The tiny home revolution is here.
Small, cottage-styled homes are popping up in droves throughout the United States as more and more homeowners want to dial back the amount of stuff they have in their possession. One way to do this is to drastically reduce the amount of space you have to store stuff.
Some folks are taking this minimalist approach to extremes—just take a look at the Living Big in a Tiny House channel on YouTube, where homeowners see just how tiny they can make their homes while only including the basics).
However, if you’re interested in simplifying your life, you don’t have to create a home that is 400 square feet to get the desired effect. Instead, you can look to build a home that is more quaint than some of the large, boisterous homes we see today. The idea with minimalistic, small homes isn’t to make life uncomfortable; it’s to cut out all the unnecessary clutter that we tend to hoard over the course of our lives. It’s all about making time for what really matters and getting rid of distractions.
For example, many small home enthusiasts spend a good amount of their time designing the perfect small kitchen that offers all the functionality they need while limiting its overall footprint on the home.
Of course, making sure the kitchen still looks good is of the utmost importance. Today, we’re going to be offering some tips for designing small kitchens and what the best appliances are for such a kitchen.
Table of Contents
Small Kitchen Design Tips
Avoid the Cumbersome Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands are typically used for entertaining guests or for dishing up food. But, because you’ll likely not be entertaining guests in your small kitchen—and food can easily be dished up elsewhere—it’s best to design your space without an island.
Minimalism and tiny homes are all about prioritizing functionality. For your kitchen, you should focus only on including details that allow you to cook efficiently. A large kitchen island will take up space and make it more difficult to craft good meals.
Neutral, Lighter, and Natural Colors Are Best
Some of you may not want to hear this, and we are sorry to be the bearer of bad news if you’re a big fan of dark colors. When it comes to small kitchens, it’s best to use lighter neutral and natural colors for cabinetry, fridges, counters, etc. Simply put, in more quaint spaces, dark colors can be claustrophobic and can make a small kitchen feel even smaller.
This doesn’t mean you have to abandon darker tones altogether, but the majority of your kitchen colors should be lighter and more natural in their look.
Large Floor Tiles Are Better Than Smaller Ones
At first, it may sound like using bigger floor tiles doesn’t make much sense for a smaller kitchen. But, designers all over agree that small flooring tiles can make a room feel much smaller.
Real Homes recently wrote a solid article that offers some helpful advice for choosing tiles that will make a smaller kitchen feel more spacious. For example, using glossy, metallic, or mother of pearl finish tiles will “enhance the space by reflecting light,” therefore offering a sense of larger proportions
Consider Scandinavian Cabinets
Modern, Scandinavian kitchen cabinets look great in a small kitchen setting. This is because Scandinavian design actually pairs perfectly with the tiny home movement. In fact, if you were to go through the Living Big in a Tiny Home YouTube channel, you would likely find a ton of homes that have some sort of Scandinavian-inspired design integrated into them. Simple yet beautiful functionality is at the heart of Scandinavian design, which makes Scandinavian cabinets an excellent choice for smaller kitchens.
If you’d like to include authentic, warm, and natural Scandinavian cabinets in your small kitchen, then reach out to Puustelli today. We’ll work with you to create the perfect blueprint for your kitchen—no matter the size.
Check out our gallery for more inspiration!
Appliances to Use For Small Kitchens
Here are some of the best, most compact appliances for inspiration for your small kitchen!
Insignia Top-Freezer Refrigerator
This highly rated fridge is great for small kitchens because it is less than 30 inches in width, but isn’t lacking in storage.
GE Freestanding Electric Range
Stainless steel and also very narrow, this electronic range makes for the perfect cooking accomplice for creating your favorite meals.
Frigidaire Single Electric Wall Oven
Wall ovens are an excellent choice when it comes to choosing appliances for your kitchen. This stainless steel wall oven from Frigidaire has Even Baking technology, as well as a self-clean cycle.
Frigidaire Built-in Dishwasher
Just 18 inches wide, this built-in stainless steel dishwasher is discreet enough to keep your kitchen looking minimalist but powerful enough to clean your dishes thoroughly.
Good luck with designing your small kitchen and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help!