HR-071716-BP1-2

Kitchen renovation is a common theme of home improvement shows, and it’s typical for the host and designer to talk about removing interior walls and “bumping out” exterior ones in order to gain more space. Everyone wants a big, beautiful kitchen, but changing the footprint of yours isn’t always practical, especially if you lack the budget of a home improvement show!

You can make your snug kitchen feel bigger and fresher with a few smart improvements that don’t involve wads of cash and tearing out walls. Here are a few ways to create a brighter, more expansive feeling in any kitchen, no matter how small the square footage:

Increase natural light

Advertisement

Everything looks bigger and better in the daylight, but if your kitchen has just one small window over the sink or no windows at all, it can look dark and feel even smaller. Adding windows isn’t always possible in a kitchen where you need to reserve wall space for cabinets and appliances. Skylights can be a cost-effective and quick way to bring more natural light into a kitchen — even if it doesn’t have direct roof access.

HR-071716-BP1-1

By adding Energy Star-qualified, solar-powered, fresh-air skylights, like those from Velux America, you can greatly increase the amount of natural light while keeping functional wall space. To learn more, visit whyskylights.com.

Take control of cabinets

Who doesn’t want more cabinet space? Storage is essential in a kitchen, but too many cabinets or too dark cabinetry can make an already small kitchen feel downright miniscule.

Advertisement

Take a long, hard look at your kitchen cabinets. Do you really need all of them? If you decide you can make more efficient use of fewer cabinets, consider removing some to make the kitchen feel larger.

If you just can’t give up any cabinet space, you can still make your kitchen feel brighter by painting or staining them a lighter hue and using bright, reflective hardware in modern styles. Glass cabinet doors also can visually open up a kitchen — and inspire you to greater organization so that the inside of your cabinets always look guest-ready.

Right-size appliances

You may fantasize about a six-burner professional range or a massive built-in refrigerator, but appliances that are too big for a room fail on multiple levels. They not only make the room look smaller by virtue of their dominating size, they can hinder usability by obstructing other work areas like cabinets, counters and other appliances when the doors are open.

Advertisement

Fortunately, appliance makers offer products in multiple sizes and finishes to fit any space and design preference. Before you appliance shop, be sure to measure the spaces where