A small kitchen design is one of the key elements to consider when designing a small apartment and it’s most likely also the most challenging one. If you are not blessed with a large sociable space, however, you have no reason to fear, because a tiny kitchen can be just as amazing as a large one!
Below, I have listed the most inspiring small kitchen ideas offering different solutions for layout and planning depending on the type of space you have available in your studio apartment.
Storage opportunity is a key consideration for any kitchen design and it’s just as important as countertop space. Those two main functionalities are crucial elements to take into consideration in any kitchen design, yet you might want to pay extra attention when planning a kitchen on a tiny surface.
A tiny kitchen fitted in a small space
A niche or nook space in your apartment is great for fitting a small kitchen. This beautiful white kitchen with black countertops is finished off with white tiles on all the walls of the niche space, which is such a beautiful finish.
The textured walls create depth and add interest to awkward corners like his one. The open shelving on the wall ensures a lighter layout look, while a the same time offering extra storage spots.
via Historiska Hem
Work with open shelves for a light look
When you have many doors or windows to work with, you’re not left with a lot of wall space meaning you are in need of small space solutions, no matter how much square footage you have available. In this one-bedroom apartment, the kitchen module had to be fitted in between two doorways.
By using lower kitchen cabinets only and working with stainless steel open shelving on the top half, a light look was created that leaves this living and dining space feeling spacious.
Create more counter space by wrapping the kitchen around a corner
Even though this kitchen is slightly larger and not exactly tiny, it does have easy-to-apply small kitchen ideas you want to keep in mind. By wrapping the kitchen layout around the corner, you provide more space for food preparation and for keeping appliances.
By selecting white cabinet fronts, countertops, and a white backsplash, the design will bounce light back into the room, creating the illusion of a bigger space. Since no upper cabinetry has been added to the layout, a light look is achieved for a larger space that is made cozy with the soft beige wall color on the walls.
Styled by Grey Deco, photographed by Anders Bergstedt for Alvhem
Extend your kitchen space into the hallway
Tighter spaces tend to benefit from custom-made solutions to maximize space and that’s exactly the approach you can see on display in this one-bedroom apartment.
By placing all cabinetry on one wall, more room is created for high cupboards that form a long row of storage that can be used for both kitchen and hallway purposes.
The all-white cabinets and countertops function as reflective surfaces for the daylight coming in, creating a bright kitchen that highlights the natural materials in the accessories, table, and flooring.
via Historiska Hem
Interior designer trick: work with different materials
This little space underneath the roof has been used for a beautiful two-tone kitchen including the sink and stove. The walnut cabinet fronts are a focal point in the open space and are complemented with light grey upper cabinets for a light palette.
The larger cupboards on the other wall are placed next to the bedroom entry, optimizing the little space available in this attic home to the fullest.
Styled by Emma Fisher, photographed by Alen Cordic for Bjurfors
A small kitchen fitted underneath a sloped ceiling
Attic spaces often require creative small kitchen ideas because not only do you have to overcome little space, but you also have a sloped ceiling to work underneath – such a challenge!
When designing a small kitchen underneath a sloped roof, you should always place higher cupboards where vertical space is available and place less used items in the more awkward spots.
This small kitchen is made in a light and natural color palette with grey countertops, which fits nicely with the rest of the space. I love the way the wooden spoons and the chopping board complement the light oak kitchen cabinets.
Styled by Nouvel Interior, photographed by Alen Cordic for Bjurfors
Work with lower and upper cabinets in a niche space
The floor space of this apartment has been used optimally by including the kitchen in the niche space. The niche is filled with both lower cabinets and wall cabinets for ample storage space.
Since the small kitchen fits inside the niche completely, a dining area with a small dining table and two chairs could be placed next to it, all in the same small space.
via Stadshem
Optimize access to appliances in a small kitchen
This narrow galley kitchen makes use of the niche spot available to create more space for moving around freely, yet in addition to this, the oven module has been placed towards the other side for easy access.
Rather than working with just a long and narrow format for the layout, all sides are used for functionality. Like this, you can make a smaller space work for you in an optimal way.
Styled by Van Keppel, photographed by Ozollapa for Historiska Hem
Extend the counter space into your living area with a small kitchen island
Countertop space is often an issue with small kitchen ideas, as the sink and stovetop will already take up a large portion of your counters.
By expanding your kitchen planning into the entire room, you create just the right amount of countertop space combined with an extra seating area for dining as well.
The kitchen walls are covered completely with white tile, which reflects the natural light coming from the window beautifully in this narrow space.
via Unika Hem
Replace cabinet doors with a curtain for a light and playful look
The large window in this compact space takes up a lot of kitchen space, yet you can always use the window sill as a surface to save space in a small kitchen.
