20 Small Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid

Your Small Kitchen Isn’t the Problem - These 20 Mistakes Are.

When you think of a small kitchen, most likely, one of two images comes to mind. Either you’re thinking of a tiny but cozy kitchen, or a cramped and cluttered one!

To be fair, it’s pretty easy to make small kitchen design mistakes, so today I’ll be sharing some of my tips and tricks to help you make the most out of even the smallest of spaces. After all, both my kitchens are tiny, so I have had to get (very) creative to make them work for us.

There’s a lot to consider, from the aesthetic you’re after to things like kitchen electrical requirements (avoid these decorating mistakes). Every detail matters, from the kitchen island you select to the appliances you use, in a small kitchen. To be honest, I’ve made many mistakes over the years, but that’s how I learned what works and what doesn’t. Let my tears be your wins.

Whether you’re designing a brand new kitchen or trying to turn your current one into your dream kitchen, this is the guide for you.

Small Kitchen Design Mistakes: The Unoptimized Kitchen Layout

At first, you might think that the overall lack of kitchen space is the main obstacle with smaller kitchens, but that hasn’t really been the case for me. The issue I’ve found isn’t the space itself. Rather, it’s how limited your movement is.

Most common kitchen layout errors leave you cramped, bumping into things, struggling to multitask effectively, and making cooking a pain. You really want to organize the area around your cooking workflow, arranging things in the right order so you can move from step to step without going back and forth. Some great flow options for common kitchen layouts that work well are:

Using upper cabinets and other vertical storage space is often a great idea in small kitchens. I love open shelving, but if you have to sacrifice storage for form, this is often a good option. Make sure to take advantage of any other surfaces, such as granite countertops for kitchen spaces, when planning as well.

By purposely organizing your setup around the surfaces and shape of your kitchen, you can easily avoid a lot of the most common small kitchen design mistakes.

Some Specific Recommendations

Focus on the “kitchen work triangle” when organizing your area. Basically, the idea behind this triangle is to create a space where you can easily access everything while leaving enough room to avoid a cramped or congested work area.

This triangle consists of three parts: the sink, the stove, and your fridge. To make the perfect kitchen, you’ll need enough counter space for painless prep, preferably within a few steps of the oven.

Prioritizing Appliance Aesthetics

Another one of the small kitchen design mistakes that’s easy to make is prioritizing aesthetic choices over everything else. True, you do want your kitchen remodel or redesign to look nice, but it’s counterproductive if you don’t end up with a truly functional space.

I recommend taking full advantage of your kitchen island, if you have one. You can place small, fancy appliances like a toaster in this area, and you can really go all out on the aesthetics here (since they won’t be taking up valuable floor space).

Not Taking Advantage of Vertical Storage Solutions

Most small kitchen design mistakes are some form of needlessly taking up walking space, and improper storage solutions are no different. Horizontal storage might work fine in larger kitchens, but you generally want to avoid it if you don’t have much space to work with.

Neglecting Your Lighting & Ventilation

When it comes to safety, lighting, and proper ventilation are both things that you’ll need to pay attention to. Beyond alleviating safety concerns, they also greatly improve the comfort and functionality of your kitchen. Being able to see what you’re cooking is kind of a must. Not overheating while you’re doing it is even better.

Ending up with poor lighting is one of the easier mistakes to make in a small kitchen remodel. Fortunately, it’s also relatively easy to fix! As with any other room in the house, your best bet is to use a mix of lighting types throughout the room. Use

Don’t forget to take advantage of any natural light you may have as well. For ventilation, you’ll need to find a system that fits your current setup. Ducted range hoods are ideal for gas stoves, though recirculating hoods, which filter the air rather than venting it, will also work if you can’t install an exterior vent. It’s also worth noting that exhaust fans are especially effective in smaller kitchens. We had to sort this out at the cabin.

Going Too Heavy on Dark Colors & Contrast

Most people don’t want their kitchen to feel dark, heavy, or small. In general, a bright, well-lit kitchen is preferred, so the dominant colors in most kitchens are usually lighter. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use darker colors (I mean, I painted my entire kitchen black), but the key is to avoid overdoing it. You can break up dark colors by d

Whatever you decide to go with, just aim for consistency and moderation throughout the space for a seamless look. The darker, contrasting spots should complement and accent the surrounding areas, not overwhelm them. I recommend checking out the latest trends if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration. I’ve found great options for everything from bar stools and backsplashes to

Ignoring Potential Accessibility Issues

Not every home has a member who struggles with accessibility issues. Still, even if you’re not held to ADA standards, it’s a good idea to make sure you have enough room to make your kitchen accessible to all of your potential guests.

Also, avoid using deep drawers if you can help it. These can be hard to use, especially if they’re up high and barely within reach. Ensuring easy access to everything is an important part of designing a good kitchen workflow, even if it’s technically not a safety issue.

What I Did, and What I’d Do Differently

I’ve learned what not to do in a small kitchen from trial and error. In the past, I’ve approached my initial kitchen design from quite a few different angles. The most misleading approach I think I’ve tried, though, was attempting to design the room around the appliances I wanted, rather than the other way around.

Kitchen Electrical Requirements: What You Need to Know

These days, I have a general idea of what appliances I’d like before I get started, but I don’t actually purchase anything until after I’ve blueprinted and completed the room itself. This lets me retake measurements, substitute things as needed, and still get the result I want. Simply put, pair your appliances with your space, not the other way around.

Final Thoughts

Small kitchen design mistakes are easy to make, but they’re also easy to avoid if you know what to look out for. I had to learn these over the years, with lots of remodels, redesigns, and revamps to show for it. I love what I do, but the learning process does take a bit of time. Thankfully, if you’ve made it this far, you should be able to avoid most of these with ease.