Small kitchen: layout and design

Many housewives get lost when it comes to renovating a small kitchen. I would like the space to be beautiful, comfortable and spacious. It is possible to implement the conceived idea even if there are very few square meters. You just need to study all the nuances of planning.

A small kitchen is not a sentence, it can be visually enlarged thanks to a competent layout.

What design style is possible in a small kitchen?

Designers identify a number of styles that are suitable for arranging a small kitchen in the house..

The peculiarity of a small space is that it is advisable to give preference to those style directions that do not imply an abundance of dark colors and large decor details:

Minimalism. This style is characterized by a minimum of detail. In the kitchen space, everything is located only the most necessary and multifunctional. Small color accents can be made, but the chosen shapes should be concise..
Provence. The use of natural (or decorated with natural) materials, pastel colors, floral patterns and prints, open shelves. Such a design should be delicate, airy, light and spacious..
High tech. In this modern style, you can combine plastic elements with metallic and shiny ones. It is important that all furniture and technical items are very practical and have a minimum of decor..
Oriental. For placement in such a design, low-rise furniture of simple shapes, combined with modern equipment, is well suited. Roll curtains will be an ideal option for window decoration. The atmosphere in such a kitchen will turn out to be stylish and calm..

High-tech small kitchen design.

Choosing the layout of the kitchenette

The layout and design of a small kitchen should be thought out as much as possible, because it is important to effectively use every cm of the room effectively. You need to think about how to arrange kitchen furniture for a small kitchen. Designers prefer to use a number of the most common layout solutions. Among them are angular, U-shaped, linear. In this article, you can familiarize yourself with the features of each of the options..

There are 3 ways to plan a small kitchen.

Corner

This is the most convenient and therefore the most popular option for creating a design project for a small kitchen. In this case, the furniture is installed along two adjacent walls, which allows optimal use of even the smallest area..

Built-in structures, drawers, pull-out shelves, hooks, magnetic doors come to the rescue. Thanks to such elements, you can correctly place kitchen utensils..

Corner layout of a small kitchen.

The advantages of this layout include:

compliance with the rule of the working area (gas or electric stove, sink, work surface);
compactness and spaciousness;
convenience in zoning (a free corner appears for arranging the dining area).

But at the same time, for narrow and elongated kitchens, the corner option is hardly suitable, and even in a rectangular kitchen it will be problematic to carry out such an arrangement..

Corner kitchen red.

U-shaped

Such a kitchen is the dream of many housewives, because it uses three walls and two corners, which means it has a large work surface area and a large storage space. This is great for any kitchen work. Also, such a solution is very versatile, because it can be planned taking into account the characteristics of the room, changing the distance between the sides, their size, shape, or even replacing one of them with a bar counter or a peninsula. But it must be borne in mind that this is the most cumbersome option and for its implementation you need a minimum area of 5 square meters. If the space is not at all large, you will have to make the dining area very small, or even consider replacing it with a bar counter, which will become part of the letter “P”.

Small U-shaped kitchen.

Also, it will be impossible to carry out such a layout in a narrow space, otherwise too narrow passages will turn out. This is not only inconvenient, but also violates fire safety rules..

Another drawback – in such a mini kitchen, two or three housewives are unlikely to be able to accommodate at the same time – it will be too crowded.

Linear

For most situations, this is the best option. Especially when it comes to a narrow room. In this solution, the kitchen set is located along one wall..

Linear layout of a small kitchen.

However, it is important to understand that such an arrangement violates the principle of a triangular working area, so if the area allows, then it is better to add a peninsula or an island.

When would a linear project be the best option:

for a small family;
for narrow kitchens;
for studios.

A linear layout is considered the most suitable for a small room..

As with any layout, a line layout has its advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantages include:

affordable price;
more free space;
the kitchen seems lighter and less cluttered.

Linear arrangement of furniture in a small kitchen.

How to choose the right design for a small kitchen

When choosing a design for the kitchen, follow these rules:

Matching the selected style.
Discarding large items.

