Get tips and tricks for how to make a small kitchen look bigger. Making a small kitchen look larger, makes a kitchen feel larger (and more spacious!). From kitchen decor choices, to kitchen paint colors, there are many ways to make a small kitchen layout look larger.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
Before we purchased our first home, nearly half a decade ago, my first thoughts when touring the 1949 kitchen were “yikes”, “this is small”, and “is there potential to make it bigger?”. This house had been on the market for a very long time and the outdated, super small kitchen space was enough for any potential homebuyer to quickly think “pass!”.
Essentially, they all did. And not much was left on the market in December of 2017. And our (at the time) family of 5 (plus 2 labs) was eager to move out of our squished apartment space. I saw the potential of the home. We knew the neighborhood was beyond lovely, the schools were fantastic and we’d be lucky to find a home there. So the pros outweighed the cons, and we took the outdated fixer-upper head-on.
Since I’ve always been interior design-obsessed, there was something exciting about the challenge. I was dreaming of kitchen designs I had saved on Pinterest for years, but then a little bit of reality settled in.
We were very young, it was our first home, and we were on a tight budget. We were also on a tight timeline to get out of our apartment rental. Tight budget, tight timeline and tight kitchen space slowly blew away my Pinterest dreams of a large kitchen where I could splurge on every high-end detail. Even more so when we had to “spruce up” the entire house… talk about expensive. Remember, there were reasons no one in the neighborhood seemed to want this house!
So we had to make quick decisions, do a kitchen makeover on a budget, and be creative when figuring out how to make this kitchen feel bigger.
During this time, I learned a few tips and tricks on how to make a small kitchen look bigger, while considering many budget-friendly kitchen updates.
Tips And Tricks To Make A Small Kitchen Look Bigger
Open Concept Kitchen
Beginning with one of the most expensive options: can you knock down a wall?
Our kitchen was its own tiny little room. I knew that adding 2 adults, 3 young kids, and 2 labs to that closed-in kitchen was going to feel nothing less than claustrophobic (can you imagine our family now with 2 adults, 2 labs, and 6 kids?!).
We were given clearance to knock down that wall and instantly I felt like we could breathe. Even though it was a destruction zone and sawdust everywhere, I could feel that sense of relief that “this kitchen already feels bigger“.
My dreams of a massive kitchen island had to be put on hold (*someday*), and we opted for a kitchen peninsula in place of where the wall once lived. I envisioned a space where we could fit a few kids where they would be eating breakfast before school, doing homework after school, and a place where we could just talk and hang out while I’m busy cooking in the same room.
I’m so glad we did this. That little kitchen peninsula gets so much kid-action, and somehow we’re able to fit all of our kids there at one time (with backless counter stools + a high chair on the end).
If you have the option to knock down a wall to create more of an open concept kitchen, highly consider this expense. It will be one of the absolute best ways to instantly make a kitchen look bigger and feel bigger.
Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel Tip: Knocking down a wall may not be within budget, so work with the space you have and see below for additional options!
Window Treatments
Take advantage of windows and natural lighting. Natural sunlight instantly makes a space feel lighter, brighter, and airier. If you don’t need privacy, consider skipping window treatments to let in as much natural light as possible.
Pass on thick shades and outdated blinds if you want to bring in more light. However, if you need privacy, or prefer there to be some form of window treatment, consider a natural woven shade (without a blackout lining).
A natural woven shade provides enough privacy but also let in lots of natural light. Sunlight naturally makes any room feel more spacious and less dungeon-y. Natural woven shades are also more durable and easier to clean than let’s say a linen roman shade (and the kitchen + kids can definitely create some messy baking masterpieces).
We live on a busy road (and unfortunately also have a very nosey neighbor), so we chose natural woven shades for our kitchen window treatments. They give enough privacy, but also let a lot of natural light into our kitchen. We chose these window shades, and 5 years later, I’m still loving the neutral color, texture, privacy, ease of lifting/lowering, and the natural element that brings character to a kitchen.
Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel Tip:
1.) If you choose a natural woven shade by a big brand name such as Levolor, they often have huge sales via Lowes, Home Depot, or other retailers, so keep an eye out. We were able to buy our custom shades for nearly 50% off!
2.) Check your window sizing to see if your windows are a standard size, so you don’t need the extra expense of custom sizing.
