Small Kitchen Ideas | Making Room For All The Good Bits

You don’t need acres of space to create a kitchen that works beautifully.

In fact, smaller rooms often encourage some of the most thoughtful design, where every cupboard earns its place and nothing is included simply for the sake of it.

At Flint Cottage, the kitchen sits two steps down from the adjoining living and dining space. It isn’t a huge room, and the change in floor level gave Graham something extra to think about, but neither meant the owners had to compromise on the things they really wanted.

The clever change of level

The island became the key to the whole layout. Positioned between the kitchen and the room beyond, it helps to bridge the change in level and creates a natural connection between the two spaces.

From the kitchen side, it provides useful preparation space and storage. From the living area, it feels more like a piece of furniture, carefully scribed to fit around the steps.

Its softly painted cabinetry and stone worktop also bring something relaxed to the room, sitting happily alongside the old beams, uneven walls and all the familiar quirks of a cottage.

A place for everything

The owners had a practical wish list, and careful planning allowed us to include it all without making the kitchen feel crowded.

There is a worktop breakfast cupboard, or what some might call a coffee and tea station, keeping the toaster, coffee machine, cups and all the breakfast things together in one place.

Generous pan drawers in the island and a rather lovely basket store for eggs and vegetables make equally good use of the available space.

Simple cook’s shelves with traditional T&G panelling are a lovely finishing touch and add to the relaxed cottage kitchen feel.

There was even room for the fabulous yellow Bertazzoni range cooker, bringing a joyful splash of colour to the kitchen.

A kitchen made to fit

One of the advantages of having a kitchen made especially for you is that you aren’t trying to make standard sized cupboards fit an individual space. Cabinet widths, depths and internal storage can all be adjusted to make proper use of every available inch.

Just as importantly, the room can be designed around the way you live and work. Where you naturally want to prepare food, what needs to be close to the cooker, whether you like appliances left out or hidden away, and how the kitchen fits with the rest of your home.

At Flint Cottage, the result is a kitchen that flows easily and feels inviting. It has everything the owners need, but it doesn’t feel overfilled. There is space to cook and bake, and to move easily between the kitchen and living space.

Perhaps that is the real secret to designing a smaller kitchen. Not trying to squeeze in as much as possible, but making sure everything you do include is exactly right.

As a guide, a handmade kitchen of this size would start from around £30,000 for cabinetry, with worktops and appliances additional.