Glamorous kitchens are fun to look at and aspire to, but what about the little things everyone can do to make their kitchens prettier and more functional? That's what one Kitchn reader wanted to know, so I've rounded up 15 cheap yet effective ways you can spruce up a small kitchen:

All week long I've been sharing my spring dinner party on The Kitchn, a party I hosted in my one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. I've already shared the party plan, my main course recipe, the big dinner itself, and how I arranged the flowers. Feeling inspired? Great! Still feeling anxious about throwing a shindig in your own little apartment? Not so great! That's what I'll be talking about today. 

Last week we asked those of you who garden in small spaces to share your best advice for starting and maintaining a successful kitchen garden in pots or containers. You had lots of tips to share, but we culled the top five. If you're ready to jump in and start your own cook's garden, read on for advice from those who've done it before:

If you've ever read our About page, you know we say The Kitchn is a site for people who like to get their hands dirty while they cook. One way to interpret that is quite literally — as in, "dirty" from digging in the dirt! As home cooks, we know that growing herbs, fruits, and vegetables is a natural extension for many of you. So we want to know: if you live and cook in a small space but still manage to grow things in pots or containers, what advice would you give to a fellow home cook and newbie gardener who wants to try his or her hand at it?

I know: open shelving is a little contentious. Some love it, while others decry it as a messy grease-and-dust magnet. That may be true in certain cases, but there's something very appealing (at least to me) about floor-to-ceiling versions, in particular, as opposed to one or two shelves hung above the sink. Here's why:

One of the most common woes in small kitchens is not enough countertop space, and no room for an island or breakfast table. One solution? Hang a collapsible table on the wall! When collapsed, the table in this photo serves as a small shelf, but just flip the end up and you've got a mini breakfast table, or another work surface for food prep. 

As we close off Breakfast Week here on The Kitchn, I couldn't help but share this brilliant setup for all you morning espresso lovers. Elsie (of the blog A Beautiful Mess) has a much-loved espresso machine and a tiny kitchen. But when she could no longer afford to give up precious counter space to her beloved machine, she came up with pretty swell solution. Move over, cocktail carts. She just stole your idea and made it better! More

If you didn't look closely, you might miss the surprising detail that makes this kitchen look twice as big as it actually is. When I first saw the photo, I didn't see the double sinks, and I thought it was odd to have a photo sticking out of the middle of the cabinets. Then I noticed the white floorboard, and the fact that everything was doubling, not extending, and it suddenly became a very smart optical illusion for a small kitchen! Get a sense of the full space below: More

When I think of the ultimate in small kitchen storage, the one space that makes me slow-clap every time I come across it, I think of David and Im's 426-square foot San Diego loft, which was first featured on Apartment Therapy back in 2006. The unfinished MDF plywood shelves are organized and optimized with almost-clinical precision. You think that's an exaggeration, but the shelves were computer-calibrated so the taller condiment and liquor bottles would fit precisely... More

We love being on the front end of a long 3-day weekend. Do you have plans for Monday? Any projects you're going to finally tackle? If cleaning and organizing your pantry is on the list, allow us to inspire you: could this pantry you see here be any more awesome? It's actually a relatively small space, but every inch is accounted for and optimized, from the labeled containers to the neatly lined-up flour on the bottom shelf. A place for everything and everything in its place. More