HomeTriangle Guides: Small Open Kitchen Necessities
Tags: Home Decor, Kitchen Interior Design, Home, Hometriangle, Kitchen

Kitchens have become the most important part of a home in the last couple of decades. A small, open kitchen in your home doesn’t have to be a reason for worry. Designing that small kitchen to not just respond to the culinary needs of your family but also stylishly rise to an occasion may not be as hard as you think.

Read the HomeTriangle Guide on the must-haves in your small kitchen, from accent lighting and zonal layouts to creative storage and open shelving, to make the most of available space in your small open kitchen.

1. Kitchen Island

We believe you should have a kitchen island no matter what because it can serve multiple purposes no matter the kind of kitchen you have in your home. It can act as an extra counter, a storage unit, a dining area, or a breakfast bar. When you’re already pressed for space, a kitchen island is a very practical solution. Moreover, you can integrate wheels into the kitchen island which will let you move those into the living room to work as a pop-up diner or elongate your kitchen counter to increase your work surface area.

2. Open Shelves

Open shelves are probably the easiest and most effective way to push the walls farther and give an illusion of a larger cooking area when you don’t have one. Integrating open shelves when you have limited space will let you maximize every square inch of your wall. Another advantage is that they also unlock the much-needed space that would otherwise be taken up by doors offering a much more open and airy feel. Once you integrate open shelves into your kitchen, you can arrange it using jars of different sizes, shapes, and designs to light up your shelves.

3. Zone Lighting

If you don’t have a zonal layout in your kitchen, now is the time to meld one into your kitchen. When you implement zone lighting, a kitchen will be able to hold its own. You can create a unique access point that separates the kitchen from the living area without the need for a formal screen. Zone lighting is a good way to spotlight a small kitchen without adding walls. Our experts suggest track lights, recessed lights, and pendant lights to subtly create a separate kitchen zone.

4. Accent Lights

Apart from signature zonal light fixtures, you also need to implement accent lights to take stock of the natural flow of light in your kitchen. Every kitchen has nooks and crannies that are hidden away in shadows that are usually forgotten in the hustle of everyday cooking. With the help of accent lights, you can get some precious pockets of space in your little kitchen. Our experts suggest you install a dimmer for the accent lights because that gives you a bit more freedom to customize your lighting depending on the situation.

5. A Good Chimney

The fumes, the smoke, and odors from your kitchen have to be dissipated. You can’t have the smoky aromas attaching themselves to the rest of your home, especially while whipping up a feast. The preferred way to restrict fumes within your kitchen is by using a powerful chimney. The chimney also has to be functional and beautiful at the same time.

6. Smart Storage

Integrating storage into a small open kitchen is the hardest and most important task at the same time. The secret is using every inch of space available efficiently. Customized modular furniture should be brought in for use in the corners and other challenging spots. Instead of ceiling grilles, you could also choose rails or pegboards to hang your utensils. Alternatively, if your walls are already heaving with activity and you have a window to spare, it’s a good idea to install a pair of rails against your window frame. When it comes to a small kitchen, it’s wise to spread your space vertically. Use your walls to tell your culinary story.

Do you agree with our pick or think we missed any must-haves in a small open kitchen? Let us know in the comments below.