Home Advice: You Can Make a Narrow Kitchen Comfy

If you have a narrow kitchen, you’ll know that it can be quite challenging to spend time in there, especially when you’re cooking.

There isn’t much room for manoeuvre, and the clutter can build up quickly, but it doesn’t have to be like that. There are a number of things you can do to make a narrow kitchen a lot comfier. Here are some of them:

Invest in Shelving

If your kitchen is narrow, then good storage solutions are of the utmost importance, and on the wall shelving is the best way to store your stuff because it will minimize the amount of space used for storage and maximise the amount of room you have to move around. Literally, use every inch of wall space there is for storage, and you’ll immediately feel a lot freer in your kitchen.

Choose Multifunctional Pieces

When it comes to furniture, your narrow kitchen will thank you for choosing multifunctional pieces like counters that have built in storage and shelving that can be folded down and used as a table or breakfast bar.

Keep the Counters Clear

It’s amazing how much difference keeping your counters clear will make to the way you feel in your kitchen. It might not free up all that much moving space, but it will give you a less cluttered look which will make you feel calmer in the kitchen and give you a bit more space for food prep. To achieve clear counters, all you need to do is put your spices, knives, etc. in the drawers and cupboards, taking them out only when you need them.

Install Aluminium Windows

When your kitchen is narrow, it can get pretty hot when you’re cooking because the space is so small and you’re so close to the stove. One thing you can do to stop the kitchen from getting too hot is to install aluminium windows, which will prevent the sun from making the problem worse. They look pretty good and help to make the home more efficient too.

Install an Extractor Fan

If you don’t already have an extractor fan, installing one in your kitchen asap will also help you to keep the kitchen at a more comfortable temperature when you’re cooking.

Use Colour Wisely

There are a number of colours, which when used on the walls will make a room look bigger to the eye. These include light blues, whites, and greens. So, choose a light and airy colour  and use it throughout your kitchen if you want to feel like you have more space without changing much else.

Use the Fridge as Storage

Another great way of minimising the amount of space taken up by storage is to use magnetic jars or paints to store herbs, spices and even cutlery on the surface of the fridge, and if you have metal cupboard doors, on there too. Storing spice jars on the fridge might sound odd, but it actually looks great, and it gives you more storage options, which is never a bad thing.

Do you have a narrow kitchen? What have you done to make it more comfortable for your family?

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This is a contributed article written for WhimMagazine.com