Small but nice! Smart solutions for small kitchens
Don't have much space in your kitchen? No worries! With our advice, you can transform your kitchen into a room where you enjoy spending time every day. With the right design, a small kitchen doesn't have to be impractical. Wondering how to choose the best layout for your small kitchen? Then read on for tips and inspiration!
Lay out your small kitchen perfectly for optimal space
How do you organize your kitchen as efficiently and functionally as possible in a small space? It's quite a challenge to create enough storage space for all your kitchen utensils in a small space. Of course, you also want enough walking and working space while cooking. Fortunately, with the right layout, this is all possible. The placement of your kitchen appliances and other cooking accessories is crucial here. Moreover, a clever layout can help create a sense of space and openness in the kitchen, even if space is limited. Below we explain how to do this yourself at home.
Go up the height!
Storage capacity is one of the biggest challenges of a small kitchen. You want to be able to efficiently store your things. In a small kitchen with little storage space, it makes sense to take advantage of height. Kitchen cabinets come in different heights and can be customized for awkward corners. This way you make the best use of all the space. In addition to hanging kitchen cabinets for above the countertop, there are also floor-to-ceiling cabinets that offer plenty of room for dishes, spice jars or even built-in appliances. The only downside is that this solution sometimes makes the space look a little smaller. Therefore, it is smart to go for a quiet kitchen design.
Use the walls
In addition to full kitchen cabinets, there is of course the option of mounting shelves, magnetic strips, rails or other handy hanging systems on the wall. This way, you can store a lot of things. Think, for example, of a magnetic strip for your knives, a hanging system for your pans or a cozy wall shelf where you can put all your cups, glasses or spices. You can also attach hooks to the wall for your hand and tea towels. These kinds of handy storage systems can create a cozy look in addition to extra storage space.
Deal efficiently with limited space
With limited space or awkward corners, it's important to be efficient with the space you have. A good start is to consider whether the items you have are really necessary and whether or not they deserve a prominent place in the kitchen. A tidy kitchen with few props on the countertop gives a lot of peace of mind. In addition, this makes the room appear visually larger. Therefore, it is wise to give all the kitchen appliances you do not use often, cooking utensils and accessories a place in the kitchen where they do not stand out too much.
Choose storage systems that not only provide space for things, but are also practical to use. There are handy swivel spice racks and even multi-level swivel shelves for your pantry. It is also wise to divide drawers with a special drawer divider. That way the drawers stay tidy and you can easily and quickly grab what you need.
Do you have a kitchen with a corner? Then it's handy to get a corner cabinet with a swivel carousel. This is handy for pans or kitchen appliances such as mixers, kettles and sandwich irons, for example. With a swivel carousel you make use of the entire corner, while having easy access to everything.
It is often possible to utilize the inside of the cabinet doors as well. For example, by using a hanging rack where you can place cleaning supplies, kitchen textiles or spices. You can also look at pull-out apothecary cabinets. With this handy cabinetry, you easily pull out the contents and everything stays organized.
Choose the right appliances for small kitchens
In a small kitchen, besides the layout, the type of kitchen appliances you choose is also very important. With a small kitchen, choose only kitchen appliances that you really need and will use. There are all sorts of options available that will save you a lot of space.
Combine and integrate
Whenever possible, choose appliances with multiple functions, such as a boiling water tap, a refrigerator with a freezer compartment and a microwave oven. This will save you a lot of space! In addition, it is smart to choose built-in appliances. Is your oven or microwave standing loose on the countertop? Then it takes up a lot of working space. In addition, built-in appliances make for a nice whole and a peaceful look that makes your kitchen seem more spacious!
The best cooker hoods for small kitchens: compact and efficient
A cooker hood is indispensable in any kitchen. In a small kitchen, you can place a cooker hood in several places: in or under a kitchen cabinet, on the wall, in or on the ceiling or even in the worktop. At Novy, we have the perfect cooker hood for every small kitchen!
- A built-in range hood or ceiling hood creates more peace of mind in a small kitchen. This is because these models are integrated into a chimney, niche or ceiling. As a result, they don't hang in plain sight or get in the way. The Novy Pureline Compact is the perfect ceiling unit for small kitchens. Do you have a fireplace or a niche in your kitchen? Then opt for the Novy Crystal. This built-in cooker hood is discreetly finished so you hardly see it.
