9 Ways to Make Your Small Kitchen Look Bigger (2024)

FAQs

9 Ways to Make Your Small Kitchen Look Bigger? ›

Widen with horizontal lines

Those horizontal lines make the kitchen feel wider than it really is. Add open shelving to repeat and emphasize those lines and create a cohesive illusion of a larger space. Remember, helping a small kitchen look bigger is more affordable than remodeling it to gain square footage.

Widen with horizontal lines

Those horizontal lines make the kitchen feel wider than it really is. Add open shelving to repeat and emphasize those lines and create a cohesive illusion of a larger space. Remember, helping a small kitchen look bigger is more affordable than remodeling it to gain square footage.

Go with Light Colors

Light colors are more reflective than dark colors and they will make your kitchen appear bigger as well as more open and airy. Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.

Any room can appear wider by using horizontal lines to your advantage. Try a long horizontal backsplash tile or subway tile to draw the eye across the room. You can achieve the same effect with horizontal tiled or herringbone flooring while enhancing the kitchen design.

Install tile flooring

Parquet tiles, for example, laid in a wide herringbone, chevron, or basketweave pattern, will immediately give the impression of a longer and wider space thanks to the way the lines draw the eye outwards. Choose a design and colour that complements your kitchen's existing decor.

Whites, creams, and light pastels reflect light, making the space more open and airy. These colors create a timeless and classic look, providing a neutral backdrop that allows other elements in the kitchen to stand out.

While conventional wisdom is that white always makes a space look bigger, choosing from the rainbow—bold yellow, rich blue, cozy tan, and fresh pink—allows you to create a more personalized atmosphere.

“Most consumers prefer neutral colors—whites, grays, browns, and perhaps even some shades of antique blues or greens,” she adds. And while black can be a common finish elsewhere in the home, she says Toner discourages its use in the kitchen—a room that ought to feel joyful, bright, and airy.

"Hexagons and herringbone's patterns don't seem to ever go out of style. A herringbone pattern with a Calacatta marble finish makes for a little subtle interest in an all-white kitchen." Angling your tiles is a great way to add interest without breaking the bank for special patterns or adding colored tile.

So, if you have lighter cabinets and countertops, you should incorporate a darker backsplash to provide more visual interest and depth to your space. When you have darker cabinets and countertops, you should bring in a lighter backsplash to make your kitchen feel fresh and inviting.

What type of backsplash is best for a small kitchen? ›

Neutrals ensure the best backsplash for small kitchen

It takes the attention away from cramped or dingy spaces and gives the space a sophisticated effect. However, make sure you choose easy-to-clean materials like quartz, Corian, ceramic or granite when using neutral colours.

Keep colours light, bright and consistent

Bright white or cream is an obvious choice, but don't feel limited. Light greens, yellows, blues and even greys can work well too. Whatever colour you choose, try to make the cabinet doors and walls one consistent colour.

Neutral colours like white and cream give natural wood space to shine; stick to pale wood for small or narrow kitchens where dark corners are a risk, or create contrast in a larger kitchen with white units and dark wood floors.

In many cases, taking down a wall is all you need to do to expand the space of your kitchen. For instance, removing a wall enclosing a breakfast nook gives you length in the room. To add storage that takes up minimal floor space, consider adding a peninsula or an island with seating.

White paint colours are also perfect for smaller kitchens, helping create a sense of airiness, no matter how limited your square footage is. Use crisp whites and neutrals to coat kitchen walls and cabinets for a bright and airy space that will hold up well for years to come.

Stick to a neutral color palette: Pale colors like white, beige, light gray, and cream will help reflect light so your kitchen appears larger. Pass on plinths: Expand your floor space by leaving off the base plinths on your lower cabinets. This will help your layout look more open and spacious.

Using 42" Tall Upper Cabinets

It also helps make the ceiling appear larger by having the cabinets touch the ceiling. But, be warned, the extra space does come with a few caveats.