28 small kitchen ideas: the best colours, design solutions and decorating tricks for a compact space

Designing and decorating a small kitchen presents a number of creative challenges. Balancing functionality and personality is difficult enough when there is ample room available to you, but if you're struggling for storage opportunities, or trying to find furniture that won't rob you of floor space, it can be that much more difficult.

The key to designing a small kitchen very much lies in multiple and concerted design tricks, rather than a single solution – the way in which you use colour, the introduction of reflective surfaces to maximise natural light, a consideration of the flow, and how the eye travels around the room.

'A layout designed to your needs and lifestyle will make your space work harder. Clever storage solutions, and thoughtful design will maximise the space efficiency,' says Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr. 'To start, ask yourself what items you really need and use on a daily basis. Clear out those extra baking dishes that are never used and collecting dust, not to mention the dry food that has been lost to the back of the cupboard and is well over its expiry date. Having an organised kitchen brings a sense of calm, and is especially important in a compact kitchen.'

Below we have looked at our favourite kitchen designers and retailers to find the best small kitchen ideas, and included some clever space-saving tricks from experts.

You don't necessarily have to introduce decorative pieces if you want some pattern in a small kitchen. This fabulous central island has been tiled with a cheerful tropical motif, adding colour and pattern to the room without robbing it of valuable space.

Pictured: Crockery and accessories, all George at Asda

If you're a fan of a feature wall or feature colour, but tentative about using too much eye-catching colour in a small space, go for a feature appliance instead. This will afford you a pop of colour without feeling overpowering.

Pictured: Limehouse Kitchen at Neptune

In small kitchens, you'll want to include features that serve multiple purposes. Glass-fronted cabinets in this instance double up as both storage and display. 'Having glass-fronted doors is as good as open shelving when it comes to displaying your prized pieces. They’re also fantastic when accessing everyday essentials allowing you to see what you have and where you’ve put things,' says Tom Howley, Design Director of the eponymous kitchen company.

Pictured: House Beautiful Westbourne Kitchen at Homebase

Small spaces shouldn't necessarily mean paring back your design personality. Fewer pieces and minimal decoration will create a more open environment, but kitchens are often so functional that they require a bit of character to soften them. If you are really stretched for space, adding colour to your surfaces is the best way to achieve this.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Olive & Barr

Dark and cramped corners are sometimes unavoidable, so layering lighting is key. 'Add task lighting through strategically placed wall lights and pendants over the most used areas such as the island and food preparation stations,' says Al.

Pictured: Original BTC Cobb Rise And Fall Pendant at John Lewis

Try using statement features, colours, and patterns below eye level, and keep vertical space clear and clutter-free. This clever use of tiles makes the most of existing surfaces.

Pictured: Soho House Redchurch Street Tile at Bert & May

One for truly compact kitchens. If you can't spare any floor space for a breakfast bar stool or chair, cast your eye around for opportunities for integrated seating. A sweet window seat just needs a spare corner, and the joy here is that you can create extra storage underneath.

Pictured: House Beautiful Bamboo Venetian Blinds at Hillarys

The all-over yellow paint is a clever design trick here. Creating lots of breaks with different bands or blocks of colour can interrupt the eye and natural line of vision, making a room seem smaller.

Pictured: Cabinetry and walls in Haymarket No.47 at Mylands

'Colours can trick the way our brains perceive depth and scale. For those in small-space living, a white kitchen will make your compact lifestyle seem larger and brighter,' says Lizzie Beesley, Head of Design at Magnet. 'According to colour psychology, white also evokes feelings of peacefulness and cleanliness – alleviating the stressful feeling of clutter in a small space.

'If you don’t fancy opting for an all-white, do be careful with contrasting wall and floor colours. The bigger the contrast, the smaller the room feels sense-wise. Hence, it’s best to match light walls with light floors and tiles and then introduce other colours through accessories and hardware.'

Pictured: Winchester Kitchen at Magnet

'Open shelving encourages a tidy space because items are on show,' says Tom. 'It’s a great opportunity to display treasured pottery or copperware instead of hiding them away behind closed doors. Arrange glass jars containing dried goods or exotic spices in size order on an open shelf for a practically stylish pinch of colour. Open shelving helps light flow through and can make a kitchen look bigger. It’s a great kitchen storage alternative if space is at a premium as shelves make smaller spaces feel less cramped.'

Pictured: Laura Jackson Café Flore paint at COAT

As we have said many times, storage is a small kitchen essential. And whilst hidden storage is a great space-saving tool, you can also turn your storage into a design feature in itself. We love this vintage floor-to-ceiling unit from the Used Kitchen Exchange.

Pictured: Pre-loved kitchen at Used Kitchen Exchange

Light flooring will inevitably make a small kitchen feel more expansive, and whilst a bright white floor tile might appear overly clinical in a kitchen, a cream stone or a light laminate will reflect light back into your room just as well.