3.) Not in a rush to do window treatments? Skip them! Save yourself some time and money and let the windows accent your kitchen and allow that natural light to shine in.
great natural woven shade options:
Levolor Natural Shades In Seagrass Sand
Levolor Natural Shades In Tranquility Macadamia Nut
Natural Elements
Which leads me to my next point: bring in natural, organic elements into your kitchen. There’s not much space you’re working with, so adding in small accents of wood (like displayed wood cutting boards), natural woven shades, rattan counter stools, greenery (or faux), brings a sense of warmth, character, and interest to a kitchen.
Adding those elements to a kitchen, makes it feel a bit more organic and refined, which almost tricks the eye into thinking the kitchen is larger than it really is.
Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel Tip:
1.) If remodeling a kitchen on a budget leaves you with little to spend on kitchen decor, consider looking at thrift stores or antique stores where you can find some unique natural element kitchen decor finds such as wood bowls, wood cutting boards, copper pots and pans, marble cheese boards, wood salt cellars, etc.
2.) Trader Joe’s actually has some amazing and inexpensive olive wood bowls, cutting boards, and salt cellars every November. They’re beautiful and fantastic quality. I always call ahead to see when they’ll be in stock!
3.) Amazon, Target and Homegoods always have some great, inexpensive kitchen decor finds too!
Declutter
Declutter, declutter, declutter! Do your best to make sure your kitchen isn’t a “drop zone”. Don’t drop your keys, mail, kids art projects, homework, etc. on the kitchen counters, get busy, then call it a day.
Find a different area of your home where a “drop zone” works better for your family: inside a console table or drawer, in a mudroom, even an organized section in a coat closet is better than the kitchen!
Whether you’re remodeling a kitchen, or working with an older kitchen, give yourself plenty of maximized counter space. Keep as many of your kitchen items stored away in kitchen cabinets, pantry areas, and out of site, and keep only what is necessary (in terms of small appliances, etc.) or what brings an element of beauty (fruit bowls, cutting boards, statement kitchen decor pieces), on the kitchen counters.
Maximized counter space will instantly make a small kitchen feel larger, plus it will give you more space to prep for cooking or baking!
Budget-Friendly Kitchen Makeover Tip: Decluttering is a FREE way to make a small kitchen look bigger! Win-Win!
Kitchen Cabinets
If you have the option, have your kitchen cabinets reach to the ceiling with some crown molding above. This automatically makes the walls appear taller, and makes the kitchen feel larger and more spacious. Adding crown molding is a timeless detail that makes the kitchen cabinets feel taller, as well as give them character and a more “finished” or custom look.
If you have kitchen cabinets with too much open space above the cabinets, it can make the kitchen feel smaller and “blocky”. If it’s not in the budget to adjust the height of your kitchen cabinets, consider painting the walls the same color (or similar) as the cabinets to give a more cohesive look. An ideal cohesive look of the cabinets reaching the ceiling brings the eyes up and creates the illusion of more space.
Another alternative is to skip upper cabinets and choose open shelving. Open shelving, when done right, can provide an open and airy feel to display beautiful kitchen dishes and glassware. However, if you’re working with a small kitchen, you may need as much storage space as possible, so choose cabinets where storage works best, and if there is room for open space (especially a tiled backsplash wall- see below!) then incorporate that element into your kitchen for some “breathing room”.
Budget-Friendly Kitchen Remodel Tip:
1.) If custom cabinets are not within budget, consider IKEA’s SEKTION kitchen cabinets for a more affordable option (you could even add crown molding after installation to make a more semi-custom kitchen cabinet look).
2.) Consider Open Shelving to skip the expense of upper cabinets (but keep the items on the shelves organized, minimalist, and open to avoid clutter!)
Kitchen Paint Colors
While I love a darker moody kitchen and the intimate feel moody paint colors provide, if you want to make a small kitchen look bigger think in terms of neutral paint colors for the kitchen.
When considering either kitchen walls or kitchen cabinets, choosing paint colors that are neutral, white, mushroom, or cream, will instantly lighten the room. Again, painting your kitchen walls the same color as your kitchen cabinets is a very easy way for your small kitchen to look larger and more cohesive.
Budget-Friendly Kitchen Makeover Tip: If you find a paint color you love, but you find it to be too expensive, go to your local paint shop and ask them to “color match” to the specific color you’d like. They can color match pretty accurately and provide a more affordable option!