Preference for functional details.

Design project of a small kitchen with a bar.

Color spectrum

To choose the most suitable color scheme, it is important to adhere to the rules and advice from experts..

The most suitable will be neutral colors, calm shades. They reflect light well, visually making the space wider. Dark and contrasting colors can be used as an accent.
It is possible to combine a kitchen with an adjoining room or hallway using a visual reception. You can paint the walls of these two rooms in similar colors or paste over with the same wallpaper. Such a solution will create the feeling that these are not two different rooms, but one large space. Especially if there are no doors between them.
Textiles should also be light. Pastel shades and not bright prints.
Stick to the color combination rules. The lack of contrasts creates an impression of spaciousness. It is worth using no more than 2-3 shades..
The variety of designs and patterns should not be wide, both on the walls and on the floor or ceiling. The most suitable option would be a relief ornament of the same shade as the whole kitchen..

Light furniture and shiny facades will visually increase the space of a small kitchen.

Lighting

In a small kitchen, competent lighting is simply necessary, it will make the room more spacious and create coziness. Regardless of the size of the kitchen space, it is important to highlight three light zones. In general, the kitchen, the work area, which needs separate lighting, as well as the lighting of the dining table.

Many people make the main mistake, believing that one light source will be enough, but this is not at all the case. A single central lighting does not illuminate the entire area of the room evenly and the corners are left without adequate light. This makes the space visually smaller. Even less light enters the working area, since wall cabinets interfere with penetration, in addition, the person himself obstructs the light in the process of working. In general, the cons are obvious..

Regardless of the size of the kitchen, you need to highlight three light zones..

In order for all areas of the rooms to be sufficiently illuminated, it is necessary to install several lamps at an equal distance from each other. If it is not possible to install several light sources, then you can consider the option of a chandelier with several shades, the direction of the light of which can be adjusted.

A small kitchen should be well lit.

Furniture for a small kitchen

Designers define a number of rules, following which you can choose the most successful furniture option for a small kitchen.

The priority is comfort, not taste preferences. Even a bulky solid wood sideboard that you absolutely love in the store will be completely non-functional..
First you need to consider all the existing types of layouts. Here you may need a plan of the room on paper..
Hanging cabinets, shelves, and other furniture are especially relevant in a small room. High shelving up to the ceiling is also a good choice..
It is important to use free corners as efficiently as possible by installing headset elements, appliances and other household accessories there..

Design of a corner set with lighting in a small kitchen.

Work area furniture design:

Kitchen set should be light, so it will not seem bulky.
At least one piece of furniture should be high (ideally up to the ceiling), so the space visually stretches.
The furniture of the working area should be suitable not only for visual indicators, but also for criteria such as resistance to moisture, temperature, cleaning agents, etc..

U-shaped layout with a window in a small kitchen.

Arrangement of the dining area

So that the dining area in the apartment fits organically into the interior and does not take up much space:

it is worth considering options for transparent furniture, they do not “eat up space”;
tables, cabinets and sofas with additional storage compartments are well suited;
furniture should be mobile and easy to move.

Corner kitchen layout in purple.

Design tricks for a small kitchen

To make the space as functional and convenient as possible, you can use a number of special tricks. Let’s consider the most popular ones:

Folding table top. This option can be very functional: used for cooking or for meals. When not needed, the countertop can be removed to free up space.
Folding table. When folded, the structure will not take up space and interfere with the cooking process.
Wide window sill. It can be used as a work area, a place to store some household appliances (not all appliances can be stored by the window). Or extend the area of the window sill by making it part of the work surface or kitchen table.
Compact table. Fortunately, manufacturers offer a wide range of such models. The main thing is that the chairs can fit under it..
Console-transformer. When assembled, such a structure takes up very little space, but when used, it can accommodate up to 4 guests.

Even a window sill can be used in a small kitchen..

Conclusion

Planning a small kitchen is a complex process, but an interesting one. Everyone is able to equip the interior of their dreams, even in a small space, the main thing is to use the advice from this article.