While small kitchen cabinets are completely a sum up to a challenge, an efficient and stylish kitchen is the answer with the right cabinet solutions!
In the following tutorial, we will discover the various cabinet ideas designed for small kitchens and how their owners, tenants, and people interested in the design can enhance space.
Storage-saving designs, as well as handy organizer tricks, are some of the ways to completely rethink a small kitchen into a gastronomic restful area.
Importance of Small Kitchen Cabinets
When there are no additional square meters to spare, every square inch becomes precious. Small kitchen cabinets are the core of the whole space organization and upholding arrangement.
Beyond just doing their jobs as storage, they can be parts of the entire kitchen’s visual style. A good layout of the cabinetry in the kitchen will make a small kitchen look grander, neater, and friendlier. If you’re also focusing on small kitchen remodel ideas to optimize your space further, the right cabinetry design can make a big difference.
Small Kitchen Cabinets Types
1. Modular Kitchen Cabinets for Small Spaces
Modular kitchen cabinets are recommended for those who are living in small kitchens. These cabinets are so versatile that you can use them in the smallest apartment or make the full kitchen look like a designer project without too much money spent. They are not stuck to one particular design and can be easily reconfigured. For more ideas on affordable home decor that complements modular kitchen designs, check out our guide on maximizing small living spaces.
2. Vertical Kitchen Cabinets for Small Kitchens
When the ground level is not at the full disposal of the kitchen, using the walls is the most advantageous way out. Narrow cabinets maximize the wall space usable to store or display items, without cutting down on the precious floor size.
These cabinets are best for the storage of tools such as brooms, mops, and small appliances.
3. Multi-functional Kitchen Cabinets for Small Kitchens
The cupboard can be a jack of all trades in a small-sized kitchen. A pull-out table which also becomes an additional countertop or a folding ironing board hiding in the cabinet is a good example of such furniture.
These pieces can be transformed into spectacular multifunctional solutions that bring efficiency in limited spaces. If you’re interested in multifunctional furniture for tight spaces, you might also like our best furniture for small spaces collection.
Space-Saving Kitchen Cupboard Options
1. Corner Cabinets with Lazy Susans
One corner of the inner space of many kitchens is often not utilized. Corner cabinets fitted out with Lazy Susans kick things up a notch.
These revolving shelves make items at the back easy to retrieve, thus all space is utilized.
According to House Beautiful, corner solutions are one of the most effective ways to maximize space in smaller kitchens.
2. Pull-Out Pantry Cabinets
When you cannot claim possession of a wide kitchen area, a key to success is to install sliding pantry cabinets.
To avoid struggling with sliding groceries and preserving space, these pantries are a good fit for that. You might also consider small kitchen backsplash ideas to complement your pantry design and give your kitchen a modern, unified look.
They are very good examples because they are usually put into places where there is no free space left and where they are often ignored.
3. Over-the-Refrigerator Cabinets
Those few inches above the refrigerator can be turned into a superb storage area. Fitted or open shelved cabinets can be turned into storage spaces for seldom-used items or decorations, thus taking up all the available space in a small kitchen. To make the most out of every inch, explore our small kitchen remodeling ideas for creative design tips.
Find more inspiration from How Stuff Work’s guide on maximizing vertical space.
Small Kitchen Cabinets: Brief Design Concepts
1. Glass-Front Cabinets
Glass front cabinets should be used in small kitchens as a way of making them not only look bigger but also more open and lighter.
They can make the room look more interesting yet organized and also allow you to organize your beautiful glassware according to your moods!
For people who think keeping an orderly room is through putting away things in a safe place, the presence of frosted or textured glasses is the best thing that would happen to them.
Check out this article from Better Homes & Gardens on how glass-front storage can enhance various room designs.
2. Open Shelving
Open shelf styles are not the exclusive fad for small kitchens. But can work in small kitchens especially well.
Open shelves have this floaty airy way that is very convenient and you can even get your objects with them pretty easily. Combining open shelves with a modern and vintage decor mix adds a stylish touch that’s perfect for small kitchens and other tight spaces.
Putting the two in place at the same time will give you a great combination of both style and practicality.
3. Handleless Cabinets
For small open kitchens that are very much in fashion handle lessness is advantageous. These cabinets in their different forms and lines can be positioned from one to another in the kitchen thus keeping the eyesight clear and producing the illusion of a larger space.
Compact Kitchen Storage Solutions
1. Under-sink small Kitchen Cabinets to Store
There is often an underutilized area under the sink. Use original under-sink cabinet designs to increase the space under the sink, allowing room for cleaning.
2. Cabinet Door Organizers
Cabinet door organizers remain a superb way to economize on space in small kitchens. They can act as storage for spices, cleaning supplies, or even small kitchenware gadgets.
Cabinet doors, which often become the repository of forgotten stuff, can now also be a part of the organization.
