a darker finish in your kitchen; try using darker tones on the base units and keep everything else, including the walls, light to balance out the colour. 

Your kitchen may lend itself to plenty of natural light, which would definitely be in your favour. Natural bright light will make a room feel more open and welcoming; it can also really help to create a fresh atmosphere. We would suggest incorporating a mirror splash-back, to reflect light around more of the room (as seen in our Brigitte display kitchen in our showroom), taking full advantage of that wonderful natural light. 

Kitchen light:

Be sure to make use of every nook and cranny by allowing space for storage at the planning stage. Consider integrating appliances, choosing deep drawers for pots and pans to create a clutter- free kitchen that allows light to bounce around the room undisturbed.  Integrated appliances (usually fridges and dishwashers), can be designed hidden behind a door so they blend into the rest of your kitchen cabinets. This really helps to create fluidity in your kitchen, which offers an overall larger, clutter free appearance and more surfaces for light to reflect.

We feel the importance of good lighting cannot be stressed enough, but don’t get us wrong we understand sometimes great natural light isn’t always available. In some cases with a smaller kitchen space, lighting is often lacking, coming just from ceiling fixtures in the center of the room. Add LED lighting under, above and even inside the cabinets to make the room feel much brighter and bigger, as the dark shadows around the cabinets would otherwise visually shrink the space.

So come visit us at our kitchen showroom, on 102 Whiteladies Road, Bristol to discuss all things kitchen design – be it big or small!