I've worked with a lot of small and compact kitchens and baths. It's as exciting as working with expansive spaces because I could get resourceful and creative! A lot of times, the projects were constrained within the same space. Before the transformation, some spaces felt dreary, some were cluttered, and some were claustrophobic. The tips below are the compilation of solutions that used in those small projects which created spaciousness without having to add square footage in the room to enlarge the spaces.
Some of these involve structural work and more labor-intensive ways to make the space look visually bigger and brighter, but there are also simple changes and techniques that you can do.
1. Use light finish materials. Okay, this one might be a given, but for those who did not think about it, here are some materials where you can specify light finishes: cabinet color, counter tops, back splash, floor materials, and wall and ceiling paint color.
2. Create a room gradient from floor to ceiling. Think about the words weight and gravity. Use darker finishes at the bottom, like the floor, to create weight in the room. Use medium tone colors in the middle of the room, like the base cabinets and the counter tops, and lighter finish on the top, like the wall cabinets or the wall and ceiling paint colors. Your eyes will naturally go in an upward direction.
3. Create layers of light in the room. There are 3 types of lighting: 1) General or ambient lighting like recessed light fixtures and surface mount fixtures 2) Task lighting like under cabinet light fixtures and 3) Accent lighting like pendant light fixtures or chandelier. The brighter the space, the more open it feels. You can separate the wiring or switching for different kinds of layers, so you can control each area. You can also put dimmers on some of them, to create a mood.
4. Use directional patterns suggestively. If your ceiling height is short, use vertical patterns to create an illusion that the room is taller than it is. You can install cabinets with vertical linear grain. You can also install wall tiles vertically. If you want the room to be wider, use horizontal patterns or orient things horizontally. For example, hardwood planks or wide tiles can be installed perpendicular to a wall that you would like to appear wider.
5. Locate tall cabinets and appliances on the corner wall, if possible. Your kitchen will feel so much more open, if you do not have a tower in the middle of the room or right next to a doorway. If you enter a room with a wall on the side and a tall item on the other side, it will feel like passing through a tunnel. Move those tall items at the corner right next to a wall perpendicular to a doorway.
6. Create some headroom above the main work areas. The sink area is one of the busiest work spaces in the kitchen. Instead of installing a standard wall cabinet depth above it, make the cabinet shallower or higher. Instead of a cabinet, you can also put an open shelving or a pass through above the sink.
Follow the manufacturer's specifications, and install your hood ventilation at the maximum height, as much as possible. Mounting the hood 36" above the counter top certainly gives you more headroom than 27" or 30". You need that room, especially if you are tall. Nobody wants to consistently duck his or her head while cooking.
7. Try a minimalist approach. Less is more! Select fixtures, hardware, decorative elements, cabinet styles, or any materials and finishes that have less design details. This way, your eyes can rest because there is a sense of continuity. How about using large scale tiles, so you can have less grout lines?
8. Remove an unnecessary partition wall or walls. If you are remodeling an outdated space, most likely, you have at least one partition wall that can be removed. Through creative space planning, a new functional space can be generated with a more open floor plan.
9. Remove unnecessary soffits. Sometimes, soffits are there for a reason. They might be housing plumbing pipes, electrical wires, or venting, but sometimes soffits are there because the previous builders did not install cabinets that are tall enough to reach the ceiling. Consult with a professional. If there's nothing in it, remodeling can be a perfect opportunity to remove it to make the ceiling visually spacious.
10. Raise the ceiling. With professional planning and investigation (and of course budget), raising the ceiling can really transform the space. You can raise the ceiling on the same plane, or you can follow the roof line's pitch. Few inches can make a difference!
11. Follow the walkway clearances. National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends surrounding kitchen walkway clearances to be 42" from front surfaces for 2 cooks, and 48" for 3 or more. For more in-depth clearance recommendations click the link below:
12. Introduce natural lighting. You can add as much light fixtures, but there's nothing like letting natural light in your space. Add a skylight. Increase the size of your window. Add a new window. Replace your door with a glass panel. Add glass blocks! You have control on how much light you want to penetrate in your space!
13. Flush-to-the-ceiling approach. It was just a couple of years ago when flush ceiling vents were introduced. I saw it first at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Showcase. Few brands carry them, then. Now, specifying it is becoming a mainstream design. This type of hood is a perfect application if you have an island cooking space looking into a spectacular view. You wouldn't want to obstruct the view by hanging an island hood in the middle of the room, but you still need to vent the smoke, steam and grease. Flush mount hood is perfect for this scenario!
Also, if you have room in your budget for engineering consultation and work, you can design a room with the header or beam hidden in the attic or above the ceiling. This way, you have a more continuous ceiling plane. Of course, this involves professional planning and investigation.
14. Make the doorways wider. It might not be as simple as it sounds, but widening a door way few inches or more will make the room feel more open. You can also just simply remove the doors on doorways where it's not necessary.
15. Install sliding doors, like pocket doors or barn doors. Any hinging door needs clearance to open or close it. By using a sliding type, the door is out of the way; therefore, you can utilize the space around it. Unobstructed traffic flow is important, especially in small spaces. Every inch matters!
16. Install glass panels as opposed to walls for room dividers. In my bathroom projects, I've removed countless walls around tubs and showers and replaced them with glass dividers and enclosures. The transformation in limited spaces were night and day!
17. Scale up. Use large scale materials, patterns or finishes to create an illusion that the space is bigger than it actually is. Large format tiles and wall paper patterns and designs are just few examples.
No need to bust those walls! Be creative! Think inside and outside the box!
Comments