Let’s face it: the world is getting smaller. With more people and less space to put them in, designers are starting to get super creative with how they go about designing small spaces. Different rules apply! Ergonomic designs replace extravagant designs, and I am here for it.
Just because a space is small, doesn’t at all mean that it can’t be incredible, cozy, and functional. If anything, operating in a smaller kitchen (as a singular person) is way more efficient than having a huge one.
So, whether you are a fellow tiny-home enthusiast or you’re looking to get some inspiration for your very own tiny kitchen home projects, this collection is really going to tickle your fancy!
(If you want a little fun, give designing your own kitchen a shot with these fun kitchen design software options.)
1. The Home Diner Tiny Kitchen
Floors & Walls: We’re starting off this collection with a banger if you ask me. Beautiful hardwood floors match the kitchen cabinets perfectly, and crisp white walls bring us that chic modern feel. I especially love the shiny backsplash that really helps reflect the light!
Features & Furniture: Sometimes I find kitchen islands to be a little bit pointless, especially in a smaller kitchen. Why not turn the kitchen into a hosting zone like the designer has done here. A bench seat is a really brilliant idea since it space saves by being built right tin to the wall, and they’re honestly comfier than most chairs! Love me a round table, too.
Decor: This super minimal space isn’t currently decorated, but I’m sure that it would look absolutely lovely with some wooden spoons on the walls, a vase of fresh flowers, and maybe a colorful hand towel.
2. The Closet Kitchen
Floors & Walls: I can’t help but think of Harry Potter’s bedroom when I see this kitchen. It’s just so uncommonly small, but it seems to come equipped with everything that you could need! We have a cream and wood color scheme going on here, which is timeless and stylish, and allows for tons of play with your furnishings and decorations.
Features & Furniture: This L shaped kitchen I think could honestly do the trick as a single occupier. Everything is completely within reach in this little space and the wooden countertops give it a classy touch. I love it!
Decor: While this space isn’t currently decorated, I think that a patterned tile for the backsplash could be so cute, and maybe a tall plant set up beside the edge of the countertop here. There’s so much possibility with such a tiny space!
3. The Modern Tiny Kitchen
Floors & Walls: The more I look at these small kitchens, the more I realize how convenient they are (especially as a highly serious home cook myself – I need everything precisely in its place, and precisely within reach).
Limestone tiled floors are chic and elegant, and we have a variety of facades going on with the walls here, from light gray wall paint, to white a brick painted backsplash, to another backsplash with plain red brick! I honestly love the variety and I think that they all go great together.
Features & Furniture: This sweet little U shaped kitchen is such a smart design, and the sunken in area around the sink makes it a bit more interesting than a single wall kitchen.
I find the white cupboards paired with the black waterfall countertops to be incredibly chic, the modern gas stove top is to die for, and the under-mount sink really hits the whole thing home.
Decor: The decorations in this room I find to be very sweet, from the bowl of fresh lemons, the shelves with sweet ceramics, and the sweet little floor mat in front of the sink. Everything is so precious!
4. The Camper Kitchen
Floors & Walls: We thought this would be a fun one to throw in there. I am personally a van camper, but this kitchen is beyond anything that I could ever really imagine! Since there are no floors and walls we will just breeze by this section.
Features & Furniture: Honestly, I think you might find everything you could be looking for in this camper kitchen, save maybe for a deep frier. So many different levels of drawers pull out which also double as countertops. Just amazing.
Decor: While this camper kitchen doesn’t really need decorations, you can’t help but admire the beauty of the way that it’s structured and executed. It’s really elegant.
5. The Hallway Kitchen
Floors & Walls: Something I’ve noticed a lot with smaller home designs is really utilizing hallways like we never have before! And while this isn’t a hallway, a long kitchen design is a great way to save space.
This beautiful kitchen starts with cherry red stained floors, which are met with bright lemon yellow walls, and a laminate brick backsplash with red and white.
Features & Furniture: This hallway style kitchen comes equipped with tons of white cabinets and drawers, which are all topped with taupe countertops. Having shelves with fogged glass doors is a really smart way to make sure that the top half off the room doesn’t feel too clogged.
Decor: While this room isn’t currently decorated, I think all that it really needs is some playful bowls and vases. The features themselves are so nice and bold that you don’t really need much else!
6. The Industrial Mini Kitchen
Floors & Walls: Now I get the feeling that the designer here had a professional chef in mind when this kitchen was being designed. I am always a sucker for checkerboard floors, but they bring a nice sense of play to a kitchen that is rather serious with its stainless steel countertops and backsplash.
