eg: UK or Brides UK or Classical Art or Buy Music or Spirituality
 
eg: UK or Brides UK or Classical Art or Buy Music or Spirituality
 

Your Online Guide » Quality Home Improvement » Kitchen Home Improvement

[D118]Decorating Tips For Small
by Lee Dobbins, Lee
When redecorating a small or compact kitchen it can be quite a challenge as not only do you want to maximize the space you have available, but you also want the kitchen to live up to its full potential. The real key to making this work is to simplify as much as possible and hopefully the list below will help.

1. Only use smooth lines and simple patterns as they will help to create the illusion of space in the kitchen.

2. If at all possible align the appliances flush with cabinets so that you have one continuous unbroken surface and reduce the number of visual elements in the room by using simple cabinet styles. With the wall cabinets you have fixed higher up then why not replace the plain doors with glass fronted ones or do not have any doors at all. This can help to reduce the feeling of being boxed in that solid wood causes.

3. When choosing a colour scheme go for something in a neutral or pastel tone and limit the number of colours and patterns that you use in the decorating. Where at all possible keep the colour of the cabinets, walls and floors similar as this also helps create the illusion of space in such small areas. Use bolder colours only as accents in the room say as the handles on the cabinets.

4. Also if at all possible make sure that you have shiny work surfaces and diagonal patterns on the floor as these also create an illusion of space.

5. Remove all clutter. Do not place anything on the surface of your refrigerator. With some kitchen companies they can make panels to match cabinet doors for your refrigerator which will make it almost disappear. If you want to display items then place them on top of cupboards rather than on the counter tops. Any small appliances, recipe boxes and spices should be placed inside cabinets.

6. To expand the volume of the room further using light and windows. Certainly a kitchen full of light is more appealing and easy to work in. Expand this further if at all possible by placing either opposite or close to the window in question a mirror which will help to reflect more light in to the room.

As you can see just a few simple changes will soon help to make your small kitchen look bigger and brighter and thus more welcoming to the user.

One area of a kitchen that rarely gets used is the space between the cabinets and the ceiling. To create some visual interest and display lightweight items, you can make a little plate shelf from a piece of floor or ceiling molding. Paint it the same color as the walls so the items you put on top will really stand out. I chose a set of goblets and wine glasses in pewter. I added some plates in warm tones ? again all from the same pattern ? and clusters of grapes. That builds a pattern with certain types of things repeated around the kitchen in random groupings; it also keeps the plate shelf from looking too heavy and cluttered.

A small kitchen almost requires you to exhibit some things that you might normally keep in cupboards. One great way to do that is with a pot rack. You may have a hard time finding one that's not too big, so look in some non-traditional places. I adapted an old wrought-iron bench, attaching it to the ceiling with molly bolts in place of the original screws that held the seat in place. These old iron benches can be pretty ornate, which actually comes in handy. I ran two large copper pipes through the structure and fashioned some ?s? hooks out of smaller copper pipe to hang my cookware. You'll be surprised how good your everyday pots and pans will look hanging from the ceiling, and you'll save cabinet space too.

Unless you only stand about four feet tall, you're going to want something underneath the pot rack. Otherwise you'll be bumping your head ? a lot. I was able to find a small table. A chopping block would be nice, but any kind of small table will work. Put wheels on it if you want to move it around. My table has a few drawers for napkins and a shelf down beneath that's great for housing mixing bowls.

Another space saver is a shelf unit. Look for one that takes up as little floor space as possible. I found one that only covers six by eight inches of floor area, but it's nice and tall. You can dress a really plain one up by adding decorative molding to the front edges. Line it up along the edge and point the molding toward the center. Then paint it to match the walls. If you don't have a miter saw to make corners, some lumberyards will do it for a small fee.

Don't forget the space alongside your refrigerator. Just mount a simple hook or two and you have a great place to hang those serving trays that you only use occasionally.

Sometimes what you don't have out is every bit as important as what you do. When we were first married, my husband believed that everything he used regularly should be left out - the toaster and other smaller appliances. I disagreed, so to show my point, everything I used in the kitchen that day I left out. Of course, it didn't take long for my house to look completely trashed. Since then we've put our small appliances away between uses . . . most of them, anyway.

Article Source : Pg. 18

About Author
Both Lee Dobbins & Karin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Lee Dobbins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Diamonds and Install Flooring. Lee Dobbins writes for where you can get more great. Lee Dobbins's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.

Karin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Wedding Theme, Kitchen Home Improvement. Karin Koch is a freelance writer specializing in home decorating and wedding planning. Some of her work can be found at:http://www.decor24.comhttp://www.weddingfavordiscount.com. Karin's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
EditorialToday Quality Home Improvement has 8 sub sections. Such as Home Accessories, Pest Control Guide, Ideas for Bathrooms, Teak How to, Renovation Guide, Remodeling How to, Flooring and Home Improvement Guide. With over 20,000 authors and writers, we are a well known online resource and editorial services site in United Kingdom, Canada & America . Here, we cover all the major topics from self help guide to A Guide to Business, Guide to Finance, Ideas for Marketing, Legal Guide, Lettre De Motivation, Guide to Insurance, Guide to Health, Guide to Medical, Military Service, Guide to Women, Pet Guide, Politics and Policy , Guide to Technology, The Travel Guide, Information on Cars, Entertainment Guide, Family Guide to, Hobbies and Interests, Quality Home Improvement, Arts & Humanities and many more.
About Editorial Today | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Submit an Article | Our Authors