Spring Sales Event   |   Sale Ends In:
March 20th at 11:59pm EST

Free Shipping Over $3,000!

Cabinets Fit For Royalty, But Affordable For All!

50+ Tiny Kitchen Ideas for Max Style

By: Andrew Saladino | 8 min

Small kitchen with colorful blue and yellow backsplash, gray cabinets, and wood countertops next to large open window.

When it comes to kitchens, you don't have to sacrifice style for space. Working with a small kitchen just means you'll have to be a little more strategic to ensure you're getting the most out of every inch of space.

From monochromatic color schemes to pull-out spice racks, here are 52 tiny kitchen ideas to help you maximize space and add a personal touch to your kitchen design.

1. Stick to Bright Neutrals

Small kitchen with white cabinets and tile backsplash, polished wood counters, and small stovetop and sink.

Small spaces can feel cluttered and tight if overwhelmed with too many colors. White and other bright neutral tones will make even the tiniest kitchens feel more open and airy. These colors reflect light to enhance the sense of space. White cabinets, countertops, walls, and ceilings create a seamless design without edges or boundaries.

2. Incorporate Subway Tile

Small galley kitchen with white appliances, subway tile backsplash, and wood countertops.

A simple subway tile backsplash is a popular and modern way to enhance and lengthen the lines of your small kitchen. If you'd like your kitchen to appear wider, lay these tiles horizontally; if you'd like it to seem taller, lay the tiles vertically.

3. Add Pops of Color

Small kitchen with white cabinets, wood countertops and backsplash, and bright green pendant lights and countertop accessories.

While neutral shades tend to be most ideal for tiny kitchens, you don't have to adhere to a bland design. Energize your space with splashes of your favorite bold color using elements like seating, light fixtures, wallpaper, or wall art.

4. Design an Accent Wall

Speaking of statement features, accessorize a blank wall to showcase your personal style while still maintaining a minimalist kitchen design. An accent wall offers a place to display some of your favorite artwork or family photos for guests to admire.

5. Use a Monochromatic Color Scheme

A monochromatic kitchen color scheme uses multiple hues of the same color to create a bold, creative space. While you can choose neutral colors like white or gray for this trend, varying shades of greens, reds, yellows, or blues can add just as much depth and visual intrigue to your tiny kitchen.

6. Keep Surfaces Consistent

Using the same material for your countertops and backsplash creates a seamless look for your small kitchen. This can prevent your kitchen from looking too busy from too many patterns and textures. Try adding marble countertops and a matching backsplash for a luxurious, streamlined design.

7. Display Fun Accessories and Appliances

Small single-wall kitchen with white cabinets and bright red refrigerator.

Your tiny kitchen may be cozy by design, but colorful toasters, refrigerators, cooking utensils, and storage containers can bring even more charm to a small area. If you've always wanted one of those vibrant '60s-style refrigerators, you can make it work by keeping the surrounding colors neutral.

8. Hang Mugs From Hooks

Close-up of white kitchen shelf with four colorful mugs hanging from hooks below.

If your kitchen doesn't have a ton of cabinet space, free up some room by adding hooks to the bottom of your wall cabinets or shelves to hang mugs and cooking tools. Display unique mugs make this storage solution more of a statement.

9. Opt for a Bar Table for Extra Prep Space and Seating

Small kitchen with gray wood cabinets and black countertops with wood bar table in center.

A bar table is a great kitchen island alternative that doubles as both a work and dining space. Like a rolling island, a bar table can also be moved relatively easily if you need more space in the kitchen.

10. Install Floor-to-Ceiling Cabinets

Take advantage of vertical space with floor-to-ceiling cabinets. Tall cabinets will not only make your small kitchen look taller but also offer ample room to store dishes and cookware.

11. Don't Forget the Space Above the Fridge

A common mantra you'll hear over and over again when designing your tiny kitchen is "waste no space," and that includes the gap between the top of your fridge and the ceiling. Install a cabinet above your fridge to store items you only occasionally use, like decorative platters or table linens.

12. Add a Fold-Away Counter For Extra Space When You Need It

If you don't have enough counter space, try adding a fold-away counter to the edge of your cabinets or kitchen island and pop it up when you need it. Or, install a wall-mounted folding shelf and add a few stools for a two-in-one breakfast nook.

13. Use Every Inch of Wall Space With Open Shelves

Brick kitchen wall with stove top and range in center and two open shelves on each side.

Open shelves are a great addition to small kitchens if you're wanting to 1) take advantage of vertical wall space, and 2) have easy access to kitchen essentials, like plates and glasses. Open shelves provide much-needed storage to a small space without the bulkiness of traditional wall cabinets.