By replacing the doors of the lower cabinets with a green linen curtain, the look of this small kitchen design is lighter and more playful.
via Stadshem
Enlarge a small kitchen by using the corner of your living space
Have a niche space available that’s too small? You can always extend the kitchen out of the borders of the niche and create a dynamic room layout with smart storage that makes use of the available space.
By placing the small kitchen in the corner of the room, the room layout is intact, resulting in a very natural flow in the floor plan.
Styled by Grey Deco, photographed by Janne Olander for Stadshem
Use the small kitchen layout as a separator
A U-shaped kitchen is ideal for when you have an open floor plan. This layout also functions as a separator between functional areas and you can use tiling and an open shelf as extra elements to help visually distinguish the kitchen from the rest of the space.
A U-shaped layout can also maximize storage since there are quite a bit of lower cabinets involved and you even have the opportunity to transform the other side of the kitchen into a breakfast bar.
via Sjöman Frisk
Combine the use of vertical space with open shelving
When you have tall ceilings, it’s great to include tall cupboards that extend up to the ceiling for extra storage space just like in this bright white kitchen with black countertops.
The floating shelves don’t make the layout appear too heavy and they are great for storing cooking utensils, small appliances, and spice jars.
via Historiska Hem
Let the kitchen design come back in the hallway storage space
This compact kitchen has been extended into the hallway area of the apartment to maximize space. The open-plan layout uses light grey cabinet fronts and countertops on both walls, as small spaces tend to work nicely in a neutral palette.
Note that this small kitchen is fitted with a small stove top for only two pots, ensuring more countertop space is available for other items.
via Historiska Hem
A small kitchen with a corner layout
Tiny kitchens tend to make use of any awkward space available and make the most out of it. In this case, this white kitchen has a corner layout to facilitate ample storage space on a small surface and spread over two walls.
The white cabinets paired with the white tiles on the backsplash and the white countertops make the kitchen space appear larger.
Styled by Studio Rydman, photographed by Jocke Ono Studio, for sale via Historiska Hem
A niche space in the living room turned into a kitchen to maximize space
This white kitchen with black countertops fits perfectly within a living room niche space and features both upper and lower cabinets with a contrasting black countertop resulting in a modest yet contrasting look that matches the adjacent living room.
styled by Grey Deco, photographed by Henrik Linden, for sale via Alvhem
A small kitchen inside of what used to be a walk-in-closet
This is probably the tiniest of the small kitchen ideas on this list as it includes just the essentials to be able to fit into the small niche space left where there used to be a walk-in closet I assume. The walls of the kitchen space are painted in the same wall color as the rest of. the studio apartment for a cohesive effect.
via Stadshem
A tiny grey kitchen fits inside a small walk-in closet
This is most likely the tiniest of the small kitchen ideas on this list, as this smart and functionality-packed solution fits inside of a small walk-in closet. The grey kitchen cabinets with gold hardware are arranged in a small corner layout, making use of both of the walls in this small area.
The bottom cabinets are paired with open shelving on the top paired with an upper cabinet for a tiny oven. If you need to fit a kitchen in such a small space, you must pick out a small stovetop and a small sink just like in this example.
Photographed by Mia Borgelin for Historiska Hem
A tiny light grey kitchen with open shelving above the doorway
This is one of those small kitchen ideas that truly is adjusted to the space. The high ceilings in this studio apartment are great for including tall cupboards that can provide the entire apartment with storage space and the open shelving above the doorway transforms the kitchen into a bookshelf as well.
The small dining space in front of the kitchen is great for eating dinner, yet it also provides the kitchen with extra workspace, as the countertop space is quite limited.
A small kitchen fitted in a niche space underneath a sloped ceiling
To maximise space underneath the sloped ceiling in this attic apartment, the light grey kitchen cabinets are fitted inside of a niche space in the wall. The area under the sloped ceiling is great for open shelving to finish the layout of the upper section.
Styled by JosefssonLjung, for sale via Bjurfors
A tiny two-tone kitchen with two-tone walls
This is probably the tiniest of the small kitchen ideas on this list, with a two-tone color palette that resembles the wall paint as well. The upper cabinets are light grey, paired with glass front cabinets right below the ceiling.
The bottom cabinets are dark grey, with a butcher block countertop offering limited counter space in between the small sink and stovetop.
via Picky Living
Make a Tiny Kitchen feel more Spacious with a Mirror
One of the tiniest small kitchen ideas on this list consists of a small cooktop and sink inside a niche space. To make the space feel less cramped, a mirror is applied above the countertop, allowing for natural light to be reflected, making the space feel larger.
via Alvhem
