A commenter or two said that their kitchens are small and that the dream kitchens didn’t do anything for them.
While it was not my intent for us to take these literally and for us all to go out and emulate the dream kitchens (they were meant to inspire in terms of style, accessories, architectural elements, colors, etc.), I did take note of their message.
So, I started searching for smaller kitchens that would still meet our level of style, but also limitations in terms of space. Needless to say, there were not as many. Some of the “dream” kitchens I had pulled from cabinet manufacturers websites, where they had large showrooms with mock kitchens that literally had everything and the kitchen sink!
House Beautiful had an article about small kitchens, but some of the kitchens that they considered “small”, really were not small! But I did find some that were gorgeous with some ideas that are unique.
Some ideas to maximize space? Use an electric cooktop to serve as additional counter space. With such a small space, try to use special touches, like drawer pulls.
Note on the lower left how a bathroom hand towel holder was used! Unexpected and rich looking with the brass finish! I love it!
Hard to notice, but this tee-tiny kitchen has mirrored cabinet doors to bounce light and give the illusion of space. Even the door panels are mirrored.
Using monochromatic colors are very important.
Even in awkward spaces, using the same color really helps. Probably more so in a smaller kitchen, details are important.
Here’s one with color…
and another..
A TINY space but filled with details!
My brother lives in NYC and one idea that is used frequently there to save space is to buy smaller appliances:
Here’s a 24″ Viking range! Most appliances, even fridges come in smaller sizes, though they may have to be special ordered. The bonus? A smaller price tag!
Open shelves on the top is highly recommended by designers. This is where it would be a good idea to buy all white or cream (or some pop of color) dishes pronto!
My favorites here?
- If possible, use higher end finishes
- Mirrored cabinets (instead of glass) to bounce light
- If you opt for glass doors, have glass shelves and cabinet lighting
- Keep the cabinetry simple and monochromatic
I try to look at all the pictures, whether big kitchens or small, and see if there are details that are interesting or unique that I can pull from. I am working on a few posts that I think will be interesting: some very easy DIYs (one that I came up with that I haven’t seen before!) and making over the kitchen on every budget.
I hope these helped in some way and everyone else is adjusting to daylight savings time better than I am!!
theophaniamuses said:
LOVE this blog entry. My kitchen is small so I can relate to it. Got some good ideas as well. Thank you!
ADetailedHouse said:
I’m so glad you like it! I was surprised how hard it was to find small kitchens and was frustrated at what some tried to pass off as small kitchens!!
John VanderMyde said:
Great post Kearney!
ADetailedHouse said:
Thanks, John!! I owe you an email!! My inbox is stuffed, so I’ll write you later tonight 🙂
Anna Hergert said:
Thank you for this informative post. While I do not have the large kitchen situation I find I can adapt easily. The house we moved into nearly 5 years ago had a relatively new kitchen with “golden oak” finish solid wood cupboards. To tear out these would have been very wasteful and expensive. With a golden oak floor I often felt I was walking into a golden oak sea which affected my enthusiasm for cooking and baking. Long story short: About 14 months ago I tackled the kitchen – I sanded, primed and painted for nearly 2 weeks and now have a creamy white kitchen, in size somewhat between your absolute dream kitchens and the kitchens in today’s blog. The lighter color palette (with faux aluminum brushed metal tiles as the back splash) provides a bright and inviting environment to rediscover my joy of cooking and baking. The project is not quite finished… a new counter, complete with prep sink, to fit into one corner of the kitchen previously underutilized and a “floating” breakfast bar are currently under construction to provide a little extra space. Small kitchen, large kitchen – if you like to create in the culinary world you can make any space adapt and meet your needs and your budget.
a little elbow room said:
you have such a good eye, and if i come away with one new detail it could be the towel ring! thanks for addressing the challenge of small city kitchen for foodies.
ADetailedHouse said:
I adored the towel ring too!! I was worried it would go unnoticed in the picture and it was the most creative part of the picture. Whoever came up with that was a genius!
daalny said:
That 24″ stove has me drooling.