Features & Furniture: Laminate cabinets line both the bottom and upper halves of the room, meaning that this person really needs as much storage as they can get. We even have super organized shelving behind us (the organization of that is almost erotic), and some serious appliances in here. This kitchen did not come to play!
Decor: I wouldn’t ever really expect a kitchen as seriously equipped as this one to have decorations, so I will not suggest any.
7. The Spaceship Kitchen
Floors & Walls: While this kitchen isn’t particularly attractive, I really do appreciate what its doing. Limestone tiles line the floors while we have white walls, but where things get really interesting is with the actual facade of the kitchen.
Features & Furniture: I like how the wood backsplash of this kitchen almost creates a little cove like feel, and suddenly the whole space feels a lot more modern, chic, and interesting. Also considering how tiny this room is, I’m quite amazed at how much storage they managed to stuff in here.
Decor: Since this room is completely naked, I’d be happy to suggest a tiny little potted plant, a patterned floor mat, and maybe some decorative spoons hanging from the backsplash.
8. The Zen Garden Kitchen
Floors & Walls: Now this kitchen is by far my favorite in the whole collection. I find it is so intelligently and elegantly designed. We start with slate tiles for the floor (very chic) and simple white walls. It’s so smart to design a kitchen underneath a staircase I can hardly take it!
Features & Furniture: This U shaped kitchen really comes with it all, just all of it is a little bit smaller than usual. Kitchen countertops are more narrow, the camouflage fridge isn’t as big, and the cupboards are just a bit shorter. But I find that this space still feels spacious and has room for everything that you could need.
Decor: With such gorgeous features like the wood laminate cabinets and black trim, this Japanese inspired kitchen doesn’t really need all that much else, though I do certainly appreciate the air plant and the floating shelves.
If you’re curious, this design is courtesy of Ki Design, and you can check out the rest of the home design by clicking here.
9. The Midcentury Chic Kitchen
Floors & Walls: While this isn’t the most tiny kitchen, I find that it’s still small and gorgeous enough to make the collection. This beautiful room is giving us that cream and wood color scheme that I am such a huge fan of, I fell into its trap!
Features & Furniture: This U shaped kitchen is very clever with its design. While we have a standard height from the preparatory counter areas, we have a raised breakfast bar that very quickly turns this little kitchen into a little hosting area as well! These stools with open framing and low backs are a great choice for a smaller space.
Decor: This space is simply and beautifully designed, and it feels fully complete even with just a single little potted plant in the window frame. I’d personally do precisely the same thing.
10. The Impossibly Small Kitchen
Floors & Walls: Now this kitchen is so small that I can’t even believe that it exists, so it obviously had to be included in the small kitchen collection. We have black laminate floors and white tiled walls, and we even have a teeny little peep window at the top of the room!
Features & Furniture: There is one cupboard, one mini fridge, a tiny sink, one shelf, and I’m not even sure if there is a cooking method in this kitchen. But I’m sure that is will absolutely do to create simple meals for one.
Decor: Though it is certainly too small for decorations, that didn’t stop the designer from hanging up some cute little towels on the wall.
11. The Cozy Cute Kitchen
Floors & Walls: This is such a sweet little kitchen! I absolutely love the color scheme, starting with some simple stone tiles for the floor, and surprisingly bright green walls! This is backed by some really beautiful green tiles for the backsplash. Sometimes people can be afraid of incorporating bright colors into small spaces, but this is proof that it looks amazing!
Features & Furniture: This quaint little L shaped kitchen boasts both wooden laminate cabinets and countertops, and those clever windowed cabinets for the upper portion of the room to ensure it doesn’t feel too crowded. This little table tucked against the window is the perfect size for a quaint space like this.
Decor: I keep saying quaint so I’m just gonna keep saying it some more! This room is begging for some beautiful ceramics to sit in those upper cupboards, and I’d love to see a fun and textured floor mat to match some funky hand towels. Let’s get eclectic about it!
12. The U Shaped Kitchen
Floors & Walls: Now this is a great example of a smaller kitchen that really doesn’t need to sacrifice anything for its size. Off white tiles adorn the floors and so do white walls, but things start to get more interesting in the next section.
Features & Furniture: This U shaped kitchen is truly the perfect shape and size to encourage a super efficient meal prepping experience. Wood laminate cupboards are chic, stainless steel appliances are essential, and a bright blue tiled backsplash is a great way to have a bit of fun and to brighten up the space.