Pictured: House Beautiful Sensation Candy Cane Painted Laminate at Carpetright

Use wallpaper to draw the eye to your largest expanse of wall, or a source of natural light. 'Creating a feature wall by using some exciting wallpaper or a standout colour can help make the space livelier and help bring the focus of the space to the new wall,' says Vicki Foster, Interior Stylist at SCS.

Pictured: Crane Fonda Wallpaper at Divine Savages

'Colour is incredibly emotive and can change the way we feel – so choosing a bright yellow is sure to make you feel happy spending time in the heart of the home. Not only that, but yellow is a great option for kitchens as it can make rooms feel bigger and brighter and can also make people feel happier and calmer too,' say the experts at GoodMove.

Pictured: Cabinets painted in Woad, and walls painted in Stock, both at Little Greene

Improve the flow of a small kitchen by installing clever sliding doors on castors. 'Sliding doors are a great space-saving design feature, and offer a clever way to contain cooking smells as well as creating a broken-plan kitchen layout,' says Al.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Olive & Barr

Even the smallest of kitchens may need to serve as a home office, but there are clever ways of achieving this without compromising space. A shallow shelf to accommodate a laptop, a breakfast stool that can be tucked away when not in use, and stylish storage boxes to contain clutter is really all you need.

Pictured: Shaker 5 Piece in Sage Green at Wren Kitchens

Don't overlook dark colours in small spaces – they can have a wonderful cocooning effect. 'Contrary to popular belief, dark colours used in a small space can make the room feel larger and welcoming,' says Al. 'Pair with warm neutrals to give balance and warmth.'

Pictured: Walls painted in Windmill Lane, and cabinetry painted in Córdoba, both at Little Greene

Rugs and runners are so infrequently used in the kitchen for fear of ruining them with spills, but they are a great design tool. A narrow runner can highlight the length of a kitchen and direct the eye towards your best source of natural light or some interesting cabinetry.

Pictured: Shaker kitchen at Neptune

Your work surfaces take up considerable space in the kitchen, so don’t waste an opportunity to introduce brightening and light-reflecting finishes. A white marble is a brilliant choice, especially when used in large blocks.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Plain English

A tried-and-tested stylist's trick. Propping your flatter accessories – chopping boards, framed artwork, recipe books – on shelves or work surfaces will add a layer of decoration without taking up counter space.

Pictured: All crockery and accessories at Dunelm

A failsafe solution if your small kitchen can't quite accommodate a dining table, is a breakfast bar. This really can be as easy as installing a shelf as a makeshift table, and bar stools that can be tucked away to save on floor space.

Pictured: Heather Bar Stools at Cult Furniture

'Rather than filling the walls with units, opt for a full-height larder for those everyday items, allowing wall space for open shelving,' says Al. 'Using reclaimed wood shelving adds character and contrast to your brand new kitchen. Use this area to let your personality show through by displaying your favourite glassware or ceramics.'

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen by Olive & Barr

Ceiling drying racks are becoming hugely popular – they are currently the most popular utility room trend on TikTok according to research by Magnet – and they are a great choice for smaller kitchens. Choose a natural wood design so it feels a touch vintage and country-inspired, rather than purely functional.

Pictured: Quinta Marron Tile at Bert & May

For the tiniest of worktops, make sure you leave plenty of vertical space above to create the illusion of a more expansive area. Forgo shelving in little corners like this – the extra storage won't be worth losing any preparation space.

Pictured: Walls painted in Re:mix Normandy Grey at Little Greene

Find opportunities in your kitchen for hidden storage, like a spice rack integrated into your cabinet doors, or a toe-kick drawer in the base of your cabinets. 'Ideally, work surfaces need to be kept as clear as possible for food preparation and effective cleaning. Reserve space for daily necessities such as your coffee machine, kettle and microwave. If you have room, a bi-fold pantry is a fantastic way to hide away these small appliances,' says Tom.

Pictured: Devine Kitchen at Tom Howley

As well as clever design tricks and storage solutions, you can simply introduce nature into your space by integrating aspects of the outdoors – plants are an obvious one, as well as useful herbs like mint or sage.

Pictured: Assorted plants at Plant Envy

Highly reflective gloss tiles are a great way to create a sense of space, so too is bright quartz or a mirrored splashback. Metallic finishes will have the same effect, so opt for a silver finish on your larger appliances – this works brilliantly if you have a full-height double fridge.

Pictured: Hessian Rectangle Zellige Tile at Bert & May

Dark cabinetry is a fabulous choice, and easy to keep clean, just be sure to balance dark with light. 'Lighter wood finishes and paint colours work well to expand the perceived space of your kitchen. Pair light tones with very light-coloured countertops, and your kitchen will look spacious and airy,' says Tom.

Follow House Beautiful on TikTok and Instagram.