Billionhomes.com said:
i like the soft tone colors of the kitchens, but personally prefer a cooking island. Nevertheless, it looks very cozy 🙂
Leo Cotnoir said:
When I lived in Old Greenbelt with a tiny 1937 kitchen I found an 18″ dishwasher that fit perfectly.
illumylife by Joy said:
My first kitchen was in a closet passway from bedroom to llivingroom. It had a combination refrigerator, two burner stove and sink all in one. But when you are newly married and in love it didn’t really matter. Loved your kitchen ideas for small kitchens. My kitchen only had room for one person and a tiny cabinet big enough for a couple of dishes and a pot or two. Wish I had a picture to show you, you wouldn’t have believed it.
Joy
healingmagichands said:
Nice post. I recently removed a vunch of wall paper that was very dated, country blue with tiny maroon dots, plus some tile that had a matte finish, and painted the place. It looks SOOO much better now, not that that is really critical in whether or not a kitchen functions well or now.
For the record, there may be a spot in the world for tile that has a matte finish, but a kitchen is not the right spot. It was an aboslute nightmare to get it clean and keep it clean. Shiny finish works much better.
I will just say that I have lived in a place where there was mirrored back splash, and in spite of the fact that it might give you more “spacious” look, the actual maintenance of such an installation can become a nighmare. Especially in the spot it was in that kitchen, behind the stove. Of course, if you don’t care whether your mirrors are covered with little splitches and splotches, it’s no problem. But getting that mirror clean of grease and shiny — well, if you have a housekeeper I suppose it would not be so hard.
Otherwise, your ideas are nice, and nicely illustrated.
texpatstarling said:
My last apartment in NYC had a mirror behind the sink. It was awful to keep clean.
Suzanne said:
Love the post, Kearney, especially in light of my recent post. Thanks!
Andrea May said:
Wonderful post on space-challenged kitchens, although please note that I have very much enjoyed your more aspirational posts which feature more spacious installations, too! Love mirrored backsplashes in kitchens of all sizes because, as you point out, they do bounce light around the room. In a small space, of course, they visually expand the envelope. I often use antique mirrored glass, which is a bit of splurge, but if you are only doing a short run of countertop, it could be well worth it. It’s all about the details–maybe even more so when you’re working with a tight space. Thanks for the great post!
ADetailedHouse said:
Oohhh! Antiqued glass – that sounds divine!! In small spaces, using a few higher priced items hopefully could be an option, where in a large kitchen using the same products would be too expensive. You are so right about the details!
betsyk1 said:
Beautiful. So fun to look at.
orples said:
This is a nice selection of small kitchens. I love the personalities differences among the options here. I really love that little kitchenette, tucked in the rear of the room, in the 2nd photo down. All are nice. Good job, Kearney.
ADetailedHouse said:
That’s my favorite one too! You have impeccable taste 😉
orples said:
Thank you. I’ll just pat myself on the back. LOL. Obviously, you do too. 🙂
Year of Living Craftily said:
Excellent! I love a post about design in small spaces where the spaces truly are small! So much inspiration for my someday (much needed!) kitchen redesign.
Leo Cotnoir said:
I notice that IKEA sells a nice 24″ convection oven.
Villy said:
So many nice ideas!
Cold Dead Heart said:
These are fantastic and inspiring…thanks for sharing.
madamesaslow said:
I love the idea of mirrored cabinets. Some textured, colored, or antique mirror could be gorgeous (and help hide some of the smudges plain mirror would garner).
Cloches & Lavender said:
They may be small but sure are pretty.
Marilyn Faulkner said:
I have found my design soul-mate! The first kitchen you show is one I prevously saw, have printed off and around which I have designed an entire home (for when I am ‘too old’ for a full-sized home and need to downsize). And I am a serious cook, really I am……….I love that kitchen. It is gorgeous and functional! And if I am ever forced to downsize (I do love my current kitchen and home), this is what I want. Your blog is beautiful and helpful. I’ve lived with many different kitchens–one was 140 years old with a make-do kitchen (as an example: had a two man saw hung on the wall from which hung pots and pans–that’s “make-do”!) and I still managed to function pretty well, canning garden vegetables and feeding 3 kids and a husband–but I’ve got to admit, I love the more ‘modern’ appliances! Size really doesn’t matter. Function surely does! You have pointed out some fantastic ideas.