3. Pull-Out Shelves
Pull-out shelves are the big change that small kitchen cabinets need. They make it easy for someone to reach items stored at the back of deep cabinets without searching through their other stuff.
This solution can also be applied to bottom cabinets, which is the area where one might struggle with bending down or reaching items.
Small Kitchen Organization Ideas
Organizing a small kitchen the right way is essential to turn it into a functional and enjoyable cooking space. The following are some useful organizational ideas:
1. Use Vertical Space
In small kitchens, the vertical is often ignored as a place for storage. Build high cabinets or open shelving units, which are slim but tall so that you can maximize storage capacity without needing too much floor space.
This method is efficient with items such as a baking sheet, cutting board, or rarely used machine.
2. Implement a Zone System
Draw the lines within the kitchen space where different functions exist: cooking, prep, cleaning, and storage. This method will put things exactly where they should be without moving around too much in the kitchen.
3. Utilize Drawer Dividers
Some of the drawer dividers’ jobs are necessary to keep all the small stuff organized. They work well because they stop utensils, gadgets, and cutlery from turning into a mess, making it easy to locate what you need quickly.
Space-Saving Kitchen Cupboard Small Options
If you are dealing with limited open spaces, one of the biggest reflections on the design of the kitchen is the type of storage units that will be used. Hence, the following are the best storage unit options:
1. Slim Pantry Cabinets
The narrow spaces between appliances or corners can house narrow pantry cabinets. These tall and thin cabinets provide dry storage and come with pull-out drawers, making it easy for you to get to the pieces you need without wasting time searching through the entire cabinet. Check out our post on creative teen bedroom decor ideas for other space-saving storage ideas.
2. Corner Carousel Units
The corner carousel units, in another term “magic corner” are units that are positioned in the corners of the room that are normally not used.
These types of units are easily maneuverable by the homeowner and are turning around enough space to get everything from the front to their fingertips without much trouble. If you’re rethinking the corners of your home, also explore small dining room decorating ideas for maximizing every corner of your home.
3. Overhead Cabinets
Install cabinets along the width of the wall to optimize the wall space and also to force the eyes skyward.
The top shelves might be accessed with a bit more difficulty, but these shelves are perfect for putting away the items that you do not use regularly.
Tiny Kitchen Storage Units
Here are some brilliant ideas that are not only innovative but also very useful for extremely small kitchen spaces:
1. Rolling Carts
A wheeled cart is good for doubling as a countertop space and an extra storage place. After use, it can be tucked in a corner or under the table.
2. Magnetic Knife Strips
Reclaim the loss of drawer space by installing a magnetic knife strip on the wall. This method not only does not use space but also makes life easier by keeping knives easily accessible.
3. Over-the-Sink Cutting Boards
An over-the-sink cutting board is an additional prep space and it is not permanently attached to the countertop. When not needed, it can be stored vertically.
Small Kitchen Makeover Ideas
The new transformation of the whole small kitchen does not mean its whole financial outlay. This section includes some makeover ideas that bring about a real small kitchen picture of a gigantic kitchen:
1. Paint Cabinets
The look of kitchen cabinets for small kitchen can be changed very much by just giving them a paint job. Bright tones of the colors can create a space that feels more spacious and free, while deep tones are a very fashionable look.
2. Update Hardware
Putting up new simple types of kitchen handles or knobs will be the very thing to change your old-styled kitchen into a face-lift broad kitchen. This can be a budget-friendly way to modify your kitchen without embarking on a complete renovation project.
3. Add Under-Cabinet Lighting
The temperature of the kitchen can be raised by lighting the workspace under the cabinets with LED strip lights. Too, this will ensure the kitchen is lightened up and also gives a contemporary look to the kitchen.
Storage Hacks for Small Kitchen Cabinets
In small kitchen cabinets, transforming storage to the highest potential will demand the owner to think smart and be creative. Here are some practical hacks:
1. Use Cabinet Door Space
Stick hooks or a tiny stand on the inner part of cabinet doors to dangle the pots, kettles, or if you create a small spicy shelf. Do this in the area nobody will think of using.
2. Implement Stackable Containers
Invest in a set of stackable, clear containers for dry goods. Not only does this save space but it also checks a directory providing of seeing what’s inside and discarding unnecessary clutter and food waste.
3. Use Tension Rods
Install a vertical tension rod in the cabinets to make dividers for baking sheets and cutting boards, or attach horizontal rods and use them to hang cleaning supplies under the sink.
Best Small Kitchen Cabinets for Limited Space
Popular cabinet brands that architects recommend for a small kitchen are:
1. Tall, Narrow Cabinets
These cupboards boast a vertical design that combines a great deal of storage with very little space. You will need them to store the less frequently used items or appliances.
