Small kitchen cabinet ideas can breathe new life into a stuffy, tiny space. Small kitchens can be a challenge. Not only do they limit your entertaining space, but they make it a constant challenge to find enough storage room for supplies and cooking equipment.
If you’re searching for small kitchen design ideas, one area that can make a big difference is your cabinet designs. Cabinets provide the best opportunity for storage and style. And with increasingly ingenious cabinet designs to choose from, you’ll finally be able to stock your shelves stress-free without wondering where you can put everything.
Tall Cabinets and Stackable Storage for Small Kitchens
Creating an efficient storage system requires some creative small kitchen cabinet ideas to keep your space functional yet organized. One of the simplest ways to optimize your storage in a small kitchen is to utilize tall cabinets and stackable storage solutions. Vertical space is commonly underutilized, but tall cabinets can give you extra room. Floor-to-ceiling kitchen cabinets can be so helpful. What is typically wasted space that just collects dust can now be useful. Store all your fine china or seasonal items out of the way so you have more space to stock your other shelves.
Small kitchens can feel more special and deliberate with elegant treatments added to their cabinets. Mullion, the trim work added to glass-front cabinet doors, can draw the eye up and around. This provides you with a more open feel, adding visual interest to a small kitchen.
Not only do these modern styles of kitchen cabinets provide more storage space, but they also give your kitchen a uniform look that makes any wall height look taller. With high enough ceilings, you may have the option to double up your upper kitchen cabinets.
To make the most out of your vertical cabinets, use stackable boxes or bins to allow you to organize items by category. This makes it easy to locate ingredients, cookware, or other kitchen essentials. Stackable storage containers come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, so you can mix and match until you find the configuration that works best for you.
Whether you need space for more dry goods, seasonal plates, or smaller appliances, tall cupboards with stackable storage can make the most of the vertical space in your kitchen.
Pull-Out Shelves and Drawer Dividers
Pull-Out shelves and drawer dividers are two solutions that will make it easier to organize and access the items stored in your kitchen drawers and cabinets. With Pull-Out shelves, easily glide the shelf toward you and access your kitchen essentials when you need it, minimizing any frustration.
Far too often, people will overlook the many corners of their small kitchen. If you include these in the space you utilize in your small kitchen, you can easily add some cabinet room in its nooks. This one also expands once it is opened, adding even more storage space for your kitchen supplies.
In addition to Pull-Out shelves, drawer organizers and dividers are perfect for keeping smaller items organized. Rather than letting your spaces, tools, and utensils get lost in a drawer, the dividers separate items into their own sections.
Drawer dividers are a good option if you have limited drawer space, and they help maximize the storage potential of each drawer. Sometimes one is better than two. Look at your storage needs. Would one larger pull-out drawer be more helpful than thinner shelves or cabinet doors? If so, it may be worth reconfiguring your small kitchen cabinet layout to include this type of cabinetry. We all have those cabinets that are hard to access, and we forget what’s inside. With a small kitchen design, you don’t want to waste any space, so opt for a more useful design like a slide-out drawer.
One of the elements of a kitchen that take up the most space is pots and pans, along with their assorted lids. Having a drawer that is designed just for these types of pieces can make the cooking experience much more efficient. Look for clever lid storage options such as bars that attach to doors for them to slip into, or add a bar with hooks to an empty wall for easy access.
Large pans and heavy pots should be stored low to the ground so you’re picking them up rather than grabbing them from over your head. A deep drawer can make them particularly accessible.
But your kitchen doesn’t need to stop where your appliances end. Borrow a room from your living or dining room, and add a stand-alone kitchen island. A slim kitchen island can give you room for many storage opportunities. These include slide-out drawers for large pots, pan shelves, trash bin pull-outs, and a wine rack drawer, not to mention all the prep and entertaining space you acquire.
If you need help installing and designing custom Pull-Out shelves and drawer inserts, book a free consultation with ShelfGenie®. We’ll help you schedule a free, at-home consultation to assess your space and provide a 3D rendering of some small kitchen cabinet ideas we have to increase your storage by up to 50%.
You spend a lot of time in your kitchen, so why not design it to fit your specific needs? If you’re a baker, you’ll want bigger drawers for bowls and surplus dry goods. If you love your wine collection, perhaps a built-in wine storage feature is a priority. Start any compact kitchen design strategy by thinking about your needs and what you want most in your kitchen. You can then select kitchen cabinets and shelving that suit those needs. There are even tailor-made cookbook organizing shelves for the cookbook lover.
Under-Cabinet Drawers for Extra Storage
One often overlooked area in a kitchen space is underneath the cabinets or oven. Installing under-cabinet drawers is one of the best kitchen cabinet ideas for a small kitchen to provide extra storage for lesser-used appliances, utensils, spices, or gadgets. These drawers are designed to fit seamlessly under your existing cabinets without taking up any extra counter or floor space.