Beauty, detail, style all help make the cooking fun, too. Thank you for this!
afternoonartist said:
Love these smaller kitchen designs, but only one colorful kitchen in the mix? I’d love to see colors other than white or beige. Come on, House Beautiful, you can do better than this!
Courtney said:
You picked some great kitchens! I’m also noticing that in almost all of the pictures, the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling, which is smart to give more storage options . 🙂
613stephenrichard said:
You really do know how to decorate kitchens! Awesome work, keep it up. You do great photography as well as design kitchens.
Paws To Talk said:
We love kitchens even small ones. We especially like chic kitchens. We could spend some good times eating kibble in all of these.
Bella and DiDi
bellissimom said:
My mom has a mirrored backsplash in her house and it is so pretty. It reflects so much light and sets of the countertops beautifully.
Lilybell said:
Love love love! My apartment kitchen is so tiny but I do see some tricks I can apply (can’t do major modification). I also see some ideas I might want to apply to my boyfriend’s house…maybe some more mirrors…
kalipr said:
I like the monochromatic concept (have that already) but love the idea of glass cabinet fronts. Hmm…wonder if that could be done with cabinets I already have! Thanks for the ideas, Kearney!
threefivezero said:
Smallest kitchen I ever had was a in a tiny one bedroom apartment I shared with the lovely young woman that eventually gave me beautiful babies. She’s not in my life anymore, but your post reminded me of us squeezed in that kitchen close together making pizza. I know it wasn’t the point of your post, but thanks for the memory… 😉
ADetailedHouse said:
That is so sweet that this post conjured up this memory!!
Alona M said:
The one with tulips on the table is simply breathtaking! Thanks for the entry
myschoolhouserocks said:
Have you ever noticed that people who don’t use kitchens often have the largest ones?
Misfit Matriarch said:
Wicked! Moving to a new and tiny place, thanks for the inspiration!
Ruth2Day said:
Stunning kitchens! I could actually move to a smaller house just to have one! funnily enough I was watching a re-run of “the Wedding Date” yesterday – Debra Messing movie. And she had a stunning small kitchen in her apartment, and I remember thinking to myself that I would be very, very happy with it 🙂
ADetailedHouse said:
I have a house that I think the same thing! It’s SO tiny, but completely charming! I haven’t seen that movie, but while researching this post, I realized how I have too much and size really doesn’t matter 😉 it’s more the details!
Ben Leib said:
A tiny space filled with details is my favorite. I once had a kitchen that looked kind of like that.
maravasta said:
Great site! I really love your sense of style and I love the post! Fantastic work, keep the great work up 🙂
jdtphotography.co.uk said:
Absolutely terrific article. Something to inspire us all
The World Is My Cuttlefish said:
I’m amazed that the people who own the second kitchen have room to cook anything. That is beyond tiny.
janepurcell said:
I have moved frequently and am almost always disappointed with the small kitchens. Each one had it’s own drawbacks but I’ve learned how to maximize the spaces and sometimes overcome them with clever use of the space. An article like this contains great hints!
susan sheldon nolen said:
I am really impressed with those tiny kitchens! Now a New York Apartment looks like it can be just as amazing as a huge Texas Mansion! Thanks for the informative post!
Anna T said:
Great capture of ideas, design images!
mompalooza said:
love the idea of bathroom hand towel hardware for the kitchen tea towels because besides the oven handle and little white plastic hooks—-i never thought of another option. now if i could just prevent my husband and kids from using the FRESH dish towels to wipe their muddy shoes,garage items,school glue/glitter, and the spill on my already dirty floor….or at least put in the laundry after. thanks!
