Four Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Feel Larger

Whether you live in a large single-family home, a duplex, a townhouse or a garden condominium, the kitchen is likely to be the “nerve center” of your home.

Family gatherings, holiday parties or get-togethers with friends almost invariably end up with a group of people congregating in the kitchen. And regardless of the size of your kitchen, it doesn’t take a large crowd to make it feel cramped.

With the holidays looming, you may well be interested in quick and easy steps you can take to make your kitchen feel more spacious. If so, consider the following ideas:

Remove that Clutter

The first, easiest and by far least expensive step you can take to make your kitchen feel larger is to get rid of clutter. For many people, kitchens seem to attract clutter more than any other room in their home.

Taking something of a minimalist approach to everything in your kitchen can do wonders to give it a larger feel. Start with cabinets and drawers, going through each and packing items you rarely use or haven’t used in months or years. If your counters have become permanent parking spots for bread machines, air friers, cannister sets for flour and other baking items, a knife block and other cooking/baking related items, consider finding new storage spaces for them. Many of these can be stored in cabinets, a pantry, or a basement storage area, keeping them out of sight but readily available when they’re needed.

Also, consider removing some wall art from your kitchen, especially if you have a large number of photos, decorative items, key ring racks and other items on your walls. Open walls create an open feeling.

Brighten those Dark Cabinets

Dark cabinets and drawers absorb light, which makes your kitchen darker, creating a more cramped feel. Replacing those dark cabinets and drawers can be a lengthy project that can easily cost thousands of dollars. A faster and easier approach is to repaint the cabinets and drawers using a brilliant white or even a light cream color. You’ll want to remove the doors and drawers from the cabinets, taking the facings off the drawers – which in most cases requires only a screwdriver or two. You may also choose to use an electric drill with the appropriate bits.

Remember, you may have to use a primer coat to cover the original dark finish before repainting. It’s also a good idea to bring a drawer facing to your local paint store or home improvement center to get specific advice from a painting professional on which primer, paints and brushes to use.

Also, you don’t generally need to repaint the insides of your drawers and cabinets, making the job much less complex.

Finally, with the doors and drawers removed, consider installing new pulls and handles on them. Using simple, minimalist, white or brushed nickel pulls cleans up their look.

Make it Bright

A bright, well-lit kitchen feels larger and more open, and is also a better environment for preparing food. Making your kitchen brighter can be as simple as replacing the bulbs in your lights with brighter LED lights. They produce a somewhat sharper, harsher light than many traditional bulbs, but there is no denying the effect they have on the feel of the kitchen. They also use less electricity than traditional lights.

You may also want to consider installing new light fixtures. Dark fixtures create a heavy feel, while bright white, silver or polished nickel fixtures have the opposite effect.

Consider Brighter Window Treatments

Outside light can have a positive effect on the feel of any room, kitchens included. Kitchens that have several windows or a sliding glass door leading to a patio or deck offer you the opportunity to let more light into your kitchen. Just as important, the right window and door treatments can even brighten and open up your kitchen in the evening, when no sunlight is streaming into your kitchen.

By choosing light, white, or off-white blinds, shutters or shades. As with light-colored cabinets, drawers and paint, these window treatments will reflect light throughout the kitchen and create an open feeling. Our staff will help you evaluate your kitchen and guide you in choosing the treatments that will have the greatest impact on your kitchen. With hundreds of options readily available, we’ll find those that are best suited to your situation.

Contact the Professionals at Victor Shade

When it comes to updating your window treatments and installing motorized custom shades or blinds, it’s important to work with experienced professionals who are committed to ensuring you will get the right product, the outstanding look, the best possible system, and a clean, precisely functioning installation.

Victor Shade Company has been providing exceptional service to customers for 115 years. We’re here to show you your options, help you choose the right window treatments, and install high-quality products for you perfectly, every time. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation or visit our showroom to see full-sized products and operate lift systems.