I’ve come to really love our kitchen, and while I could make a long list of reasons why, I’ve narrowed it down to three key factors that make it great, despite it’s small size. If you live in a small space and are looking for small kitchen ideas that will make it feel more spacious and look stylish, while being functional, then keep on reading. And if you’re not, but you’re curious what my kitchen looks like, then keep on reading as well. haha
Before we get into it, I want you to know that when I say our ‘kitchen’ that I’m referring to both the literal kitchen that is against one wall (plus the island which is key for storage), and also what is really our ‘den’ – ya, you read that right. Our den only has two walls, and as odd as that sounds, it’s what drew us to this particular unit in the first place. Every other one bedroom plus den condo we looked at felt so constricted and tiny – the fact that this one had a den with only two walls opened the space up and made it feel a lot bigger. Knowing that, let’s get into my three small kitchen ideas to create a space that’s both functional and stylish:
1. Our kitchen table and chairs.
They’re the EIFFEL table and chairs from Structube and I love this set because of it’s affordable price tag, that the table is round, and that it fits four chairs – which means Klay and I can have friends over and actually sit at the table. 😉 Not having sharp edges to worry about when walking around such a small space is key! We decided to put our table in ‘the den’ to extend our kitchen and have a place to entertain and eat meals together – I couldn’t think of a better use of this space.
2. Our elegant wall unit
Maybe one of my favourite things in our condo – this wall unit is amazing! It’s the PAX wardrobe from Ikea with an older version of the BERGSBO doors, plus crystal knobs from Lee Valley to give it a more Parisian vibe. Sure, this wall unit takes up a lot of space in the den but I wouldn’t change it for anything.
It gives our condo extra that wow-factor when you walk in. I say this because I’ve noticed that when people come into our condo, the wall unit grabs their attention, and immediately after their gaze is lead to it, they turn to me and say “your place is so beautiful!” – Coincidence? I think not.
In terms of functionality the wall unit has been key to living in a small space, and something you should seriously consider adding to your space if you’re on the hunt for small kitchen ideas. Not only does it act as extra storage for our kitchen: think special occasion dinnerware, kitchen gadgets, etc. – but it also to acts as extra closet space (my clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories are very, very grateful).
3. The color of our kitchen.
I didn’t fully realize how much of an impact a few coats of paint could have on a home until we decided to paint our kitchen cabinets from dark brown to airy white.
Some people love the dark brown, and I get it, but it’s not really my style; so naturally I wanted to change things up. Klay and I set out on a mission figure out how to get rid of the brown. While we looked into getting new cabinet doors, we quickly realized how pricey that option was and we decided to look for alternatives.
We both had our reservations about painting our kitchen cabinets. Would it look good or would we create a disaster and have to buy new cabinet doors after all? Should we hire someone to paint them or do it ourselves?
After going to Home Depot and chatting with a nice guy in the paint department we decided to paint the kitchen cabinets ourselves.
We debated a few different colour options, and while a soft pale blue almost won, we decided on Chantilly Lace white to match our walls – we figured this would help create a cohesive look and make the whole condo feel bigger. While I loved the blue, I think it would look better in a larger kitchen, one closer to a window, or with white marble counters.
A tip for painting your kitchen cabinets yourself: make sure you get the right kind of paint and primer. It’s different paint than what you’d use on your walls, and while you may be tempted to skip the primer, don’t – it will be less likely to chip with it. Whenever you’re shopping for your paint, make sure you let the sales associate know what your cabinets are made of and they’ll help you find the right paint.
Did it take us awhile to paint everything from dark brown to airy white? Yes, yes it did, but we made a few date nights (and days) out of it and are so happy with the results. Our place not only looks bigger and brighter but it feels that way too! It’s amazing how small details have a huge impact on how our condo looks, and how you feel when we’re in it.
BEFORE
AFTER
My Decor | Small Kitchen Ideas
Structube Table & Chairs |White Keurig | Ikea PAX Wardrobe, with Lee Valley Crystal Knobs | Chapters-Indigo Martini Glasses & Decanter ( similar here // I also love this set of pink martini glasses) | H&M Home Gold Tray | Home Depot Brass Wall Plates for light switches| H&M coffee pod holder (It’s actually an egg stand, but works perfectly for coffee pods. Tiny details right?! haha) | Tim Hortons Coffee box of 80 pods, box of 30 pods| Superstore Cheers & Drink Glasses (same cheers glass here, and plastic version here / similar here) | Superstore mugs with black handles | Chapters Indigo set of four quote mugs | H&M Round Gold Vase (similar here and here / also love these vases) | HomeSense Wall Picture
What I’m Wearing
(click to shop)
Dynamite White Linen Pants
Gold Chain Necklace, via A Side Of Style Shop
Old Navy Chambray Shirt
Dynamite Crochet Knit Tank Top
Kate Spade Gold Knot Bangle
I’d love to hear from YOU!
Has this post given you any small kitchen ideas for your own space? What colour is your dream kitchen? What are some of your small space living space hacks? Let me know in the comment section below so we can chat!
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LOVE the changes you made to brighten up the space
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Thank you so much Shianne!! It feels a lot bigger now which is so great because it’s a small space. 🙂
Hi Victoria,
I was just lamenting about tough decisions in home decorating on my blog, but I love what you did with your kitchen reno here!