Small wonders
STORE IN ADJACENT ROOMS
IF YOUR home is relatively spacious, and it’s just your kitchen feeling the squeeze, you can always store non-perishables elsewhere.
There’s no need to clog your kitchen cupboards with piles of pasta and tinned beans when they could live just as happily somewhere else in the house.
KEEP IT TIDY
KITCHENS are supposed to be functional, efficient spaces, tailored to minimise the pressures of cooking and you need a clear work surface.
“It’s about putting the items that you have in the correct spaces,” says Vicky, “and there is no one-size-fits-all. Look out for gimmicky plastic containers that only contain a few tins – not everything needs to live in a basket, despite what Instagram says. Get stackable storage containers, or containers that fit inside each other when they’re not being used.”
CLEVER COLOURS
JUST because your kitchen is small, doesn’t mean it has to look small. Consistent colouring helps a room feel fluid, while bright blocks of contrast colour can quickly become claustrophobic (although there are no hard and fast rules!), so consider keeping your scheme to a two-colour maximum.
Lighter colours invariably feel airier – whitewashed kitchens are increasingly common – while reflective surfaces like mirrors lend depth.
TACTICAL LIGHTING
HOW large a room looks is as much about your perception as its actual size.
Natural light bathes your kitchen in a vivid glow, imitating the wide open spaces of the great outdoors, while poorly-lit areas quickly feel poky.
SPACE-SAVING GIZMOS
EXTRAVAGANT gadgetry generally takes up more space than it saves, but there are a few specific products that earn their place.
Try a magnetic knife holder – a strip on the wall that holds knives and other metallic implements – or pick up a chopping board that sits atop your sink.
Anything that can be hung should be hung. Hooks on the undersides of shelves are a go-to for mugs, while large utensils can be catered for with rails and racks.
DOUBLE UP
GOING back to gadgetry, canny buyers can squeeze two tools into the space of one.
“Employ multi-purpose kitchen utensils,” says Vicky, “you’re automatically saving space.
“I’ve been working with Brabantia (brabantia.com/uk),” she adds, “and their new Tasty+ range is full of them. There’s a spatula that’s also a fork, a skimmer that’s also a ladle, a spaghetti spoon that’s also got a measuring tool in it.
“You’re instantly halving the utensils in your kitchen.”