14. Store Cooking Essentials on a Bar Cart

Black kitchen cart with plants and kitchen towels beside small kitchen island.

Roll in a cart to store appliances, cooking supplies, or ingredients next to your kitchen stovetop. You'll have easy access to all the spices and spatulas you'll need without taking up counter or cabinet space.

15. Declutter, Declutter, Declutter

Women placing dry ingredients in glass jars inside white kitchen cabinets above blue plates.

Mismatched plates, gifted mugs, and more serving utensils than you could ever need are just a few of the things cramping your cabinets. A small space forces you to be resourceful when it comes to storage and kitchen organization. Get rid of anything that isn't a necessity to avoid clutter.

16. Have It All With a Rolling Kitchen Island

Need extra counter and storage space without a permanent kitchen island taking up valuable floor space? A kitchen island cart may be the solution you've been looking for. Whether you'd prefer a simple stainless steel prep area or a completely built-out island complete with cabinets and doors, a rolling kitchen island offers all the benefits of a built-in island and you'll be able to push it aside when not in use.

17. Keep Dry Ingredients in Glass Jars

Sick of spilling flour or rice every time you need to dig through your tiny pantry? Store essentials in glass jars for an aesthetically pleasing storage solution that not only looks great but can also be safely stored on open shelves. Plus, glass containers make it easy to check if you're running low on ingredients.

18. Add Dividers to Keep Drawers Organized

Avoid the junk drawer by adding dividers to your drawers to ensure all your kitchen tools have a place. Drawer dividers will help you keep your kitchen organized and persuade you from collecting more clutter than you need.

19. Take Advantage of Your Ceiling

Six pots and pans hanging from wood ceiling rack.

Often called "the fifth wall," use your ceiling to hang pans from an industrial rack. Top chefs like Gordon Ramsay use this storage technique in their own kitchens for easy access to their multitudes of pans, but the same concept can be applied to small kitchens with little cabinet space.

20. Bring Nature In

Small kitchen with white cabinets and gray mosaic backsplash with plants suspended over kitchen island.

One of the easiest ways to breathe a little life into a small area is to add a couple of plants. Trailing plants like golden pothos or English ivy placed on a windowsill or hung from the ceiling add a splash of color to your kitchen and have been shown to improve focus and relieve stress. Bonus: Plants help purify the air, so they can quite literally make the room less stuffy.

21. Ditch the Hardware

Small modern kitchen with black slab cabinets and black countertops.

Simple slab cabinets sans bulky knobs and pulls will help streamline your space and create a sleek, modern look. Plus, you won't have to worry about your belt loops catching on your cabinet pulls when working in a tight space.

22. Add Storage to the Ends of Your Cabinets

A useful kitchen cabinet idea for small spaces is installing open shelving on the exposed side of each end cabinet. This often-overlooked area serves as a stylish spot to store glassware, jars, or potted herbs without cluttering up your countertops.

23. …Or Behind Your Cabinet Doors

The back of your cabinet doors is a blank slate for numerous storage solutions. You could use hooks to hang your pot lids, hang over-the-door shelves to store your spices, or even install a slim knife block for safe knife keeping, just to name a few.

24. Paint the Ceiling

If you're painting your kitchen, consider painting the ceiling. This popular design trick will draw attention up, creating the illusion of a larger kitchen and a higher ceiling. You can make your ceiling appear even higher with trim and crown molding.

25. Add Accent Lighting

Small one-wall kitchen with white cabinets, wood countertops, and cage pendant lights suspended from wood beam.

Unique light fixtures like modern chandeliers or oversized pendants not only add a pop of personality to your design but can also make your kitchen feel bigger by drawing attention up toward the light. If you're adding pendant lights, choose ones that will hang close to the ceiling to avoid overcrowding the kitchen.

26. …Or Opt for Minimalist Lighting Solutions

Small all-white kitchen with under-cabinets lighting illuminating kitchen sink.

On the contrary, recessed lighting is another great lighting solution for small kitchens due to its versatility and functionality. You'll be able to place as many lights as needed to illuminate the space, but you won't have to worry about obstructing your field of vision.

27. Embrace Your Dark Side

Small one-wall kitchen with black cabinets, faucet, and copper tile backsplash and drawer pulls.

Did you know that dark paint colors can actually make a small space feel larger? According to this study, bright colors are effective at making a room appear taller, while dark colors tend to recede away from the viewer, making the room seem wider. If rich black or navy blue kitchens are more to your taste, don't be afraid to use these colors in your tiny kitchen.

28. Create Your Own Breakfast Nook

Have a spare corner? You might be able to build your own breakfast nook, complete with storage benches and cozy cushions. These are a functional option for people who enjoy entertaining but lack the space for a formal dining table.

