A pint-sized kitchen is a well-known dilemma among renters and homeowners alike. The lack of floorspace, a vanishing number of surfaces for cooking and dining, or simply an awkward layout that makes squeezing in the table feel more like a game of sudoku, can all take a bit more brain power to overcome than some give us credit for. But it’s not all bad news. With a dash of careful consideration and the right small kitchen furniture ideas, these worries will feel like a fading bad dream.
From multipurpose storage hacks to workflow tips, we’ll walk you through all of the steps to take the stress out of your tiny kitchen. No more dillydallying, let’s get straight into it.
Where to Start
Nowadays, kitchens are smaller than they ever used to be, and along with this gradual shrinking has trickled in additional challenges. For those living in ultra-compact, urban flats, it might feel like the understatement of the century. Forget ample surface space and room for two people cooking; your norm might be shimmying past each other in the hopes of avoiding bashing into the kitchen table…adding to the many bruises you acquired in the same way.
However extreme your situation, though, know that there’s plenty you can do. And to start, it’s best to grab a pen and paper (or maybe just your notes app) to list the pros and cons of your space, your priorities and how you envision its ideal use. After all, your kitchen should work with, not against, its frequent users. With these concerns centred, they’ll help guide you through the process and allow you to pick and choose from the small kitchen furniture ideas we’re sharing below.
Remember, your furniture should ideally tick off most if not all of the following criteria:
- Small dimensions and spatial footprint
- Multifunctional
- Visually interesting rather than visually cluttered
- Incorporates storage features
- Stylish and in keeping with the wider décor
- Built from hardwearing materials
10 Small Kitchen Furniture Ideas
1. Bring personality with your colour palette
There’s a dominant narrative in the interior design space that neutral colour schemes are the only option when it comes to decorating – but this is far from the truth. While, yes, calming creams, off-whites and beige help disperse light around the room and diffuse tension, they’re not the only option. You can, indeed, play with colour.
One popular albeit underrated small kitchen furniture idea is to repaint your wooden pieces in a vibrant shade like teal and offset them with neutral walls, or even a patterned backsplash that brings pops of burnt orange. Moroccan-inspired tiles are also a brilliant way to build texture and intrigue without adding unnecessary space-hogging décor pieces into the picture.
2. Find the sweet spot on the maximalism to minimalism continuum
Small spaces can be whatever you make of them. Bold, zesty, laid-back, refined, airy – there’s practically infinite vibes to curate. A word of warning, though: if you go too far towards either end of the maximalist-minimalist continuum, you run the risk of either overwhelming the kitchen with the busy décor or, on the other hand, sapping it of emotion, dimension and warmth.
So, when you’re redecorating or rethinking your furniture arrangement, do a little experimentation. Add a few decorative pieces, take a few away, imagine how a few extra chairs would impact the space. Would it detract from the character if you replaced your rustic dining chairs with sleeker bar stools?
3. Swap the dining table with a breakfast bar…
We love dining tables, but sometimes they’re just not practical. In this case, your next best option is to swap it out for a breakfast bar. Providing the same functionality, yet in smaller form, you can still dine, work and rest in this spot, but it’ll be so much easier to navigate. In fact, if the contents of your cupboards are more aligned with takeaway brochures than cooking utensils, this might suit your lifestyle a whole lot more.
4. …Or make it extendable
Not keen on the breakfast bar? That’s fair enough. Another alternative is to opt for an extendable dining table; here, you can have it tucked away and snug while you’re cooking or only having a quick bite to eat. When you’re in the mood for indulging in a bigger, more labour-intensive meal or fancy a boardgame night, you still have the option of a wider surface area – all you have to do is fold it out.
5. Tease out the potential of nooks and crannies
Diverse floorplans call for a diversity of tactics. When it comes to irregularly shaped kitchens with little nooks and alcoves, there’s always a way to turn them from wasted potential to functional space. From kitting out alcoves with shelving for your cookbook collection to a kitchen nook makeover, think about what’s missing from your culinary setup and see if you can squeeze it in, in mini form. Often, you’ll find it’s possible; it just takes a pinch of thinking outside the box.
6. Simple silhouettes are your friends
Simple silhouettes are a great way to keep your tiny kitchen feel clean, uncluttered and cohesive. This doesn’t mean a lack of texture or stimulation, either. Leather dining chairs, wood grained tables and brassy handles all contribute to a sense of richness and authenticity that scream sophistication.
7. Ditch the upper cupboards for open shelving and hooks
Kitchen furniture for small spaces need not be tied to a traditional aesthetic. While outfitting the room with towering cupboards or rows of upper units might initially seem like a smart move for storage, you might run into some unintended consequences. By taking up so much of walls, you’re introducing an element of visual clutter and a sense of confinement, which can contribute to a cramped feel.
To give this dreaded feeling the slip, try using open shelving, magnetic strips and hooks for your kitchen utensils. You might find that they’re much easier to navigate than overpacked cupboards that take some rifling through to find what you’re looking for.
8. Make storage beautiful
If you’re strapped for space, plonking things on top of the fridge and other open spaces is occasionally unavoidable. But, before you despair, give this next tip a go. Instead of leaving your appliances, tea towels and other random appliances out for scrutiny, why not keep them in wicker baskets or decorative storage boxes? This way, you’re turning them into décor pieces; plus, all the small items are kept organised at all times.
9. Ensure your furniture is proportional
Proportionality is a key feature of all well-designed kitchens, but when space is at a premium, it’s all the more important. Although it can be tempting to go big with our small kitchen furniture ideas – opting for bulky units and an expansive seating arrangement – sometimes it’s not a good fit with the room’s DNA.
Instead, when refurnishing your culinary zone, explore slimline, low-profile options that serve the right purpose and stylistic intentions without eating up too much of your negative space. This will make the scheme feel purposeful and balanced, compared to the previous look, which might have been giving ‘thrown together’ or ‘accidental’.
10. Hide away appliances in a statement larder cupboard
A simple yet effective way to reclaim your worktops is to relocate your appliances to a dedicated cupboard, sometimes fondly known as an ‘appliance garage’. From the fun gadgets that only come out when you’re entertaining guests to your microwave and kettle, there are plenty of bits and bobs you can tidy away with ease. Safely stored behind a gorgeous shaker-style larder cupboard door, the visual clutter is gone and making dinner is no longer a juggling act.
The best part? The larder doubles up as workstation in its own right – just pop the doors open and there’s everything you need to make coffee, heat up food, mix cocktails, you name it.
Which of these small kitchen furniture ideas are you going to try?
Finally, we’ve come to the end of the road. We hope that these small kitchen furniture ideas have inspired you to think creatively or perhaps even stray from the traditional culinary setup if that works for you. Whatever the case, by using multifunctional pieces, teasing the potential out of awkward nooks and crannies, and prioritising flow and functionality, you can create a space that works with your routine rather than against it. While it takes a bit more planning and consideration, we promise you, it’s well worth it.
Now, what are you waiting for? It’s time for you to take back c
