5 Ways to Work with an Awkward Kitchen Space

April 30, 2021

Small, long or narrow kitchens can pose a challenge when trying to increase the functionality of your kitchen.

Often in the style known as a galley kitchen, these spaces may seem limiting in terms of design options. However, with the right design, kitchen joinery and layout, galley-style kitchens can be extremely practical.

Here are our top 5 tips to get the most out of your awkward kitchen space.

1. Opt for a neutral design

One of the challenges of a small kitchen is creating the feeling of space. Choosing the right colour scheme can help or hinder your efforts to make your kitchen feel larger.

A light, neutral colour scheme will amplify any lighting in your kitchen (particularly if it’s from a natural source), making it feel bigger than it actually is.

Choose colours like light grey, cream or white for your kitchen joinery as this will complement the clean lines of your design, and help prevent the space from feeling closed in.

2. Pick a smart layout

One of the benefits of a narrow custom made kitchen is that everything can be easily accessible.

Place appliances like fridges and dishwashers at either end of your kitchen, so that open doors don’t block the walkway while someone’s cooking.

This will help prevent overcrowding in what’s already a limited space.

3. Choose the right lighting

Where possible, natural light will work wonders to open up your small or awkward kitchen space. Make sure your windows aren’t blocked or obscured so that you can make the most of the light you have available.

If your kitchen sits in the middle of the house away from a natural light source, you can still install clever lighting solutions to make the space feel welcoming and cosy as opposed to stark and cramped.

Warm-toned strip lighting underneath your cabinetry (both above and below the bench) can help to elongate the lines of your space and make it feel longer. Pendant lighting along the walkway can also help to draw the eye upwards.

4. Introduce a multi-functional island

When thinking about your narrow or long kitchen that runs along one wall, an elongated island bench could be a great solution to instantly double your storage and preparation space.

Perfect for apartments or smaller spaces, introducing an island bench offers extra storage and a crucial workspace for cooking.

This could be a less integrated unit on wheels for flexibility, or plumbed in as part of a custom made kitchen to give you an additional sink.

You can also easily add on an extension to the end of your island to create an informal dining space.

5. Get creative with storage

For smaller kitchens, it’s crucial that every inch of your space is put to good use. This often means that you need to think a little outside of the box when it comes to your storage.

When it comes to kitchen joinery, open shelving ticks two boxes in that it keeps everything within easy reach, and also means you don’t need to worry about allowing room for cupboard doors to be opened. If you don’t like the idea of having everything on display, sliding doors can be equally useful.

An awkward kitchen space doesn’t have to equal a lack of function or limit to your design possibilities.

We have over 50 years of renovation experience, and have helped to create custom joinery solutions for kitchens of all shapes and sizes!

If you aren’t getting the most out of your current kitchen layout, our team of design specialists can help. Visit a showroom or contact us for a no-obligation quote on transforming your awkward kitchen space.

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