29. …Or Build a Breakfast Bar

There are plenty of easy DIY breakfast bar designs to choose from, including fold-down table bars and wall-mounted bars. If you have an empty kitchen wall, a sturdy slab of wood, and two stools, you're well on your way to creating an efficient casual dining space.

30. Blend It In

We've talked about the benefits of monochromatic color schemes, but using the same shade on your walls and cabinets can have a similar room-opening effect. Camouflaging your kitchen in a single hue of paint allows it to blend in with the rest of your living area - you won't be able to tell where it begins and ends.

31. Use Backless Stools

Four black metal bar stools tucked underneath white kitchen island.

Tight on floor space? If you're set on an eat-in kitchen, consider purchasing backless stools you can easily tuck away under your table or bar. This will keep them out of busy aisles and work spaces.

32. Bring In Natural Light

Small galley kitchen with white cabinets, wood countertops, and large window above sink.

If you've been blessed with big windows in a small kitchen, the worst thing you can do is cover them. Keep windows unobstructed to maximize natural light. If your kitchen doesn't receive any sunshine, add multiple sources of artificial light to illuminate work and dining areas.

33. Create Depth With Glass Upper Cabinets

Small white kitchen with open glass cabinets above kitchen sink.

Replacing your solid upper cabinet doors with glass-front doors adds visual depth to the space, tricking the eye into thinking your kitchen is more spacious than it really is. Your gaze is drawn into the cabinet rather than being obstructed by the door, creating the illusion of more space.

34. Use an Appliance Garage

Keep toasters, blenders, and other small appliances in an easily accessible appliance garage to free up counter space. If your kitchen doesn't have an appliance garage, you could use a bar cart to house them when not in use.

35. Add a Shelf Above the Sink

Most kitchen designs feature an open area above the kitchen sink to keep wall cabinets from getting wet. Unless you have a window there, it's the perfect space to install a shelf or two. You could wash and dry your plates and glassware and store them right above you - a perfectly efficient workflow.

36. Try Color Blocking

Creating contrast with color blocking is another unique way to give the illusion of more space. Highlighting an area of your kitchen with a splash of color immediately draws attention to that space and away from the fact that your kitchen may only be slightly larger than a closet.

37. Take Advantage of Wall Space

Cooking utensils, pan, and mug hanging from white pegboard against bright yellow kitchen wall.

If hanging pots and pans from your ceiling isn't an option, try using a vertical rack or peg board to organize and display your cookware and tools. You'll have easy access to the tools you use every day while freeing up cabinet space.

38. Make Use of Awkward Spaces

Wood corner kitchen cabinet with two pull out racks.

Your kitchen's seemingly unusable nooks and crannies can have a purpose. Try installing open shelving into alcoves, placing pull-out carts between cabinets and appliances, or installing lazy Susans in your corner cabinets to make the most of all available space.

39. Limit Patterns to the Floor

Small galley kitchen with white cabinets, wood countertop, and gray and white patterned floor tile.

If you love a Moroccan design or mosaic tile pattern, limit it to one surface of your kitchen, like the floor. Any pattern that creates lines that draw the eye across your kitchen will help make the space feel larger. If you limit the color palette of the tiles you choose, you will exaggerate the effect further.

40. Get Creative With Pantry Storage

No designated pantry? No problem. Choose clever cabinet add-ons like built-in spice racks and back-of-door storage to maximize space in a cabinet. You can also purchase a slim standing shelf unit or install open shelves to house all your dry goods.

41. Paint Your Wall Trim and Moldings a Lighter Color

Here's another space-defying optical illusion - paint your wall trim and moldings a shade or two lighter than your walls. This will make your walls appear farther back, so your kitchen will appear larger than it actually is.

42. Choose Large Floor Tiles

Contrary to popular belief, large floor tiles can make a small space feel bigger. Smaller tiles result in lots of grout joints, which can create a grid-like pattern and promote the feeling of being boxed in. On the other hand, large tiles use fewer grout lines that look less cluttered and make your kitchen feel more seamless.

43. Add Vertical Elements

Small white kitchen with slat wood accent wall.

Just like horizontal lines can make a room seem wider, vertical lines will lead the eye up and make a space seem taller. Find ways to incorporate vertical lines into your kitchen design, such as shiplap, slat walls, millwork, wallpaper, or beadboard cabinets.

44. Opt for a Single-Bowl Sink

Small kitchen sink with black faucet and wood countertop against white subway tile backsplash.