Kitchen Backsplash | Kitchen Tile
Just like the kitchen cabinets and walls, consider a lighter neutral option when it comes to choosing a kitchen backsplash. While color and pattern can look stunning, choosing a more neutral option that almost “blends” into the kitchen cabinets and walls can again create more of a light, bright, and airy feel to make a small kitchen look bigger. Using a lighter grout between the tile helps achieve this as well.
Since you are probably working with a small wall space in a small kitchen, consider bringing the tile backsplash all the way up to the ceiling vs. a lower backsplash that meets a painted wall above it. A backsplash wall brings textural interest, and again, brings the eyes up, making a small kitchen feel larger by creating the illusion of taller walls and more space.
This is especially true if you have a kitchen peninsula- it’s the perfect spot to create a backsplash wall, (instead of adding bulky cabinets), and create an “open and airy” feel. Think white, creamy, or marble tile with a white/neutral grout. Or splurge with a stunning giant slab of marble above the stove.
Budget Friendly Kitchen Makeover Tips:
1.) Floor and Decor, Home Depot, and Lowe’s offer some great options for inexpensive kitchen tile.
2.) If you love zellige tile, or more of a handcrafted artisan tile look, but it is out of budget, consider a textured tile like this inexpensive one from Floor and Decor that we used for our kitchen AND kids bathroom remodel.
(Be sure to check out this post: Timeless Tile On A Budget: Floor And Decor Tile)
Light And Neutral Kitchen Backsplash Tile:
White Ceramic Tile (Budget-Friendly)
Oyster Ceramic Tile (Budget-Friendly)
Zellige Ceramic Tile (Budget-Friendly)
Botticino Marble Tile (Budget-Friendly)
Counter Stools
Does your kitchen have the luxury of a tiny kitchen island or kitchen peninsula? This may sound counter-intuitive (no pun intended), but the more counter stools the better. Take that with a grain of salt. There is something about 2 counter stools at a kitchen island or kitchen peninsula that shouts “apartment” to me.
That’s probably because in the apartment we lived in for almost a decade, there was a teeny tiny breakfast bar that could fit room for 2, and barely. Instead of choosing bulky counter stools with backs, consider backless counter stools with a natural element, or a slimmer profile.
When I was looking at some of my favorite counter stools (with backs) that could fit at our kitchen peninsula, I would only be able to fit 2 comfortably, especially considering how the kids would have to maneuver into the seat with space between each counter stool.
Alternatively, going the backless bistro counter stool route, I was able to fit 4. If you have young children like we do, its easy for them to sit side by side and get on and off the counter stool when it is backless.
But if space for 2 counter stools is the only option- still consider the profile of the seats, and skip the big and bulky seats- the backless stools will help the kitchen feel larger and still provide some seating!
Budget Friendly Kitchen Makeover Tip: If you have a certain style you love, for example a bistro counter stool, always search for dupes of that variety. For example, I was able to find a very inexpensive Serena and Lily Riviera Backless Counter Stool dupe at Target for half the price!
Recommended Backless Counter Stools:
Serena And Lily Riviera Counter Stool
Target Perry Rattan Backless Woven Counter Height Barstool
Pottery Barn Malibu Woven Backless Barstool
Create “Moments” In The Kitchen
Now for the fun part! When I say create “moments” in the kitchen, what I mean is to create a visually appealing focal point that draws the eyes in. We want our small kitchen to look large not empty.
This can be achieved through adding elevated kitchen decor, a small vintage painting, a piece of pottery, a faux plant, or a focal point such as a farmhouse sink with a gorgeous kitchen faucet. Or if you can splurge on a stunning French or Italian oven range– do it!
When our kitchen design plans kept running into roadblocks, we had to work with what we had. For example, any white farmhouse sink I could find was too deep for us to fit our garbage can underneath (it was the ONLY spot we could fit a garbage can!). So I came across this hammered copper farmhouse sink and decided to go for it as a backup option, and it ended up being a great focal point for our small kitchen.
Whether you can incorporate one tip or many, on a budget or as a splurge, all at once or over time, these are some of the creative ways to make your small kitchen look bigger! And remember, a small kitchen can be a lovely, intimate room in your home, even if it doesn’t provide your ideal amount of space 🙂
Budget-friendly Favorites For The Kitchen:
Splurge Favorites For The Kitchen:
Other Posts You Might Enjoy:
Timeless Tile On A Budget: Floor And Decor Tile
Pottery Barn Sausalito Vanity Dupe
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