Cooking up big design ideas for little kitchens

When it comes to kitchens, bigger isn’t necessarily better. A properly designed small kitchen can be just as functional and stylish as a larger one.

I proved this during a recent kitchen face-lift for clients Evelyn and Armel. The couple had a tiny 1960s kitchen that had seen better days. Besides being cramped, its dingy linoleum, archaic appliances and lack of storage made it a recipe for disaster.

With a baby on the way, and a thousand things to do, the couple didn’t have the energy to fix things themselves. So, with dozens of delectable design ideas simmering in my brain, I geared up to give Evelyn and Armel a little kitchen that was big on flavor.

Working with a small space can be a huge challenge for a designer. And this particular job was extra tricky because I couldn’t knock down any walls. This meant I had to rely on color, texture and storage to make the room seem larger, and use every square inch of space wisely.

The L-shaped room consisted of a tiny galley kitchen and a small eating area. Since nothing was working in either area, I kicked things off by getting rid of everything — appliances, countertops, sinks — you name it. The only thing left intact was the wood cabinetry.

I then decided on color — a big factor in making a space look larger. I wanted to keep the room light and airy, and keep the contrast low between the cabinets and the floor. I bathed the walls in a wispy gray, gave the cabinets a fresh coat of white paint and put down gray- and linen-colored floor tiles in a diagonal checkerboard pattern to give the illusion of space.

Along one of the galley walls, I installed a new stainless-steel stove with a matching microwave/hood vent above it. I then brought in new white cabinetry that perfectly matches the old and extended the run of cabinets into the eating area.

Into this storage mix, I added two mirrored-back display units that contain glass shelves and under-cabinet lighting. That’s one of my oldest tricks: taking ordinary cabinets, removing the doors and backing them with mirror to give the illusion of depth.

On the opposite galley wall, I worked in a deep stainless-steel fridge, a double sink and a built-in dishwasher. I then gave both walls a delicious new bead-board backsplash and installed fresh, light quartz countertops.

I wanted to make the eating area a light, bright space so I positioned an L-shaped banquette by the room’s one window and topped it with a brown-gray bench with a tufted backrest.

It was then time to buy some furniture. People often fall in love with a piece of furniture in a store without considering whether it will jive with the scale of their space. But in a little room, it’s important to pay attention to size or you can make things feel cramped. I chose a small, round wooden table and some compact eco-friendly chairs that work together to create a comfortable seating area.

Lastly, I added a few accents: artwork, wicker and pillows — little bits of texture that work together to add interest to the small space.

In just a few short weeks, Evelyn and Armel’s kitchen went from drab and tasteless to modern and mouthwatering. By maximizing the space and properly implementing color, texture and storage, I proved that it’s not the size of the kitchen that matters — it’s what you do with it.

ŸInterior decorator Candice Olson is host of HGTV’s “Candice Tells All.” For more ideas, information and show times visit hgtv.com/candice-tells-all/show/index.html.