Small kitchen design can be very cost effective and efficient. Some may think they are faced with design challenges but with the proper planning, you can make your small kitchen both functional and beautiful. You will need to have a little creativity to be able to create storage in a small kitchen space. There are many products available that will help you with your small kitchen design.
The biggest issue people seem to come across in their kitchen is space. They run out of counter space when cooking or get frustrated when there is no place to put new dishes. This needs to be the first plan set in motion when working on a small kitchen design plan. You will want to make sure you have enough counter space in your design. You can never have enough counter space since they are used for so many things from storing food and appliances to food preparations. If you plan to eat on your counter or if you have a bar, then you will need more space than what you have. You can maximize counter space by installing an island. It gives you storage and extra counter space. A good kitchen cabinet design is helpful in maximizing storage space. Mixers, bowls and items used less frequently can be stored in cabinets.
Kitchen appliances are now made in a compact size to meet your small kitchen design needs. A refrigerator with a drawer freezer can offer space advantages to your small kitchen. Microwaves and toaster ovens are appliances that can fit underneath cabinet spaces. Clock radios and other counter top items can be stored accordingly. This helps to free up your counter space creating another space saver. Dishwashers can be bought in many different sizes. A space saving dishwasher will save you space for storage. Ovens have come a long way and gotten smaller over the years also. Smaller ovens can free up space for cabinets, which will give you yet more storage space.
You should consider how easily you will be able to move around and how convenient everything will be able to be accessed when planning your small kitchen design. The kitchen sink, stove, and refrigerator should be arranged in a triangular pattern. This concept is known as the work triangle. It saves you unnecessary steps when working in your small kitchen and preparing foods. Having more than one work center will also allow more than one person at a time to be able to work efficiently in the kitchen. A self standing chopping block will create another work space. If you separate your microwave from the stove, that will create even more working space. This will allow workers to be in the kitchen without getting in each other's way. Built in appliances save you space as well being that they do not need to be set on the counter. Appliances that are efficient and space saving like dish washers, garbage disposals and trash compactors are another option to saving space.