ADetailedHouse said:
I know!! I have the same problem!! It’s like husbands have a radar for when you put out new ones!! I finally gave up and don’t put out the pretty ones except for when company comes over
Sarah said:
These Kitchens are great!! I love the first pic and the blueish gray kitchen. Fantastic post!
pdginteriors said:
Hello! We are so glad we found you. We love this post. This post is a great reminder that space limitations do not equal poor design!
prosewithabbitude said:
Nice post and I like the ones that you selected. Somewhat surprising you had difficulty finding smalll kitchens as I run into them often with listings or when viewing properties with clients. One point on the open shelves – they are a nice feature if utiltized properly. Sometimes it makes the kitchen look a bit cluttery.
The Modern Home Economist said:
Its amazing to think how much you can get out of a small space. These look just as luscious and amazing as the much larger kitchens you have displayed. Just beautiful and very inspiring.
outersparkle said:
Beautiful Blog! O loved your choices of pictures.
Maria said:
Hi Kearney!
I have nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger Award 🙂 For more details, check out my post…
http://hummingbirdandheart.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/kreativ-blogger-award/
🙂
ADetailedHouse said:
Maria!! I am so flattered!!! Thank you so much!! And congratulations to you!!!
redjim99 said:
We’ve just started planning, there is still a lot to think about. We’ll probably get it finalised next year.
Jim
pileofbabies said:
You have GORGEOUS taste. Love these kitchens. Every single one.
kmore said:
Put a few things on my wish list…. Thanks for putting this together! Your blog is beautiful.
maravasta said:
Great site! Well done, love your blog. Great blogging!! Excellent post! 🙂
snowdoniabnb said:
Great ideas for small kitchens. I like the towel holder – why are kitchen ones always so utilarian? We want beautiful as well. Hanging saucepans are a good idea too – they take so much space in a cupboard – but you need ‘nice’ looking saucepans for it to work well.
introvertedmother said:
I love the itty bitty open shelves used for cook books in the first image – cute detail, looks organized, and practical.
ArtistDoris said:
Love this. I owned a house in my last city that had a VERY small kitchen. I remodeled it when I moved in (I think I had to buy all of 9 cabinet pieces!) that’s how small it was. It was affordable to remodel though, and I made use of every inch of space. It was ridiculously functional…
Simone the EveryGirl said:
I love these ideas! I feel a kitchen makeover in my future….
e1aine said:
Brilliant post. So much more easy to relate to a kitchen of a realistic size.
I’d really like a mirrored splashback now too.
Sunshine said:
Very nice small spaces . . . something I have to live with. Thanks!
penneyfox said:
Thanks for clicking over — it always brings me over to your blog! I LOVE your point of view about design. I’m not much of a chef so the kitchen to me has always been a Martha Stewart moment. After seeing your blog photos, its now become a Kearney-moment 🙂
doubl3exposur3 said:
Love the coloured cabinets against a neutral wall colour..
I never thought of that!
fromstephwithlove said:
This is such a great post. Living in NYC and being and architect, I’m always faced with these difficult situations for clients. You are spot on in your observations of what helps small and awkward spaces read cohesively!
Amy Arey said:
Reblogged this on Amy Arey, Realtor Real Estate Blog and commented:
Great ideas to make your smaller kitchen “pop” instead of become the “eye sore” when your home is on the market, or getting ready to be listed!
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Bridget @ Le. Rheims said:
Wow, those are gorgeous! I live in a tiny apartment (well, for the 7 of us at least), and trying to squeeze five kids around our Ikea table makes me dream of the day when I’ll have a space more suited to the size of my family. Those kitchens, though, I must say, are inspiring. I think if I had a house with a kitchen the size of my apartment’s, I’d be fine because I could do a lot with it. It’s the fact that I’m stuck with what’s here that makes it terrible. It’s small and badly done. Thanks for stopping by my blog, btw!
joreenchan said:
Good post. My kitchen is also pretty compact. I only need to walk a mere 2-3 steps to get to everything, fridge, stove, sink, cabinet etc. It means everything is nearer and hence, cooking is easier. 😉
Grace said:
Great post! We also have small appliances and small spaces here in Europe. This just gave me ideas on how to design our kitchen.
