How to Maximize Your Small Condo Kitchen Space with Interior Design

Source: Vogue Australia

Designing a beautiful interior when you live in a small condo can be challenging, especially when it comes to building a fully functional kitchen. As one of the busiest areas in the home, the kitchen is where we require the most space to prepare meals safely. However, it is also one of the smallest spaces in a residential unit. If that’s the case, what can homeowners do to maximize their small condo space to design the kitchen that they need? Fortunately, with the right condo interior design strategies, you too can create the perfect kitchen for your family. Here are some tips.

1. Plan an Efficient Layout

When it comes to small condo designs, it is important to maximize space by ensuring that all decorations and furnishings are placed in the most optimum location. An efficient kitchen layout will not only make cooking and preparing meals more comfortable but also provide a visually appealing space that enhances the overall look of your home.  

Take the time to measure your space and consider the placement of your appliances, cabinets, and countertops when choosing your kitchen layout. There are three common layouts for kitchens: U-shaped, L-shaped, and galley. 

U-shaped kitchens have countertops and cabinets flushed against three walls and an island in the middle, it provides maximum storage and counter space but can make a small kitchen feel cramped. 

L-shaped kitchens feature a countertop built against one wall and extended perpendicularly from one end to form an ‘L’ shape. It is an open-plan design that offers greater versatility, but may not provide enough work surfaces. 

Galley kitchens are most commonly seen in Singapore, with two rows of cabinets built facing each other, creating a galley between them. This is a layout that provides lots of storage and countertop space but could limit movement. 

Consider what you want to accomplish in your kitchen, what appliances you’ll be installing, how much movement space you need, and your workflow when deciding on the layout.

Additionally, think about the work triangle, which is an imaginary line that connects your stove, sink, and refrigerator. These three spots should form a triangle, with each side of the triangle measuring between 1.2 meters and 2.7 meters. This helps ensure working efficiency and ample movement space without compromising safety.

2. Utilize Vertical Space

Vertical space refers to the unused space above our heads. Instead of having all your kitchen cabinets and installing your cooking appliances close to the ground, consider using your wall space by building upwards. This approach enables you to utilize the same floor area for multiple purposes.

Here are some ideas you can tap on:

• Wall-mounted shelves and cabinets: Install them above your countertop or sinks to store crockery or other kitchen items.
• Overhead racks: They are a great way to store pots, pans, and other small cooking equipment above the stove, freeing up valuable countertops or storage space.
• Magnetic strips: They offer a convenient way to store knives, scissors, and other metal tools on your walls while keeping them within reach.

3. Prioritize Functionality

If you don’t have the luxury of space to build a huge, beautiful cooking area full of everything you look for in a kitchen, then focus on incorporating the essentials that you’ll use. Functionality is most important and it not only looks great but also meets your needs. 

Before you start building your kitchen, think about what you need the kitchen for. Do you need more counter surfaces for food preparation, additional storage units, or better lighting for increased safety? This will determine what you use your space for. It is pointless to build more cabinets if storage is not your top priority. 

Then, consider the appliances and tools you’ll need, removing anything unnecessary that would only take up too much precious space. Elements that add visual interest to your kitchen but do not contribute to practicality can be taken out and replaced with more useful features. 

To save space, you can also look for appliances that can perform multiple functions. For example, an all-in-one pressure cooker can eliminate the need for an additional food steamer and air fryer.

4. Multi-Functional Furniture / Customize Kitchen Cabinetry

Source: Homes and Gardens

Don’t have enough space to store all your cooking equipment? Luckily, there are many creative solutions to maximize your kitchen space, such as using multi-functional furniture and customizing kitchen cabinetry. 

Multi-functional furniture is pieces that serve more than one purpose. For instance, a sideboard that can double as a countertop and as a storage unit in your dining room to free up space in your kitchen, or an island with built-in appliances such as a stove, or a sink and dishwasher. By incorporating multi-functional furniture in the kitchen, or using furniture in other parts of the home to store your cooking tools, you can make the most of your available space.

Alternatively, you can customize kitchen cabinets to fit your organizational needs. They offer a tailored solution that fits the specific dimensions of your kitchen, making use of every available inch of space. For example, customizing pull-out pantry cabinets or narrow shelving units to optimize leftover wall space, or build drawers and shelves with dividers, organizers, or racks designed to accommodate your specific kitchen items, such as cutlery, baking equipment, or pots and pans.

5. Get Creative with Storage

Source: Homes and Gardens

Most traditional kitchens in Singapore are fitted with typical cabinets. While they allow you to organize your equipment properly, they may not be the easiest to use. Rather than opting for these kitchen cabinets, you can play around with different storage options. Here are some ideas:

• Build corner cabinets with built-in lazy susans, pull-out shelves, or swing-out racks to fully utilize your space while ensuring that items can be retrieved easily. 
• Install hooks or racks on the inside of cabinet doors to store items such as cutting boards, baking sheets, cling wraps, and spices.
• Use a rolling cart or get a dining table with built-in storage space to organize frequently used items like cutleries and dipping sauces. 

Source: Elle Decor

Don’t want your small condo design to look cramped and cluttered? There are effective ways to make your kitchen appear more spacious. By employing certain techniques, you can draw your vision upwards and outwards, tricking the eye into thinking that your small kitchen is larger than it is without compromising functionality. Here are some condo interior design ideas to create the illusion of a bigger kitchen:

• Use light colors that can reflect more light, such as white, cream, and pastels, to make your kitchen feel more open and airy. 
• Add mirrors to reflect light and add depth. This can create the illusion of a bigger space.
• Choose sleek and compact appliances that fit seamlessly into your kitchen.
• Design open shelving options to make the space look less cluttered and more spacious

Learn More: 5 Space-Saving Renovation Ideas For Small Condos

Designing a small condo kitchen to make it fully functional and safe requires a lot of careful planning. By following these above steps, you can make the most of your limited space and achieve the dream kitchen you’ve always wanted.

Need help with your condo interior design? Fineline Design is an interior design company in Singapore that specializes in interior renovation and design conceptualization. Contact us today to design the home of your dreams.