The kitchen is such an important part of a family home. As families grow, the amount of space needed in a kitchen increases too. If moving isn’t an option, how do you even begin to make more room in your kitchen?
There are a number of tips and tricks you can employ to make the best use of your space and maximise what you’re working with. Whether you have the capacity and budget to extend or you’re restricted to working with what you already have, there are plenty of techniques that help make your kitchen as space-efficient as possible.
Add an Extension
If you have the budget and ground space to do so, an extension can completely transform not only your kitchen but the way in which your family uses the entire floor of your home. Before embarking on an extension, consider how you currently use your kitchen space and how you envisage using it in the future.
If you don’t currently have a dining room, this is a great way of creating a multifunctional space that can be used for cooking and entertaining, as well as giving the kids a place to do their homework while you make their dinner.
A well-designed extension doesn’t have to be massive in floor area to have a massive impact on your home and lifestyle. Be clear about what you want from the space and create the kitchen of your dreams!
Go Open Plan
If your budget or home design does not make an extension a viable solution, creating an open plan layout in your home might be a brilliant option.
By knocking down walls, you’ll be gaining more space without adding any extra square footage. This is a great way of tackling space problems for growing families and makes areas of your home much more usable. Without the walls in the way, you’ll be able to keep an eye on the kids while cooking and they won’t be under your feet while you’ve hot pans on the go.
Your home will feel brighter, lighter, and more spacious as a result of knocking through and opening up rooms. However, make sure you have experts on hand before you go smashing through walls with a sledgehammer! Employ a structural engineer or a surveyor to give you advice on loadbearing walls and give you a realistic view of your options and how best to maximise the space you have.
Redesign Your Kitchen
Another, less invasive, way of making the best use of your space is to rip out your existing kitchen and install a new one that meets your current and future needs. The cost of a new kitchen will vary depending on the size of your room as well as the materials you opt for.
If space is at a premium, an expert kitchen designer will offer you a host of space-saving options and clever, innovative ways of using your space to really make the most of the space you have when extending isn’t an option.
It could be that your kitchen hasn’t been changed since the house was originally built and, if that’s the case, doesn’t really reflect how a modern family uses the space. Kitchen designers can help you plan a kitchen that flows properly, making the way you move around your kitchen easier and more stress-free than previously and making life, in general, that little bit easier in the process.
Utilise the Space You Have
Of course the simplest and most cost-effective way of making your kitchen seem bigger is to clear out any clutter on the benches and get your cupboards properly organised. There are a variety of space-saving hacks to be found online and in shops that make cupboard space more practical, such as inner-door spice racks and two-tier tin can storage.
Many of us simply aren’t using the storage we already have efficiently enough and, by using some smart storage solutions and rejigging our storage layout, we can increase the space we have in our kitchens in the space of an afternoon.
If your kitchen is a squeeze and simply too small for your family, there are a number of ways in which you can make it bigger depending on your budget and the scale of work you want to take on. Whether you’re looking to extend, open up your existing layout, or renovate with a new design, you can create a kitchen that is more spacious, has a better flow, and suits your family’s needs for years to come.
