Do you live in an apartment, perhaps a small townhouse, are you looking for small kitchen remodeling ideas? We all know the dilemma of picking the perfect design and accessories for a small kitchen, so here are a few tips that you can use to plan your kitchen remodeling project.

Light and Airy Does The Trick

Small spaces can easily appear claustrophobic and small kitchens especially so. Once appliances such as ovens, refrigerators, dish washers, and the cupboards have been added, there isn't much room left over to actually use a small kitchen for its intended purpose. Add guests or children and small kitchens become very impractical

Architects and designers will tell you the secret to a useful and enjoyable small kitchen is to create the illusion of a bigger and more spacious room. It's important then to minimize the number of tall pantries and overhead cupboards. Generally speaking, if it isn't at eye level, the human brain will see the room as larger, and conversely, too many objects at eye level make the room look smaller.

Color plays and important role in designing a small kitchen, lighter colors with accents in darker shades work better than large expanses of solid color. Try to pick colors that reflect light rather than absorb it. Your local decorating store should be able to provide a color chart to suit small kitchens. Tiling the walls is a good option, especially if smaller than usual ceramic tiles are used. New condo developments often use this trick to make kitchens and bathrooms appear larger.

Chrome and wire brushed handles, glass fronted cabinets, and glass splash backs are ideal in small kitchens where modern sophistication is often a desirable look. An attractive twist on the glass splash back applies a solid color behind, usually a similar shade to the accent highlights used elsewhere. As well, glass is easier to clean, requiring only a spray and wipe cleaning agent resulting in less storage space required for cleaning materials.

Maximize Storage Space

Modular kitchen design is so much more sophisticated now, and 21st century design principles are de jure in most professionally designed kitchens. Interior designers and decorators with a penchant for minimalism have pushed the boundaries to the extent that even budget retailers such as Ikea are providing modular designs with integrated drawers and sliding shelves for everything from cutlery (the traditional use) to spices, pantries, crockery, pots and pans etc.

A trend in modern kitchens is to remove large walk in pantries altogether and install roll-out pantries with a single door. Requiring less floor space they are shorter than traditional pantries, allowing for a handy shelf on top or if desired, a built-in microwave. Actual storage space is similar to the average older style pantry, perfect for a small kitchen remodeling project.

Smaller kitchens lend themselves to the European practice of sourcing refrigerators and ovens from the cabinet supplier who will incorporate these into the kitchen cabinets and bench top, even providing new doors to reduce their visibility. In small spaces, longer cabinets along the wall trick the eye into believing the room is larger, and improves resale value of an apartment.

Storage space under the kitchen sink is usually wasted space, consider installing a smaller dishwasher, for example the Danby compact. In addition, smaller footprint sinks are available with mixer taps that blend compact size and modern styling and a small tilt drawer above the dishwasher keeps dish cloths and scrubbers out of sight.  

Lighting and Flooring

Lighting in confined spaces requires detailed planning to avoid shadows and excess heat, which in a confined space quickly builds up. White LED lighting produces virtually no heat, and is super bright, and costs virtually nothing to run, although the bulbs are still relatively expensive.

Light fittings in recent years have concentrated on ceiling rods with several targeted bulbs as well as in-ceiling fittings. Whilst these are appropriate in small kitchens, a new trend has seen on wall lighting become popular again, and with a range of fittings available that complement door and drawer handles they are a viable option in small kitchens.

The eye tends to notice flooring and in small kitchens a style of flooring that contrasts with the cabinets will often seem to make the room smaller. Most interior designers therefore prefer to lay wooden flooring or tiles that complement the color of the cabinet frame.

Heating in small kitchens is often an issue, large wall mounted heaters using up too much space and reducing the visual appeal of the overall design. Underfloor heating is an innovative choice that is reasonably affordable and can be filled under wooden slats or ceramic tiles.

Whether you're redecorating or commencing a complete remodeling project, it is important to remember that small spaces can be every bit as inviting and useful as their larger counterparts, good design being the only prerequisite.

This article is the property of http://www.iGuides.org
Copying and publishing any article from our site is strictly NOT allowed.