Before you begin a kitchen reno, careful planning is needed to ensure this high traffic area of your home is optimized for space planning, storage and of course, aesthetics! The mix of elements on your “must have” list also need to serve your small space well, both for your day-to-day enjoyment and to ensure high returns should you sell your home.

Here’s our 3 key aspects to consider for your Waterloo kitchen remodel. 

Add a prep space 

Quite often smaller kitchens don’t have room for a full kitchen island but yet are still desperate for more counter space. Adding in a scaled down version of an island such as a floating prep station with storage underneath or having a custom built cover for a sink or stovetop area are great solutions to provide more prep space to smaller kitchen areas. 

Be Storage Minded (inside and out) 

Typically storage is a pretty high priority for many small kitchens and when we do a Waterloo kitchen reno, all of our clients have this very high on their priority list. Often though, it’s not about just adding more cabinets to a space, as a balance of additional storage needs to be offset by design aesthetics. Cabinets are bulky which can weigh down the feeling of spaciousness in a smaller kitchen. 

A first step to achieve more storage with an aesthetic balance is to get super organized inside your existing cabinets by:

• Paring down and donating what you don’t need
• Storing bulky equipment in a basement or garage until needed
• Adding risers inside current storage spaces to double up on space 
• Investing in smart storage solutions to keep food items or small wares better organized 
• Using your vertical space and hanging items such as baskets for food, installing a knife rack or pot rack to keep items accessible but clutter to a minimum

Then consider the following design options for your small kitchen renovation or remodel: 

• Add open shelves make small spaces feel more open and airy
• Add additional pantry sliding shelves or lazy susan solutions to existing cabinets 
• Don’t be afraid of “small” shelves which can be used as decorative and functional features for smaller nooks and areas in your kitchen space 
• Strategically swap out solid cabinet doors with glass panels to make the kitchen space appear bigger  

Get creative with maximizing spaces

Smaller kitchen spaces require some creative thinking! Some creative solutions we like to offer to our Waterloo kitchen renovation clients include: 

• Building out space under windows by adding in lower cabinets or a window seat with storage solutions build into it / under it 
• Adding in a free standing (but secured) piece such as an armoire or a hutch to complement your kitchen design
• Building shelving / storage areas in unique spaces like around windows and over doorways

Want to work on your Waterloo kitchen remodel with a team that is all about Putting People First?

We’d love to hear from you and we’re here to help start a conversation about your kitchen reno needs. Click here to Get Started or to speak with one of our Project Managers, call 519-664-2245.