72 Best Small Kitchen Design Ideas

Don’t have much counter space? Consider adding an appliance garage within your cabinetry as designer Natalie Chong did in her former Toronto townhouse. The cubby held her Nespresso machine. Underneath, a push-to-open wood panel hid a Vitamix.

For a Georgia kitchen connected to a back door, designer Laura Jenkins turned some cabinets connected to a back door near the built-in refrigerator into a mudroom closet. The seamless construction also hides a coffee station and pantry, making the room feel larger.

With a neutral-leaning color palette, your kitchen can feel more open and serene. Just take note of this tranquil kitchen by Lauren Nelson Design, which incorporates handmade tile, marble countertops, and cabinetry in Benjamin Moore’s Caldwell Green that subtly reference the outdoors.

In this kitchen designed by Sarah Robertson, a slide-in cutting board and drying rack flank the range—making cooking a total breeze. Not to mention, you don’t have to worry about fitting them into other drawers or cabinets.

Consider maximizing your dining arrangement with a nook for built-in bench seating as designer Nannette Brown did for this moody galley kitchen in a New York apartment.

Countersplashes—when the same slab style is used for the countertop and backsplash—offer a smooth look that provides easy cleanup for cooking splatters. Pro designers are embracing the style, including designer Melanie Millner who chose Cielo quartzite for this European-inspired estate in Georgia. Enhance the spacious, cohesive feel with a little display shelf in the same material.

Or if hanging a rod from the ceiling isn’t ideal for you, opt for a short one secured to a small open shelf. In this kitchen by designer Augusta Hoffman, a small rod displays a few go-to tools and cookware for easy access while cooking.

If you tend to charge your phone or iPad in your kitchen, move that clutter into a drawer with docking outlets like this sleek setup by designer Sarah Robertson. That way, you’ll have more counter space to cook and flip through recipe books.

Amplify the character in your small kitchen with the look of exposed brick for less. In this San Francisco kitchen, designer Lynn Kloythanomsup chose a classic red brick, but since it was just for looks, went faux. “It’s like a thin brick tile,” she explains.

Save counter space with a built-in electric cooktop. A slim version—like this one with two burners in a working pantry by Rob Klein and Amy Kreutz of Conceptual Kitchens & Millwork—will give you more room to unload groceries and prepare meals.

Create more storage and decor space with industrial-style open shelving in small columns, as designer Caren Rideau did in this kitchen. It’ll clear up counter space and help you easily see your inventory.

Anyone who loves wine but doesn’t have the space or budget for a mini wine fridge needs this pull-out system from Thomasville Cabinetry, which is available at The Home Depot. The best part? You can use it for other needs, like water and cans, should you not always have a full wine selection on hand.

If you’re low on cupboard space, add storage with rods secured to the ceiling, as designers Carey Maloney and Hermes Mallea did here. Copper-pipe shelving or a brass rod look super chic and are ideal for hanging mugs or ledges to stack dishes.

Plants make everything feel happier—even small kitchens. Plus, if you get great light, why not make use of it? ETC.etera cleverly put a large plant on top of the fridge to brighten up the space.

You’ll need all the task lighting you can get in a small kitchen. Here, designer Corey Damen Jenkins installed sconces over the countertop and sink area. Not only will they literally brighten the workspace, but they also add some shiny style.

Is anyone actually going to notice how big or small your kitchen is when you’ve got an amazing piece of statement lighting? Definitely not. We’re also loving the mixed metals and olive green paint in this one.

No closed cabinets under the kitchen sink but plenty of unsightly things you need to tuck away? Don’t worry. You can hide items like wastebaskets and cleaning supplies by concealing them with a fabric skirt as Scott Meacham Wood did here.

You might not have room for a breakfast nook, but you can probably make some space for a counter bar, especially if you place it strategically. This one in a glam kitchen designed by Amir Khamnejpur scores double points for a counter-height dining table that moonlights as a kitchen island.

When there’s not much you can do to a cramped space without making it feel even smaller, add a rug. It’ll warm up the room and add color and pattern without overwhelming your kitchen. Interior designer Michelle Nussbaumer also packs plenty of texture-rich materials into the small space.

The smaller, the cozier. Embrace it with cream colors and gold fixtures. In this small cubic kitchen, the retro ship-inspired hardware and design details complement the size of the space.

In this kitchen by Balsamo Antiques and Interior Design, tall interior glass doors create the illusion of a much bigger space, and the black lacquer paint is a testament to embracing darker, cozier spaces instead of forcing them to look big and bright with all-white interiors. Though modern in many ways, the open shelves display antiques from the occupant’s travels for a timeless look.

Do you really need 25 extra bowls? Pare down your kitchen stuff to the bare minimum, and you’ll be surprised how much space you actually have. That way, your textural materials can really pop.

