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What is a Small Kitchen?

A small kitchen, often known as a kitchenette, is any kitchen with a footprint of less than 80 square feet. It’s worth noting, however, that this is a relatively large small kitchen, with some being far smaller.

In Chicago, apartments or condos may have kitchen footprints as compact as 48 square feet.

Principles of an Efficient Layout

When planning a tiny kitchen’s design, consider the kitchen or work triangle and your space usage. In any well-used kitchen, there are three main points that see regular use.

The first is the sink, used for washing up, rinsing vegetables, and filling pots with water. Next is the fridge, since that’s where you store many (or possibly most) of your food items. Finally, you visit the stove often to cook your food.

The best layout for your small kitchen will provide easy access to all three of these points by minimizing the space between them.

One of the best small kitchen design ideas you can implement is to use vertical space. Large kitchens rely heavily on horizontal space, like counters and floor-level cabinetry. However, small kitchens don’t have a massive footprint to use for storage.

Your best option is to maximise vertical storage by having more high cabinets and shelves than horizontal ones.

The Top Kitchen Layout for Small Spaces

Considering all the aspects mentioned above, there are three main kitchen layouts that work well for petite kitchens.

Galley Layout

The galley layout is a superb choice for small kitchens that serve as a thoroughfare. If you can walk right through your kitchen to reach the room on the other side, the galley kitchen is for you.

It consists of two opposing walls (as you’d see in an old ship’s galley) equipped with kitchen appliances, storage, and counter space. In the largest small kitchens, it may also feature a central island, but most tiny kitchens don’t have that much room.

The benefits of this layout for small kitchens include:

• Its small size can mean lower installation costs.
• It minimizes the space between work triangle elements.
• It allows you to maximize vertical space and counter space.

L-shaped or U-shaped Layouts

While there are some differences between them, these two layouts are highly similar in form and function. The L-shaped design features two walls with a counter and appliance space. The U-shaped design (or horseshoe design) is shaped like a horseshoe, with three walls incorporating counters.

The benefits of this layout for small kitchens include:

• Excellent space optimization with plenty of counter space
• Easy collaborative cooking with workspaces for multiple cooks
• Efficient workflow due to the strategic implementation of the kitchen work triangle

Open-Plan Kitchens

While this layout is often reserved for larger kitchens, it can be an excellent option for kitchens with a limited footprint. Because it doesn’t require a second room for your kitchen, it allows you to combine the kitchen and dining room spaces, allowing you to maximize both.

Open-plan kitchens offer benefits like:

• Better space utilization by combining two room functions in one space.
• A more spacious look and feel make the kitchen seem less cramped.
• You get better airflow and more natural light than you would with something like a galley layout.

Which Layout is Right for You?

All the layouts mentioned above offer unique benefits and work well for different situations.

You should choose a galley layout if:

• Your kitchen is more of a thoroughfare or hallway, with a door at either end.
• You need to maximize space on the two available walls of your kitchen.
• You generally cook alone (this design does not lend itself well to collaborative cooking).

On the other hand, a U-shaped or L-shaped layout is ideal when:

• You have a small, dedicated room for the kitchen, with only one entrance.
• You need to maximize space using two or three walls, either vertically or horizontally.
• You often cook with someone else, and need multiple workspaces.

Finally, the open-plan layout works well for:

• Condos and bachelor units with a fluid layout.
• Homes wanting to stack functions to reduce space usage.
• People preferring more natural light and airflow in the kitchen.

In the end, it’s a matter of preference. You need to choose the ideal layout and design for your particular application.

Small Kitchen Remodels in Chicago

Some of Chicago’s most common kitchen layouts include the L-shape, U-shaped, and galley. If that’s the case in your home, you may have a really efficient layout.

However, many of the older designs lack modern, space-saving features or incorporate elements that are no longer relevant. Premier Remodeling has completed many kitchen remodels in Chicago, maximizing space and helping homeowners maximize their available space.

Below, we share a few popular storage and design solutions that can make a tiny kitchen look much bigger.

Smart Storage Solutions for Small Spaces

When you have a tiny kitchen, you need all the space savings you can get. A few effective, impactful options include:

• Vertical storage:In a small kitchen, height is your biggest asset. Whether you opt for shelves or cabinets, they’ll allow you to fit more into the same space.
• Temporary counters:We’ve all wished we had more counter space, but a petite kitchen doesn’t necessarily have space for many counters. Consider extendible or pull-out counters that you only open when you need them.
• Open shelving:While cabinets are many people’s preferred option, they’re not always the most space-effective option. Consider adding open shelving to provide additional storage space, without offering up space for doors and cabinet walls.
• Pull-out pantries:From spices to cereal, you always need a safe, practical space to store your food items. Pull-out pantries tuck away beneath your counter space and take up no space when you’re not actively using them.
• Appliance garages:If you have many small appliances, consider incorporating appliance garages. These cabinets are perfectly shaped and formed to house your appliances behind closed doors, keeping your counter space clear.

Strategic cabinetry, shelving, and other features can help bring your kitchen to life, turning a tiny kitchen into an oasis in your home.

Creative Design Ideas for Small Kitchens

When you have a small kitchen, one of the main factors isn’t the available size, but how big it looks. With these creative design implementations, you can make your kitchen look bigger and feel more spacious:

• Use light palettes: Dark colors often make spaces feel smaller, rather than bigger. By using light colors consistently, you make the room seem more spacious.
• Avoid contrast:As with dark colors, excessive contrast can make your kitchen seem small, shadowy, and constrictive.
• Incorporate reflective surfaces: When you choose reflective kitchen surfaces, like mirror fridges, they make the space look larger by making it look like the room continues beyond that edge.
• Maximize light:Whether you choose to incorporate cabinet lighting or focus on making the most of the available natural light, letting light into the room will make it seem more spacious.
• Remove clutter: Removing clutter from counters and other spaces reduces the room’s cramped appearance and makes it look like you have more space.

Creative design is less about reality than appearance. We’ll work with you to redesign your kitchen, incorporate useful elements, and maximize your space.

Make the Most of Your Small Kitchen With Premier Remodeling

Whether you define your kitchen as tiny, small, or petite, it offers some significant limitations. However, when you implement an appropriate layout and a few creative design ideas for small kitchens, you can maximize your space.

While your kitchen is only going to stay that big, you can make your space more effective and do more of what you love without buying a new house.

Rely on Premier Remodeling, one of Chicago’s leading remodelers, to bring your kitchen vision to life. Contact us today!