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Don't lament over the fact that your kitchen is small. With a little outside the box thinking and some clever planning, you can make your kitchen not only more functional but quite pleasant to behold. With a few simple tricks and some ingenuity, you can turn your cramped kitchen space into something that you will be proud to show off once you’re done.


Open your mind and take a careful look at what's in your kitchen. Are there any appliances that you can do without or would it be possible to move that bulky refrigerator into another room? It might be possible to make do on a daily basis with a small under the counter model while shipping your larger fridge into the garage or an adjoining room thus freeing up a lot of kitchen space. Just think of what you would do with the counter space and cabinet space that you would have gained.


While galley kitchens were once very popular, if you are hoping for a larger kitchen it might be possible to move all of your kitchen cabinets onto one wall. Draw out on a piece of paper where you would move everything if you could. If you could arrange everything in your kitchen, what would the perfect countertop and cabinet layout look like? Try different layouts and ponder then for a few days as you attempt to make the best use of the space that you have to work with.


Think about the layout of your cabinets. Will you be sticking to a traditional design or could you better utilize the wall space by having cabinets that go straight up to the ceiling? A step stool could help you to store things close to the ceiling while freeing up a lot of space in your small kitchen. Try not to be tied down by what other kitchens you have been in look like. Free your mind to make the most of every square foot in your kitchen.


In order to further enhance that spacious feel in your kitchen you should also be thoughtful of lighting. For instance, lighting under cabinets that illuminate the countertops or provide accent lighting can eliminate shadows and give your kitchen a more spacious and brighter appearance. Light, in general, will help to make your kitchen appear larger.


When it comes time to think about cabinets, choose light colored woods over darker colors. Keep fixtures and hardware as simple as possible. Again, light colors add space while darker colors will close a room in more. Carry this through with your choices for countertops and flooring and with so many different materials and colors in these same materials it's easy to find a look that is pleasing to you that also adds to the illusion of space and light.


If you ever think that your small kitchen isn't worth the time to renovate or that you're just stuck with this tiny kitchen, keep in mind that you can probably afford some of the best materials thanks to the fact that you do have a little kitchen. While it might cost someone a fortune to do their kitchen floor over in Italian tile or a pleasing marble countertop, you can do it for a fraction of the cost. With a little ingenuity and some thought, you can turn your miniature kitchen over into the showcase of your house and a space that you'll love to cook in again thanks to some clever kitchen design.


http://www.statedesign.com/v/Charlotte/Kitchen-and-Bath-Design/