Space is a premium commodity in city apartments and homes. Small dwelling spaces automatically translate into smaller kitchens, making it imperative that the owners use smart space saving ideas to make optimum use of what they have. A well-organized small kitchen is the heart of a small home.
Wheels
A small cart on wheels is the answer to extra working space. Wheel it in to increase the counter space when required and wheel it out into a corner when not.
Walls
The counter and cabinets fill up fast and yet some more space is required so you can use the walls. Wherever possible put up shelves and hooks to hang items. Avoid knife blocks; instead go for a mounted magnetic knife rack to keep the knives handy.
Pot Racks
Pot racks are space saving solutions from the hardware shop. Mount them on walls or from the ceilings to save space in the cabinets.
Seating
If the space allows it, an island is the way to go. The island provides plenty of workspace and some storage opportunities. The seating cam conveniently go under the island or better still opt for swiveling seats that swivel inside, saving floor space which in turn can be designed into a wine holder or a crockery storage.
Details that make a difference
If the kitchen is too small to have an island, tweak the counter design to provide extra space. A small arm jutting from the main counter gives that extra space. Smaller sinks do better with flexible faucets that fold away to make space for the bigger dishes and pots. A wall mounted faucet too, saves space on the counter.
Cut the Corners
It is difficult to use corners, but a well designed small kitchen needs to use every corner to optimize space. Lazy Susan’s are a handy way to use them, but corner drawers (a little weird in shape), are easier to use, as they do not need turning. An effective use of the corners would be installing sinks or even cook tops in them. The backsplash too can host a shelf for extra space.
Smaller Appliances
If large scale cooking is not your thing, the smaller kitchens can save a lot of space with smaller appliances. A small sized cook top or dishwasher may do the trick.
Closed Doors
Hooks and small shelves behind closed doors can create extra space in the kitchen. In fact you can simply hide away the clutter or create a dry pantry if you choose built in storage space.