5 Ways I Make My Small Kitchen Appear (Much) Bigger

As a content creator and small-space expert, I often show photos of my home online. Time and time again, I hear that folks can’t believe my home is just 800 square feet. I take that as a compliment, because I employ quite a few tips and tricks to make my home — especially the small kitchen — seem larger than it is. 

Here are five simple ways I create space to make my small kitchen appear bigger than it really is.

Vertical space is the most overlooked space in a small kitchen. By taking the cabinets, shelves, or storage all the way to the ceiling, it helps draw the eye up, as well as adding much-needed storage to a tiny kitchen.

Reflective or shiny surfaces like stainless steel help to bounce light around and make my home seem brighter. I love the way the surfaces carry the natural light from the windows and, even on gray days, make the space light and happy.

Speaking of lighting, I have a wealth of lighting in my small, dark kitchen. The multiple sources of light add warmth, illuminate dark corners, and add to the coziness of the space. Having several lighting sources also makes me feel as if I have a larger space because I can change the mood with the flick of a switch.

Extra items in my small kitchen make the space look cramped and cluttered. That’s why I’m very choosy about which items I will display on my open shelving, and why I often reassess which items I keep out in the open and which I hide away. With a small space, clean, uncluttered countertops can go a long way in making a space seem more airy and spacious, too.

Storage is an art in a small kitchen. Not only can smart storage make your kitchen as a whole appear larger, but it can also make your cabinets appear larger, too. In my kitchen, the cabinets are deep, which I’m grateful for, but it can also be frustrating to have to reach for something in the dark recesses of the cabinet. That’s why I love smart storage like lazy Susans to maximize space in the front of my cabinets and save the back of the cabinets for less-frequently-used items.