Small kitchen blues? Actually, having a small kitchen, or other small living spaces, is in style! You may have heard of the minimalist movement, which is simply to stop collecting and purchasing so much STUFF, and instead only keep or purchase what we really need. Following a minimalist mindset is said to help people be happier, and live a more fulfilled life. That sounds pretty amazing to us.

Here at Facets of Lafayette, we pride ourselves on impeccable and stylish kitchen design in Lafayette, LA, and the minimalist mindset is one we can get behind. Of course, the biggest drawback is if you have a small kitchen, it could lack space to store items. We’d love to share our best practices on how to make the most of your kitchen. As the popular adage says: Less is more.

Consider White

There is no other color that can convey clean and minimalism such as white. If you want to embrace the whole feel of simplicity, white should be your chosen paint color. If that feels a little too bland for you, a recent trend is spot coloring some areas black.

Declutter Your Space

It might not occur to you to take stock of your current kitchen items, but that is absolutely where you should begin. Empty out your drawers, cabinets, and pantries first, as if you were moving. Then, go through item by item, and see if this is something you really need. Since you have a small amount of space, you will want every item in that space to be highly valuable to you. Make three piles: keep, donate, trash. When you come upon an item that you don’t use but holds special meaning, you may want to keep it, but only if it truly means a lot to you. Many times we hold onto items just because they were a gift, and not because we truly want or need it.

Choose Your Gadgets Wisely

One goal is also to have as much counter space clear as possible. However, this can be an understandable challenge when you’re dealing with limited counters. Functionality in your kitchen is still needed so choose which items make the most sense to be out in the open. For example, you may choose your coffee pot and a toaster. Or maybe you’d like to keep your stylish tea pot on the stove.  After you decide which ones are most important, tuck your lesser used ones in cabinets or your pantry.

Floating Shelves

Floating shelves are a trendy and smart way to add extra storage without taking away the aesthetic. Ideas on what to decorate can be both functional (a place for extra plates, cups or other dinnerware) or you can use it for more decor and a splash of colors, such as a vase of flowers.

Simplify Your Back Splash

In a minimalist kitchen, you don’t want to choose a backsplash too bold or contrasting. Subtlety is key here. A great design to fall back on are subway tiles, which can keep the look of your kitchen pristine and clean, without making an overstatement.

Avoid a Kitchen Table

There’s nothing that can ruin your minimizing space as much as a large piece of furniture, such as a kitchen table. Instead, take advantage of your counter space or island and add some simple barstools. It can make your design more elegant while providing a functional space to eat or drink.

Minimize with Us at Facets

There’s nothing more exciting to us than interior design, and how we love to create new kitchen eye-candy. No matter where you are in the design process, we’d love to jump in and make sure your vision comes to life. Stop by to chat with our team or send us a shout here. We look forward to designing with you!