While double-bowl kitchen sinks offer ample space for cleaning and rinsing dishes, they take up more countertop space than you may be able to offer in a small kitchen. Luckily, there are a plethora of stylish single-bowl sinks that offer both style and functionality. One large basin makes it easier to clean large cookware like roasting pans without taking up too much valuable counter space.

45. Integrate Appliances

Small kitchen with wood lower cabinets, white countertop, and integrated fridge with wood doors.

Integrated appliances, like fridges, washing machines, and dishwashers, blend in with the rest of your kitchen, usually with the same doors as your cabinets. A guest might have to try a few different cabinets to find your fridge, but integrated appliances will look much sleeker than mismatched elements in a small space.

46. Dress It Up in Pastels

Take advantage of soft shades of pink, blue, green, and yellow for an unexpected pop of color against dark cabinets or walls. Pale, pretty shades like baby blue work well with gray countertops and will visually expand your small kitchen.

47. Install Floor-to-Ceiling Tile

Why stop at the backsplash? Floor-to-ceiling tile will give your kitchen a unique, elevated look and visually expand your walls with horizontal or vertical lines. If you choose a glazed tile, you'll get the added bonus of more light being reflected off your walls.

48. Keep Appliances Compact

If you're renovating a studio apartment or tiny kitchen for two, compact appliances offer all the functionality you'll need without taking up too much space. You can find compact refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, microwaves, and even washers and dryers.

49. Try Glass Light Shades

Four small pendant lights with clear glass shades.

If you prefer pendant lights or wall sconces, search for ones with glass shades to keep the concept open and airy. Modern glass shades like bubble and beehive shades offer understated style without distracting from the space.

50. Make It Shine

Small kitchen with white cabinets, black countertops, and mirror backsplash.

Reflective surfaces bounce back light and can make small rooms appear bigger. To create this illusion, add mirrors, lacquered cabinets, shiny metal appliances and cabinet hardware, or a reflective kitchen backsplash.

51. Warm It Up With a Rug

Tiny kitchen with white cabinets, wood countertops, and gray and cream patterned rug.

When space is tight, distract the eye with color. Pair pale walls and cabinetry with a vibrant kitchen rug or runner to make the floor plan appear larger. A Moroccan rug laid below crisp white cabinets and natural wood accents is an amazing look for a modern kitchen.

52. Consider the Hood

A sleek, wall-mounted vent hood over the stovetop as opposed to an under-cabinet hood can give your tiny kitchen a more open feel. Minimalist vent hoods require 30 inches between cabinets, about the same as an under-cabinet hood, but give a cleaner, lighter look — a huge plus in a small kitchen.

Tiny Kitchen FAQs

Need a quick breakdown of the best tips and tricks to make your small kitchen look bigger? We answered a few of the most-asked tiny kitchen questions to help you get creative with your space.

How can I make the most of my tiny kitchen?

Maximizing space and efficiency is key to making the most of your tiny kitchen. Look for ways to implement small kitchen storage ideas, like open shelves, a rolling kitchen island, or a bar cart. Keep small appliances off the countertop to make room for meal prep, and consider adding a fold-away counter if you're needing more space. You can even take advantage of your kitchen ceiling by hanging your pans from a ceiling rack.

What type of kitchen is best for a small space?

The most popular small kitchen layouts are single-wall layouts and galley layouts. These kitchens work in compact spaces but still offer all the functionality of a larger kitchen.

What color is best for small kitchens?

Bright whites or dramatic dark colors seem to have the same effect in making a small space seem bigger — the secret is to stick with a monochromatic color scheme. Whether you go light or dark, monochromatic colors can add intrigue and depth to your tiny kitchen.

How do I make my small kitchen functional?

The number one way to make a small kitchen more functional is to eliminate things you don't need. You may be surprised by how much storage space you actually have after getting rid of old tableware, pots, pans, mugs, spices, etc. To keep clutter out of your kitchen, make sure everything has a purpose and a place.

From efficient storage solutions to crafty paint tricks, these tiny kitchen ideas prove there's hope yet for achieving all the functionality of a giant kitchen in a compact space. If you're looking for more design inspiration to spruce up your kitchen, check out our kitchen cabinet gallery and kitchen remodeling ideas for the latest design trends.

As Seen On
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Grey's Anatomy
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings on HGTV
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings on DIY Network
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Property Brothers
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Apartment Therapy
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On BuzzFeed
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Entrepreneur
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Forbes
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Huffington Post
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On SFGate
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On The Spruce
  • Kitchen Cabinet Kings As Seen On Yahoo!

Enter your email address and get 10% off your order. Enjoy exclusive access to special offers and news.

Connect with us

Please wait...

{{var product.name}} has been added to your cart

View cart & checkout Continue shopping