How to maximise space in a small kitchen

When you imagine your dream kitchen, there are many premium components we imagine – but the thing most of us desire more than anything is space. This can be hard to envisage if you feel your kitchen is limited in cupboard room and surface area, but even the most charmingly cosy kitchens can squeeze some extra storage in somewhere. These small kitchen storage ideas will show you how.

Adding space

Image credit: architectandi

For better or worse, your cupboards are what they are – and if what they are is too small, then some extra capacity is required elsewhere. Most fitted units will leave little area for much else, but utilising your walls can help add function.

If you have wall real estate, shelving is the most practical addition you can make to a kitchen, giving immediate additional storage. It can also be an aesthetic improvement and displaying some more appealing items on open shelves – such as cookbooks, spices, and jars – will add visual interest, whilst freeing up cupboard space. 

Vertical storage can be implemented in a style to suit any kitchen, and even serve as an artistic focal point, while hanging drying racks or adding a magnetic strip for knives and utensils can create room in some crucial kitchen spots.

Extending space

Image credit: poppyview_home

Utilising your space to its full potential can help keep your kitchen tidy, practical, and effective, while still achieving an aesthetic finish. Be clever within the limitations of your cupboards with additions such as storage baskets, shelf inserts, and rotating containers, ensuring everything remains accessible and orderly. 

Decanting dry foods – such as pasta and cereal – into airtight containers can help save space as they are stackable and prevent open bags spilling out of cupboards, while uniformly labelled containers make for a pleasing kitchen addition. Drawer dividers can also maximise space, group together items and make them easier to retrieve.

Now – and this next part is tricky – in order to retain the extra space in your kitchen, it's important to stay organised, clean, and tidy. There is nothing like a sink full of dishes to shrink a kitchen and make it unusable. An over-the-sink dish drying rack can be a great addition to maximise vertical space. 

Be mindful when cooking to keep on top of mess, and treat your surfaces to a regular spritz of cleaner, especially if you don’t have the time to deep clean it regularly. Keeping surfaces clear of unnecessary additions such as rarely used appliances or fruit bowls will allow more permanent space for prepping and cooking.

Moving space

Image credit: Bellway Your Nest team

If you require adequate room for your culinary prowess, compact pantries that can be temporarily re-homed can help free up some wingspan for pancake-flipping flair.

Portable storage trolleys can be moved about depending on your requirements. A drinks trolley, for example, can be on hand when guests visit; a dinner service trolley can save time when it comes to setting the table on an evening; for those who desire an island, moveable kitchen worktops with built-in storage can be the perfect solution, offering an extra preparation area without occupying a permanent footprint. Slide-out kitchen storage trolleys can also make for a great constant addition if there is an unused and appropriately sized nook to hold one.