Dreaming of a bigger kitchen? Expand it without breaking the walls

With restaurants partly closed and all household members at home, the kitchen has become one of the most exploited areas at home. Nearly 1/3 of people in Estonia would like to increase their kitchen space. But how to make the kitchen bigger without breaking the walls and family budget? Use smart tips and tricks of our interior designer.

Up to the ceiling
Don't let any space in your kitchen be wasted. Many people tend to forget the space above their kitchen cabinets. Building the cabinets up to the ceiling can result in a few additional shelves for less frequently used items. To expand the kitchen, add more shelves in a pantry room or on your empty walls. Then, turn into account the unused wall space between the countertop and upper cabinets. 
 

“Use crossbars, magnetic knife holders, hooks, and hangers to maximise your walls and save space inside the cabinets and drawers. These small kitchen organisers cost just a few euros, but work wonders in small spaces.”

Make your drawers and shelves work
Are all your kitchen tools and appliances in use? Or maybe there are some you could transfer to somebody else? Start with revising what you have. Then, group the items by their function and find a dedicated place for each group.
 

“Store pot lids and chopping boards vertically, as this helps save space and makes them easier to take out and put back. Use drawer dividers, cutlery trays and shelf inserts to create more space for dinnerware and utensils.”

Boxes, jars and containers
No one likes grains or spices spilled all over the drawers and shelves. This can be avoided using transparent food containers with tight-fitting lids or dry food jars that cost only a couple of euros. 
 

“The food containers make it easy to find what you are looking for and help save space in the kitchen. They can be stacked or put side by side to take less room in the drawer or cabinet. Furthermore, they can help reduce food waste: when you see what kind of products there are left, the food does not spoil forgotten.”

Foldable, stackable, movable
One of the common mistakes in tiny kitchens is choosing bulky dining furniture. Stackable, foldable furniture and multifunctional appliances, such as an oven with microwave function, an extendable table or a bar table attached to the wall, can help you save space. Another solution is using movable trolleys. The trolley on wheels can be moved around home and serves as an extra storage space to keep dinnerware, food, napkins, etc. 

Let there be light
Light colours make the room look visually bigger. So if you want to give your kitchen a sense of spaciousness, choose glossy, light-coloured kitchen fronts and wooden or marble-style surfaces. Proper lighting is also important, so equip your kitchen with general and functional lighting, for countertop, spotlights. 
 

“The bright kitchen allows to enjoy cooking, eating and spending time with your family. While you are preparing the dinner, others can read, draw or play board games in the same room.”

The Whole Life at Home
We believe that home is the most important place in the world. This is why every year IKEA conducts a global research called “Life at home”. Last year, we focused on exploring the impact of the global pandemic on our relationship with home now and in the years to come.