the big little kitchen | Think Small, Live Large
Squeezing as much storage space, function and sheer openness as you can out of a compact kitchen requires a bit of ingenuity. Thankfully, there are scads of manufacturers out there who’ve done the thinking for us and have come up some seriously ingenious ideas that can help you get lots more out of whatever limited space you have. Many of these need to be planned into your layout ahead of time. Some may be available from your cabinet company, or not, so check. Others can be bought from after-market vendors or improvised and added to your cabinet plan by you or your contractor. And let’s not forget all of the great, tried-and-true, if old-fashioned, strategies for conserving space left over from the days when kitchens were smaller than they are today. These are still highly useful and reviving a few will help you optimize and organize your own up-to-date kitchen. Here are a few examples of both.
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2. Sliding Doors
In a small kitchen swinging doors, especially on wall cabinets, can be a pain in the neck, literally. Sliding doors cut down on the clutter they create. Not all manufacturers offer them; so check first.
3. Nifty Niches
Small storage shelves like this one created in the side of a cabinet can give the cook a quick place to store spices. Or create one in any wall simply by cutting out a shallow space between the studs.
4. Toe Kick Drawers
There are 4½ inches of wasted space under most base cabinets that can be used for extra drawers. Good for flat items like trays, baking sheets or linens. Keep your floors clean, though, or these will also store dust.
5. Stovetop Prep Board
Popular with RV-ers and boaters who know about small spaces, a heat-proof work surface that fits over unused stove burners is great when cooking small. This one’s from AMAZON, but other versions are out there.
6. Secret Cutting Board
An update on the old cutting boards mounted in many drawer cabinets for decades, the new ones offer thicker, sturdier boards and are concealed behind a drawer face, creating a cleaner appearance.
7. Drop-Down Table
A simple hinged surface attached to a wall or cabinet end can add a convertible work or dining surface at very little cost. Easy to make on your own or pick up an elegant ready-made version at IKEA.
8. Skinny Pullouts
In many kitchens there are gaps that are too small for a cabinet. Use these left-over spaces for a narrow pullout for assorted spices, condiments or utensils. Most cabinet lines offer them or buy one from REV-A-SHELF.
9. Cubed Corner Pullout
When a base cabinet run turns a corner it creates a dead, hard-to-reach space. Lazy susans and curved pullouts leave much of it unused. The cube-shaped Magic Corner from HAFELE lets you harness 95% of that space.
10. Under Sink Storage
The area under the sink is often passed over. People take one look at the tangle of plumbing and write the whole thing off. Don’t. Systems like this from THE CONTAINER STORE can be customized to specific needs.
12. Drawer-in-Drawer
To gain extra drawer storage, you can order a drawer-in-drawer system in some of your drawer cabinets that will add a second, shallow drawer on top of another larger drawer. Ideal for small utensils.
11. Window Shelves
In most kitchens, windows get in the way of creating more storage. A see-through shelf hung across a window is an elegant compromise. It also provides a nice place to store your prettiest tableware.
13. Hide-Away Table
These self-supporting tables get folded neatly into a cabinet drawer when not in use. Long popular in Europe, they’re now available on the west side of the Atlantic, in a variety of colors and sizes, from RICHILIEU.
14. Stray Storage Slots
Don’t neglect any available space that may be left over in your kitchen plan. Even 3 or 4 inches of otherwise unused space can be put to work as an ad-hoc storage area for trays, platters or cutting boards.
15. Basic Pantry Closet
Our grandparents knew how valuable a good pantry closet was, with at least twice the storage of any pantry cabinet at far less cost. Add some modern organizing gadgets and boost that capacity even more.
16. Wicket Door
Used in cabinets for centuries, this is simply a small shallow cabinet and door that is set into a larger cabinet door, providing more storage and quick access to the many little things a cook needs most and fast.
17. Roll-Under Island
This custom set up is turning up in many small kitchens with limited space for an island. A second smaller island is tucked under a big one so you can expand it when you need to and store it when you don’t.
18. Pocket Doors
Many better cabinets offer pocket doors which allow you to tuck the doors into side pockets when not in use. Ideal for appliance stations where you need to have the doors open for long stretches.
19. Sink Cutting Board
A cutting board that fits into your sink, like this one from KOHLER, can add a handy work space. It also creates a perfect place to wash and prep food, and then discard the waste right into the garbage disposal.
20. Built-in Seating
If you’re planning a dining area in a small kitchen, built-ins are more space-efficient than movable furniture, plus they create a cozy dining alcove, and, when fitted with box seats, like these, they can add storage.
21. Off-Site Storage
Many people try to store every item they’ll ever need in the kitchen, with predictable chaos. Some shelving in a cellar, mud room or garage lets you store items you don’t use everyday and free up kitchen space.
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21 Space-Making Tricks
Optimize the Square Footage You Have With These Simple Solutions
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