2. Corner Cabinets with Lazy Susans
Smart cabinets can fit in awkward corner spaces hence space will not go to waste. With the built-in rotating mechanism, there is easy access to the cupboard and each of the items.
3. Pull-Out Pantry Cabinets
The slim pull-out pantries are ideal for tiny spaces as they can be placed among the appliances or near the walls. They also offer a lot of storage at a very reasonable footprint for such a small cabinet.
Affordable Kitchen Cabinets for Small Kitchens
No matter how small cooked kitchens can be, they can still perform adequately. Lower-priced cabinets are the answer to:
1. Ready-to-assemble (RTA) Cabinets
Affordability is the best choice for the RTA cabinets that come flat-packed and need to be assembled on your own.
They give you a plethora of choices, styles, and finishes. Thus, they cost a lot less compared to custom cabinets
2. Open Shelving
Are you on a budget with the kitchen remodeling and do you want an open feel in a small space? Eliminate a few of the cabinets and install shelves. This is also a way that you can display your best-looking bowls, mugs, and other great-looking serving ware.
3. Refaced Cabinets
Refacing already existing cabinets has been used as a cost-saving alternative to the replacement of the cabinets.
Such a procedure involves adding a new layer of veneer to the outer part of the cabinet boxes and switching the doors and drawer fronts. This is an easier approach to enhance the appearance of your kitchen without the price tag associated with new furniture.
Modern Small Kitchen Cabinets for Compact Spaces
To solve a contemporary kitchen style in a tiny kitchen, the following are the modern cabinet options:
1. High-Gloss Finishes
Immigrant white cabinets with a glossy finish can allow the light to reflect off them thus making the kitchen look more spacious and brighter.
They require minimal care and are very convenient for the days when you have a lot of work to do in the kitchen.
2. Handleless Designs
They are the best designs we can come across, as they have no handle and abide by the lines, and the whole idea is minimalism.
They are usages like young houses that would feel more confined with protruding additional things.
3. Two-Tone Cabinets
Evolving from conventional trends, adding light and dark or contrasting colors can generate a feeling of a larger space. This is a modernistic way where one can feel as if he/she is moving in space.
Custom Small Kitchen Cabinets for Tight Spaces
It is often the case that when ready-made designs are not satisfactory customers can look at custom cabinets:
1. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets
Cabinets desperately necessitated can be custom made, having floor-to-ceiling height, which maximizes the room surrounded by the vertical sticks and that in turn may be designed to fit perfectly between the walls, even if they are at different height planes.
2. Built-In Appliance Cabinets
With custom cabinetry, you have the option of designing cabinets that house your appliances, so you have both a sleek look and more free counter space in a tiny kitchen.
3. Multi-Purpose Islands
Being unique in design and multifunctional is what a custom kitchen island can deliver. It can serve as a storage area for all the kids’ toys, serve as a workspace for you and you can add a dining area to it which is mobile and can be used to have meals in different places in the room sometimes.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are the best small kitchen cabinet ideas for maximizing space?
The best small kitchen cabinet ideas include modular units, vertical storage, and multi-functional cabinets. These designs help optimize limited space and provide more storage options, making your kitchen both functional and stylish.
How can I organize a small kitchen with limited cabinet space?
You can organize a small kitchen by using pull-out pantry cabinets, cabinet door organizers, and under-sink storage solutions. These space-saving ideas help declutter your kitchen and create a more efficient cooking environment.
What are modular kitchen cabinets, and why are they ideal for small kitchens?
Modular kitchen cabinets are customizable, space-efficient units that can be easily reconfigured to fit your kitchen’s layout. Their adaptability makes them perfect for small kitchens where maximizing every inch of space is essential.
How do corner cabinets with Lazy Susans work in a small kitchen?
Corner cabinets with Lazy Susans provide easy access to deep or hard-to-reach corners in your kitchen. These rotating shelves help utilize the entire cabinet space, making it more accessible and organized for small kitchens.
Are glass-front cabinets suitable for small kitchens?
Yes! Glass-front cabinets are ideal for small kitchens because they create an illusion of more space by allowing light to pass through. They also showcase your kitchenware, adding both functionality and style to your space.
Conclusion
Small kitchen cabinets are generally used not for storing but for innovative ideas, which include smart design, efficient organization, and making the most of the space you have. From vertical storage solutions to multifunctional units, the design options are very diversified and innovative to cater to compact spaces.
Do not forget the basic rule in kitchen designing and that is to be wise in space use and daring when using time. The resourcefulness of your kitchen space is the defining factor. If you choose preferable kinds, customized proposals, or smart storage alternatives, you can, of course, make your tiny kitchen seem somewhat larger and be even more efficient at the same time.
Lately, property owners, tenants, and design pros have all been searching for ways to modernize no matter how little space they have. By having the perfect cabinets in place and using the right organizational strategies, even the tiniest kitchen can be a happy place for cooking and entertaining.