- You can also choose a telescopic or under-mount hood. These models mount in or under an upper cabinet. Telescopic cooker hoods are perfect for kitchens with limited space. The cooker hood is retractable, making it visible only while cooking. This gives the kitchen a peaceful look. Take the Novy Fusion Pro, for example. This telescopic cooker hood is seamlessly built into an upper cabinet and takes up hardly any space. In addition, the tilting flap ensures maximum extraction. An under-mount hood is ideal for shallow upper cabinets. Because it mounts under a kitchen cabinet, it takes up almost no cabinet space so you don't lose any storage space.
- Wall-mounted range hoods often have a flat top. This is ideal for kitchens with limited space because on top of the hood you can still store items such as oil, pepper, salt and other spices. This also allows you to have everything at hand while cooking. Are you looking for a traditional wall-mounted cooker hood? Then choose the Novy Flatline or the Novy Salsa.
- For small kitchens, there is also worktop extraction as an option. Here the exhaust system is completely incorporated into the hob, saving you a lot of space. After all, you then no longer need an extractor hood.
As you can see, there is plenty of choice of cooker hoods for your small kitchen! Want to know more? Discover all Novy cooker hoods or read the pros and cons of different types of cooker hoods..
Choose the right hob
With its sleek modern look, an induction hob creates a peaceful look in the kitchen. In addition, the flat surface also provides additional workspace. When the cooking zones are not in use, you can carefully place a cutting board on the hob to create additional work surface. Just make sure the cutting board is clean to avoid scratching the glass. In a small kitchen, you need to think carefully about how many pans you actually use while cooking. Do you have enough with two cooking zones or would you still like room for four pans? If two cooking zones are enough, we recommend the Novy Domino hob. This small induction hob has two cooking zones that can also be combined for extra cooking space. This hob is small in size but big on performance.
Would you prefer a larger cooktop anyway? Then choose a hob from 60 to 80 cm wide. For example, the Novy Pro with extra cooking functions, the Novy Power for extra power or the classic Novy Comfort. For every cooking desire, there is an induction hob that fits your small kitchen!
Making small kitchens look visually larger
A small kitchen can quickly feel stuffy. Fortunately, you can make your kitchen look optically larger with some smart tips.
Natural light
When it comes to kitchen design, most of the choices are yours: materials, colors and appliances. But windows, unfortunately, are not standard in every kitchen. Yet natural light plays an important role in making a room appear larger. Bright daylight gives your kitchen a fresh and visually more spacious look. Make sure the natural light coming through the windows is not blocked by decorations or furniture. Do you want privacy in the kitchen? Then don't use dark slats, blinds or curtains. Don't have a window in your kitchen? Don't panic. You can achieve the same effect with the right kitchen lighting. Learn more about the perfect kitchen lighting below.
Innovative lighting
Good kitchen lighting is essential while cooking. But did you know that lighting also plays a crucial role for the look and feel of the kitchen? You choose the right kitchen lighting based on the space. Do you have kitchen cabinets? Then LED lighting under the kitchen cabinets is a good choice to make the space look bigger. With a low ceiling, it's better to choose a lamp that doesn't hang too low. The color and intensity of the light also play an important role. During cooking, bright light is best. After cooking, bring atmosphere into the room by choosing warmer dimmed light.
Optically large floors
The flooring in a small kitchen plays a prominent role in its appearance. To make the kitchen appear larger, it is best to opt for large level tiles, a concrete floor or a cast floor. With the calm look and ample surface area of these floor choices, the room will appear larger and sleeker.
The right color palette
Choosing the right colors plays a big role in the visual space and appearance of your kitchen. In general, lighter colors and even tones offer an open and airy look. This makes the kitchen appear larger. So choose light wood tones, concrete or marble in a light version, or simple light colors. Are you all about dark kitchens? Then make sure there is adequate lighting in the kitchen and choose light flooring.
Neat and organized
In a small kitchen, less is more. Make sure items that don't belong in the kitchen are not in the kitchen, and clean up the kitchen regularly. A cluttered kitchen makes the room feel even smaller. That's why it's good to store everything neatly, especially if you have open wall shelves. Store pasta, rice, flour and sugar in glass storage jars. This not only cleans up, it also looks cozy. In addition, choose stackable plates, trays, cups and glasses. This way they take up a lot less cabinet space.
A small dream kitchen with Novy products!
With these tips and inspiration, you can turn your small kitchen into a nice and livable space. Are you looking for a hood, cooktop or kitchen lighting? Novy products bring design, peace and quality to your dream kitchen. Discover all the possibilities in our catalogue or visit a Novy retailer near you. Here you can find inspiration, advice and all our products!