IsobelandCat said:
I may have to send you my kitchen’s dimensions! It is narrow and small.
flyinggma said:
Love you kitchen ideas. I am presently redoing my kitchen that hasn’t been touched in 20 years. I think a person should have to live in and use a space for awhile before you try to design it. There are so many things that I would do differently now after having used it for the past 20 years. I have changed some of the layout of my kitchen as I redo it but boy would I love to have a modular kitchen option. I love to move furniture around to try to things. It’s a little harder to do that in a kitchen with all the plumbing and electrical getting in the way! 🙂
flyinggma said:
Oops. To try “new” things not to try to things.
Laurie Merritt Photography said:
Wow, Kearney, your site is simply amazing, but love these kitchen images. Glad I took a peak! Keep up your gorgeous works!
Jeni Johnson said:
I enjoyed this post! I can relate to aging a small kitchen. Here in Italy, everything is smaller! Imagine a rectangle room with one wall lined up with, frig, cabinets, stove, sink. I I have no idea what to do with the other side. I think I’ll have to post my before and after’s since reading your inspirational post! Thank you!
brittneywidel said:
Love these photographs! I took a little tour around your blog and I can’t help but want to redecorate my house!
marilyndujour said:
Great post. I love small kitchens, especially white ones. I have a medium-sized eat-in kitchen in my Florida townhome and it exudes more warmth than its McMansion counterparts. Happy writing!
Marilyn
fork&thimble said:
This is so inspiring for anyone hoping to find a classy kitchen in a tiny New York apartment 😉
Gabbie Glick said:
Stunning! I just might have to write an ode to small kitchens. Seriously, for many years, I was an urban dweller without much kitchen space and really appreciate your fabulous taste and great ideas.
ADetailedHouse said:
Thank you so much! That is very kind! My brother has lived in NYC and London his entire adult life, so I very much appreciate a small kitchen and I love the clever solutions that are invented because of necessity! They are more fascinating and creative than large kitchens!
oldnp said:
How wonderful it is to actually see good design in an era where every Tom, Dick and Harriet is either an artist or a designer (or both). . . Quality reigns and for that I thank you and BRAVO!.
ADetailedHouse said:
Thank you so much for the kind words!! You are SO right about everyone being an expert these days and the aesthetic suffers! I deeply appreciate your comment 🙂
now at home mom said:
Nice ideas! 🙂 We will soon renovate our small kitchen (maybe in the next few months), we don’t have a lot of space but it doesn’t mean it can’t be pretty and functional. Thank you for the ideas! FYI … Just went through my magazines and in the House and Home (September 2011 issue) they featured small spaces from designer Brad Ford and Sarah Callanan (liked her small kitchen too).
newenglandauthor said:
This site is like having Southern Living, House Beautiful and other great decorating magazines at my finger-tips. Very nice.
Roz Weitzman said:
Thanks for the beautiful small kitchens, one I live in myself. I will visit often. Regards, Roz
havanahyde said:
Reblogged this on havanahyde and commented:
Great ideas for making some little kitchens look fierce!
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Grumpa Joe said:
Every design in the group is great..
Roz Weitzman said:
While I have a teeny tiny kitchen now with only one workable counter, it works because it’s been designed well and not any better than my previous 15 x 25 foot kitchen! And you live with what you have and get used to it! Regards, Roz
Grumpa Joe said:
You are a true cook. It won’t matter what the space is you will succeed in making a great meal. Keep it up.
Valentina said:
Small kitchens are for geniuses. If one can cook in a small kitchen, one can also do it in larger ones.
Roz Weitzman said:
OMG! I must be ’cause I just had a party for 20 – with no oven (I live in China)!
Valentina said:
I am sure you created a culinary masterpiece for your 20 guests. How is life in China? Thank you for stopping by.
Roz Weitzman said:
Life in China is good – and very different. I’ve been here for 7 years so I must like it!!! My guests did enjoy the food and the party!