Small Kitchen

Small kitchens may a design challenge, but they can also be a step-saving model of efficiency. Host Joan Kohn checks in with designers Johnna McHugh, David Eisen and Sue Adams for great ideas for making small kitchens both functional and beautiful.

Even islands are possible in a small kitchen, if they are properly scaled.
A corner cabinet with doors that open out increases the amount of storage available.

Complex under-counter storage racks take advantage of dead space in a corner.

• Creativity is required to find storage in a small kitchen. Try using a hinged stair tread to store small items like a phone book.
  
• Manufacturers are making smaller-scaled appliances that work well in small kitchens--for example, refrigerators only 24 inches deep as opposed to the standard 30-inch model.
  
• You don’t have to give things up in a small kitchen; try a different approach. If you have room for only a small bowl sink, try using one that is deeper than average.
  
• Pantry storage with units that go floor to ceiling provide maximum storage.
  
• If your kitchen is at least 12 to 15 feet wide, it can accommodate freestanding storage in the center (usually an island) that is convenient from any spot in the kitchen.
  
• Use space-saving design ideas for an eating area in a small kitchen: a banquette with storage underneath; a drop table; a small round table and two chairs tucked in a corner.
• The galley kitchen, which lines up cabinets and appliances on either side of a corridor, is one of the most popular designs for small spaces. Everything is within easy reach for the cook.