Hayburn & Co.’s 5 Golden Rules For Creating A Small Kitchen

The key to a making a small kitchen work well is sufficient storage and
careful planning, based on how you use the space day-to-day.?Here are the
golden rules to follow when designing a small kitchen.

Be meticulous in your planning.

How much space will you need for tableware? How wide are your largest dinner plates? Your cupboards will need to be at least that depth. Do you have a lot of cookware? Is baking a priority for you? Allocate absolutely everything a space before you begin and consider placement. Keep everyday crockery and cutlery near your dining area and dishwasher for easy use, and look to wall-mounted utensils and knives near your cooker hob. The Hampton style kitchen from Hayburn & Co. seen above and below, is known for its spacious and grand proportions, which can also work well in smaller, more modest homes.

Keep appliances hidden.

In a small kitchen, keeping lines clean is crucial. Hide any white goods, such as refrigerators and dishwashers, behind the kitchen joinery. The less a kitchen is broken up the bigger it will seem. Above is a perfect example, with only the oven and grill on display, from Hayburn & Co.’s The Hampton Collection, which features oak veneered carcass and polished chrome hardware.

Consider your cupboard internals.

Give every item a home and tailor the inside of each cupboard to suit its contents. Deep saucepan drawers are ideal for storage of pots and pans. Dividers in a cupboard are a great way to store baking trays and chopping boards, they will all be visible and it will be much easier than stacking them. Consider tiered shelving, so all your food items will be on display and easily accessible. Installing a spice rack on the inside of a cupboard door frees up space makes them easy to reach.

Cupboard space is not always king.

Make sure a corner cupboard is functional as it’s likely going to be the largest space you have in a kitchen. However, elsewhere cupboards needn’t be large. If they are too big, you may spend forever searching for items and will be more likely to ‘double buy’ because you’re not sure what you already own. This goes for pots and pans, as well as food. Use smaller units, and store items you don’t use everyday, like large saucepans, slowcookers and serving dishes, out of the way in a nearby pantry, utility room or under the stairs.

Keep surfaces clear.

You’ll need to save as much space as you can for cooking prep. This means giving small electrical items like toasters and mixers a home in the cupboard, where easily accessible electrical sockets can live. This way, you won’t need to untangle unsightly wires. Breakfast larders are ideal for food and crockery storage, or if you are a keen baker then a larder is the perfect place to store baking ingredients, bowls, utensils and a mixer. The easier they are to access, the greater your chance of using them. Finally, a boiling water tap will remove the need for a kettle and free up valuable worktop space. With minimal clutter, eyes can be drawn to paint colours, worktop materials and the elegant handles that come in multiple choices in The Hampton kitchen, pictured above.

Hayburn & Co. are based in Ballymena, Co. Antrim and offer an array of luxury joinery services, from custom kitchen and bathroom cabinets to deluxe home packages. For more design tips, visit Hayburn.com or call 0044?845 371 2420 and make an appointment with one of their experienced designers at the newly relaunched showroom.

Follow @hayburnco on Instagram for daily inspiration and look to Hayburn & Co.‘s Pinterest for more visual ideas.