Here’s one more reason to love subway tiling, brought to us by Nicole Hollis Studio. Lay them horizontally to cover every last inch of space, from the backsplash to the ventilation hood, to help the space feel wider. And stick to a neutral, monochromatic palette for a classic touch.

Fun, colorful runners were practically made for long and narrow galley kitchens. In this one by Romanek Design Studio, the mix of materials, like the white marble backsplash and the matte black tiles, create a cool, unexpected contrast.

When you run out of cabinet space, just repurpose a dresser or armoire to house all of your plates, glasses, and serveware. Francophile Stephen Schubel gave his modest California cottage the royal treatment with antique gilded pieces and an Edwardian plaster cabinet.

Here’s another show-stopper brought to you by Michelle Nussbaumer. The blush pink and deep aqua lacquered cabinets are reflective, which means they make the space feel larger—like the classic mirror trick, but colorful.

If you’re adding shelves for storage, you don’t want them to look cluttered. Enter this pull-out pantry, which makes use of an awkward nook next to the refrigerator and hides unsightly dry goods behind a super-useful chalkboard door.

When using high-gloss paint for a reflective, mirrored effect, don’t forget to include your ceilings. In this small kitchen designed by Kristin Hein and Philip Cozzi, the sleek finish is balanced with English country–style warmth courtesy of rustic wood accents and a whimsical light fixture.

Mirror the walls to make a small kitchen feel larger. In this gorgeous apartment designed by Akin Atelier, the mirrors accentuate the sweeping views. And with a view like that, who cares what size the kitchen is?

Sneak in extra storage every chance you get. Here, Gary McBournie nestled an entire wine storage cabinet within the millwork of his kitchen—no extra floor space required.

To gain counter space, add a movable bar to the doorway of your kitchen. When you need to get in and out, you can easily roll it out of the way.

If you’ve got space between your cabinets and your ceiling, you’ve got storage. Add wicker baskets or ceiling-high shelves and cubbies—it’s the perfect spot to keep lesser-used tools or cookbooks. In this kitchen designed by Kim Dempster and Erin Martin, one cabinet is also covered in chalk paint for notes and reminders.

Skip bulky hardware on your cabinetry and drawers. It’ll help your space look more streamlined and sleek. Going monochrome will also make it feel like a jewel box.

New Yorkers know how awkward those one-wall kitchens can be: They’re tiny yet somehow manage to take up an entire wall in your living room. This chic and simple kitchen designed by The Brooklyn Home Company proves that there are ways to redeem them. A console functions as a kitchen island and a dining spot without breaking up the room’s flow.

You know the drill: whiter=brighter. Keep everything white, then add in pops of color from your servingware or a cool pendant light that doesn’t take up too much space.

Have fun with cabinet extras, like a fancy ledge or scalloped detail. Designer Gary McBournie used Benjamin Moore’s Covington Blue to evoke the 1930s and ’40s, “something out of an old Bette Davis film,” he says.

Creating visual flow between shared, small spaces will make a world of difference. A pale green paint color blends the small kitchen and dining area of this “jungalow,” by Justina Blakeney, especially when paired with the Moroccan clay tile backsplash and ombré dining bar stools in the living room.

If you have a small kitchen but love to collect wine, it may be worth investing in a mini wine fridge. Though it won’t hold as many bottles as a cellar or full-size wine refrigerator, it’ll still chill a few of your favorites. Plus, it’ll be the perfect scale for a smaller kitchen, like this one designed by Catherine Kwong.

Sure, the kitchen might be small, but the windows sure aren’t. If you’re in a similar predicament, open up the windows to get the air flowing, and keep things breezy to make it feel less claustrophobic. The bright accents in this kitchen by Commune Design are a great addition, too.

To squeeze in extra storage, try adding little cubbies to fill in the space above a window or your range hood. Just make sure you have a step ladder handy. We’re also digging the statement hood in this Hecker Guthrie-designed kitchen. Proof that size doesn’t matter.

Sure, galley-style kitchens lack counter space, but you can make up for it by thinking of the space in stations: an area to prep, an area for stovetop cooking, and so on. Then you can make dinner assembly-line style. This one designed by Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson manages to make room for everything (those ceiling-high cabinets help) while also packing a lot of style punch with monochrome graphic touches.

You may not have a ton of counter and floor space to play with, so make a statement on your walls. If you don’t want it your wallpaper to feel too overpowering, use it as an accent instead of covering an entire wall. Here, design firm Toledo Geller used a fun gold and white wallpaper behind a smokey mirror backsplash—the perfect combo inn a small kitchen.

Keeping things white will brighten up a small space, but that doesn’t mean you have to swear off wood forever. Reclaimed wood shelving adds contrast—and necessary storage. In this deVol kitchen, the prettiest items are displayed on the exposed wall-to-wall shelves and cubbies so the less attractive essentials can be tucked away in the cabinets.