Small kitchen cabinets

WHAT SIZE CAN BE CALLED SMALL KITCHEN  CABINETS?

Even a small kitchen cabinet can appear spacious, airy, and bright. For orientation – for a standard kitchenette with a width of 330 cm, at least six square meters of space must be available. That’s about the size of a townhouse kitchen. Anything below that is considered the small kitchen cabinets.

But don’t worry – a small kitchen cabinet suitable for everyday use can be created in just three to four square meters if it is cleverly planned and responds to the needs of its users. A family in the big city will undoubtedly have different requirements for a small kitchen than a single person in a student apartment.

The smallest possible form of a kitchen unit is a so-called mini kitchen. These small kitchens are reduced to the absolute essentials and are mainly found in student apartments and holiday homes; they also serve as mini kitchenettes in shops or as tea kitchens in offices.

PARTICULAR CHALLENGES WHEN PLANNING SMALL KITCHEN CABINETS

The biggest challenge when space is limited is to create enough storage space, floor space, and workspace. At the same time, the comfort in the small kitchen should not be neglected; good ergonomics should be given, and, ideally, a dining area should not be missing. However, spatial conditions such as a sloping roof make planning even more difficult.

 Challenges that arise when planning the small kitchen cabinets:

• Make everyday kitchen work manageable in a small space
• Enable ergonomic work
• Create storage space
• Keep order
• Create workspace
• Integrate kitchen appliances and washing machine
• Harmonize small kitchen and sloping roof
• Accommodate dining area

Planning small kitchens requires a lot of skill and knowledge. To make the best use of the small space, it is best to consult with our kitchen expert. They know the tricks and tips on using every corner sensibly, know which kitchen appliances are suitable, and make sure that the small kitchen also looks beautiful.

You should be clear about the following points before actually planning the kitchen cabinets in a small space:

• What kitchen appliances are needed, and which would be a desirable addition?
• Is a dining area necessary?
• Is the kitchen solution permanent, or do you want to move the kitchen cabinets?
• What should be accommodated in the kitchen?

PRACTICAL PLANNING TIPS FOR THE SMALL KITCHEN CABINETS

The smaller kitchen, the better it needs to be planned and organized.

When planning your small kitchen cabinets, you should pay attention to the following:

• If possible, use the whole room height for more storage space and possibly choose extra deep kitchen furniture and corner cabinets.
• Think about multifunctionality: the cooker and sink can be covered and used as a work surface.
• Extractor hoods, such as the classic chimney hood, can also be used as storage space.
• Consider a work surface of at least 60 cm.
• Good lighting makes work easier and makes the small kitchen appear larger.
• Think of the ergonomic triangle because it is not easy to ensure a smooth workflow, especially when only a few square meters.
• Choose space-saving built-in appliances. Many kitchen appliances come in compact designs.

A WASHING MACHINE ALSO FITS IN THE SMALL KITCHEN CABINETS

Place the washing machine in the bathroom, utility room, or basement laundry room. If this is not possible, you lose valuable storage space in the kitchen. The washing machine must be close to the sink for the water connection, limiting the planning options.

IMPORTANT: Due to the vibrations during the spin cycle, the washing machine must not be placed directly next to other kitchen appliances, such as the refrigerator, as these appliances could be damaged.

If there is only room for the washing machine in the kitchen, the following solutions are possible:

• Integration in an empty niche between two base units under the worktop
• Placing in a niche with roller shutters
• Built-in washing machine

Be sure to maintain the uniform look of the kitchen front and make the washing machine virtually invisible. However, the choice of built-in washing machines is limited and more expensive.

ISLAND IN THE SMALL KITCHEN CABINETS – IS THAT POSSIBLE?

The open room concept is the trend in new buildings. A small kitchen is integrated into the living-dining area.

The kitchenette can be supplemented by a cooking island, maybe even a counter. This planning variant is ideal for families with children. The first thing you should think about is how much of your kitchen you want to see.

Alternatively, the kitchen can also be completely hidden behind cupboard doors. If you choose the fronts at least to match the materials and colors of the living space, the visual unity of the living space is retained.

SMALL KITCHEN CABINETS WITH SLOPING CEILINGS – A SOLVABLE PROBLEM

Anyone who has a small kitchen with a sloping ceiling faces special challenges. Because of the slopes, the usable area is smaller. Standard kitchen cabinets do not fit, and continuous wall cupboards are impossible. Water vapor also condenses faster on sloping walls.

Possible solutions for small kitchens cabinets with sloping ceilings:

• If possible, place the hob on a straight interior wall (headroom and freedom of movement when cooking)
• Particularly deep base cabinets (80 cm) as a replacement for wall cabinets
• An extra-deep worktop, i.e., more than 60 cm, to compensate for the low height at the rear (additional storage space). But be careful: There should be a distance of at least 120 cm between the kitchen unit and the opposite wall.

PLAN A SMALL KITCHEN CABINET WITH A DINING AREA

It can be practical and simply necessary to set up a dining area in a small kitchen. If only a few people drink coffee here in the morning, a dainty bistro table is enough. It becomes more complicated if there is enough space for a family with one or more children. The dining area has to be able to withstand a lot and should offer everyone a comfortable space. At the same time, it must be ensured that it does not disrupt the workflow in the kitchen.

Ideas for a dining area in the small kitchen cabinets:

• Kitchen countertops as counter or bar
• Square or oval add-on tables with a support leg as an extension or at right angles to the worktop
• Pivoting and rotating counters
• Folding tables for wall mounting
• Bistro counter
• Extendable tabletops (models with folding feet offer more stability)

The following are available as seating in the small kitchen cabinets:

• Folding chairs that can be easily folded up to save space
• Seating on a low base cabinet with cushions
• Stools that disappear under a small dining table to save space

CONCLUSION: PLANNING A SMALL KITCHEN CABINET IS A SPECIAL CHALLENGE

Because a lot of function has to be accommodated in a small space, the planning effort for an individually planned small kitchen is relatively great. Kitchen solutions for small kitchens are therefore considered the masterpieces of the kitchen planner. They can create optimum storage space and worktops with clever planning ideas and even room for a cooking island, washing machine, or dining area.