Decor: While this space isn’t currently decorated, I think that it could look so cute (especially since there’s such a generous amount of counter space in here) for some rustic and decorative bowls, maybe some sweet little veggie themed figurines, and this blank white wall is just begging for some cute prints or photographs!
13. The Skylight Kitchen
Floors & Walls: Well this is rather special isn’t it. It’s not every day that you see a window feature as fantastic as this one. I can just imagine myself making my morning coffee and gazing out the window in here. It’s so serene, and it all starts with black slate tiles for the floors, and crisp white walls that are met with dramatic black window framing.
Features & Furniture: This rather tiny kitchen still has all that you could need with a double door fridge, plenty of drawer space and upper storage space (all adorned with some rather attractive wood laminate doors) and super clean white countertops. I find this all rather chic and fabulous.
Decor: While this room isn’t currently decorated, I don’t think that it really needs all too much. So much effort went into designing and building this beautiful window feature, that you kind of feel satisfied with just looking at that.
14. The Counter Kitchen
Floors & Walls: While I don’t find this kitchen to be the most attractive of the collection, I do appreciate that it really is trying to do it all in such a small space. Sometimes small kitchen designs will sacrifice having seating, but this is proof that it can totally work!
White floors are met with white walls and white cabinets, but we start to get interesting in other areas.
Features & Furniture: This U shaped kitchen features white countertops and white cabinets and drawers too, but I find that this little counter set in front of the window with a couple stools in front of it is such a smart way to bring the whole thing full circle! And you didn’t even have to compromise on seating and sacrifice a stove top for a George Foreman or anything!
Decor: This sweet little kitchen is quite alright just as it is, but with so much white everywhere, I wouldn’t mind seeing some pops of color here and there!
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
About Me
I am an experienced interior designer and enthusiast with a deep knowledge of designing small spaces. I have worked on numerous projects where the main focus was on creating functional, stylish, and cozy living spaces within limited square footage. My expertise in ergonomic designs and space-saving solutions has been demonstrated through hands-on experience in transforming small kitchens, living areas, and other spaces into highly efficient and aesthetically pleasing environments.
Small Kitchen Design Concepts
The article describes a collection of small kitchen designs, each with its own unique features, furniture, decor, and overall layout. Here's a breakdown of the concepts used in the article, along with relevant design elements:
Ergonomic Designs
The article emphasizes the importance of ergonomic designs in small spaces, where functionality and efficiency take precedence over extravagance. This includes features such as clever storage solutions, multi-purpose furniture, and compact layouts to maximize space utilization.
Flooring and Wall Treatments
Different types of flooring and wall treatments are showcased, including hardwood floors, cream and wood color schemes, limestone tiled floors, bright-colored walls, and various backsplash designs. These elements contribute to the overall aesthetic and ambiance of the kitchens.
Furniture and Features
The designs feature a variety of furniture and features, such as kitchen islands, bench seats, round tables, L-shaped and U-shaped kitchen layouts, smart storage solutions, countertops, appliances, and sink designs. The furniture and features are tailored to fit the available space while maintaining functionality and style.
Decor
Decorative elements play a significant role in enhancing the visual appeal and personality of the kitchens. Suggestions for decor include wooden spoons, fresh flowers, colorful hand towels, patterned tiles, plants, ceramics, floor mats, and decorative shelves, adding character and warmth to the small spaces.
Utilizing Unconventional Spaces
The article highlights the use of unconventional spaces, such as hallways and under staircases, to create efficient and stylish kitchen designs. This demonstrates the innovative approach to maximizing space in non-traditional areas of the home.
Color Schemes and Materials
Various color schemes, materials, and textures are used to create unique visual experiences in each kitchen. From cream and wood color schemes to bright green walls, the designs showcase the versatility of color and material choices in small space design.
Efficient Appliances and Storage
Efficient appliances and storage solutions are integrated into the designs to ensure that the kitchens remain fully functional despite their limited size. This includes compact refrigerators, organized shelving, and multi-level drawers that double as countertops.
Seating Solutions
The incorporation of seating solutions, such as bench seating, stools, and window-side counters, demonstrates the importance of optimizing space for dining and socializing within small kitchen environments.
Natural Lighting and Views
Several designs feature elements such as skylights, large windows, and strategic placement of kitchen features to maximize natural lighting and provide captivating views, enhancing the overall ambiance of the spaces.
These concepts and design elements collectively contribute to the creation of small kitchens that are not only functional and efficient but also exude charm, style, and personality.