And let’s be honest; few of us fully utilize the under-the-stove storage space. There are ways to make it more useful. Adding in a multifunctional drawer system can give space for all the baking pans that are generally a challenge to store. Rather than trying to sift through pans as they slip and slide, multiple drawers offer the convenience of just browsing through the contents.
When assessing the priorities in your small kitchen, consider what appliances you need and what you don’t use. If you don’t have a big family, maybe a dishwasher isn’t as essential as the cabinet space that area can provide.
Likewise, a full-size stove with a large oven isn’t what can serve your small kitchen the most. If you don’t cook Thanksgiving turkeys on the regular, it is worth considering a built-in convection oven that can serve the needs of a small family.
Pull-Down Shelves for Upper Cabinets
What you lack in square footage, you can make up for with strategic storage solutions. For far less than the cost of expanding a kitchen space, innovative cabinet solutions can maximize even the smallest kitchen.
Upper cabinets in a small kitchen can be challenging to utilize fully, especially if they’re installed high up on the wall. Pull-down shelves are an ideal solution, as they bring items stored in upper cabinets down to a more accessible level. These shelves provide easy access to items that you’d have to use a step stool or ladder to get.
Pull-down shelves make upper cabinets much more functional, especially if you have a small kitchen but a tall ceiling. They are also a safer option, so you don’t have to climb up on your countertop to access items stored higher up.
Also consider installing Lazy Susans for corner dish storage, pull-out cabinets for narrow spaces, and drawers-within-drawers that can effortlessly organize your food, supplies, and dining ware.
Look up opportunities to add in overhead cabinets when searching for small kitchen cabinet ideas. That unused space could lead to multiple possibilities for additional storage.
Now, if you’re thinking that overhead storage is too high to be used, reconsider. There are now many levered shelf options that bring those hard-to-reach shelves down for easier access.
Stylish Small Kitchen Design Ideas
Find Space for an Island
Anywhere you can add in some seating will help make your kitchen more useful. Although you may not be able to take advantage of the “double island” trend, most islands can handle a stool or two next to them.
Breakfast nooks and kitchen counter bars are both popular small kitchen cabinet ideas because they add additional function to the space. If your kitchen is too small for an island, a fold-out table can open up to offer added dining space only when in use.
Streamline Your Compact Kitchen Design
Create a streamlined look with ultra-modern cabinets that make a statement. Choosing kitchen cabinets in a bold color can make the area look bigger. Trends have evolved from a focus on just blue.
Compact kitchen designs call for extreme measures when it comes to small kitchen cabinet ideas. Ultra-slim cabinets do exist. Although they might not hold a lot, they will add much-needed storage to what would otherwise be wasted space. A super-slim tall cabinet could hold aprons and brooms, while a slightly bigger cabinet could solve your surplus mug storage dilemma.
Even more useful are tall pull-out pantries that can slide into small spaces next to the refrigerator. This makes for more efficient food prep with all your ingredients in one place.
Small Kitchen Cabinet Ideas that Fool the Eye
Keep the eye busy, and our vision will perceive miles of design in a small space. A small, plain white kitchen can feel boring. All you notice is how small it is. But among small kitchen design ideas, this is one of the most clever.
Add kitchen cabinets in bright, bold colors like brilliant blue, yellow, or orange, and complement your cabinets with highly patterned flooring. Under-the-cabinet lighting will enhance the look. And when in doubt, add a mirror to increase the feeling of space. This is a trick often used in living rooms and bathrooms to make a room appear larger, but few take advantage of the mirror effect in the kitchen.
Shelve Your Small Kitchen Cabinet Design
Small kitchen cabinet designs can work decorative shelving elements into the look. This visual variety breaks up the design, making the kitchen more interesting to be in. It also provides flexible storage options.
This is an easy install, especially if you have empty walls needing to be filled. This is the place to show off all of your prettiest pots and serving plates.
Take the Next Step Toward Your Dream Kitchen
Small kitchen cabinet ideas can be a real challenge unless you know all of the options at your disposal. Optimizing storage in a small kitchen doesn’t have to be a struggle, thanks to thoughtful solutions like Pull-Out shelves and custom drawer organizers. You can transform your kitchen into a space that meets all of your needs.
At ShelfGenie, we understand every kitchen and storage needs are unique. Our expert designers will work to create a solution that satisfies all your needs and makes your kitchen more functional and accessible.
Enjoy peace of mind knowing all our work is backed by our Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and that you’ll be in good hands with our team. But you don’t just have to take our word for it. Check out what some of our satisfied customers have said about our process.
If you want to fully maximize your small kitchen space, reach out to ShelfGenie and schedule a free consultation with our design experts. We are masters of creating clever storage solutions and know the tricks for making the most of your small kitchen space.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. ShelfGenie is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local ShelfGenie location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.
