Kitchen

How Can You Make a Small Kitchen Look More Stylish? 10 Designer Ideas

Looking for unique ways to improve your small kitchen? This guide answers your questions with 10 designer-inspired ideas, from ceiling racks to clever lighting, to transform your space.

Joesp H.
Aug 13
4 min read
How Can You Make a Small Kitchen Look More Stylish? 10 Designer Ideas

How Can You Make a Small Kitchen Look More Stylish? 10 Designer Ideas

Are you struggling with a small kitchen? You're not alone. When trying to fit plates, glasses, pots, jars, and food into a compact area, it's easy to wish for more space.

But here's the good news: there are brilliant ideas you can use to make your kitchen more functional and stylish. Our main goal in this article is to help everyone with a small home feel happy with their environment. That's why we're going to show you alternative solutions through plenty of examples and prove that your space issue isn't as big as you think. Let's begin.

Previous article about making small kitchens functional here.

1. Hang Items from the Ceiling

If your cabinet space is limited, designers suggest you can hang your pots and pans from bars fixed to the ceiling, as seen in this example. You can add a decorative touch to the area with a copper or brass pipe. This not only frees up cabinet space but also creates a professional, chef-inspired look.

ceiling hangs a stylish copper pipe

2. Add a Green Touch

Green plants always bring a fresh touch to spaces, and this is especially true for small kitchens! In this example, a flower placed on top of a retro-style refrigerator officially transforms a simple space. Don't underestimate the power of a little bit of nature.

retro-style, pastel green refrigerator in a small kitchen

3. Add Depth with Spot Lighting

In your small kitchen, spotlights are an option you should definitely consider to beautify the environment. In this example, the designer adds a chic touch to the space with stylish spotlights over the counter and sink, while also contributing to the kitchen's overall illumination.

A modern small kitchen at dusk. The main lights are dim, but two sleek

4. Expand Spaces with Glass Doors

In this small kitchen, a much larger sense of space is created with tall interior glass doors. The black lacquer paint on the doors maintains the design's integrity. You can achieve a chic look without sacrificing spaciousness by applying this glass door and open shelf design with a dark paint color over a light floor.

small, elegant kitchen through a pair of tall

5. Give Your Old Furniture New Tasks

As in this example, you can create the extra space you need in your small kitchen with a small touch to your old dresser. This antique piece of furniture, combined with an artistic painting, seems to have given the kitchen exactly the personality it needed.

vintage wooden dresser being used as a freestanding island in a small, eclectic kitchen.

6. Create Extra Space with a Sliding Door

Open shelves can sometimes create a cluttered look. With a sliding door that also functions as a chalkboard, you can create a very useful environment to hide this clutter and create storage space.

A small kitchen featuring a wall of open pantry shelves filled with jars and baskets

7. Use a Movable Kitchen Counter

Although it may not be obvious at first glance, the entrance to the kitchen in this example is closed off by a movable counter. With this design, you can gain extra counter and presentation space.

A shot of an innovative small kitchen where a section of the countertop is on wheels.

8. Hide Your Kitchen Appliances

In this age of advanced technology, we all love our various kitchen gadgets! However, we must admit that all these appliances clutter our kitchen. By putting these appliances away in cabinets, you can achieve a simpler and more chic look in your already small kitchen. This is a key principle of minimalist design.

A clean and minimalist kitchen countertop.

9. Gain Space with an Island

In big cities, some studio apartments have a small kitchen along a single wall. However, this doesn't mean you have to compromise on style and naturalness. As in this kitchen, an island made of natural material can serve as both a counter and a table. You can add a natural touch that organizes the space with this island.

A small studio apartment kitchen that runs along a single wall.

10. Keep it Bright and Airy

Let's talk about a well-known classic method: lighter colors equal a more spacious environment. By adding one or two eye-catching elements within a predominantly white space, you can achieve chicness along with spaciousness.

A stunning, all-white small kitchen bathed in bright, natural sunlight from a large window.

Tags

Small Kitchen
Kitchen Design
Decorating Ideas
Interior Design
Designer Tips
Storage Hacks
Kitchen Lighting
Apartment Kitchen