01. Small Kitchen Packed With Modern Amenities

This kitchen may be limited in size, but it still manages to wrap together many modern elements, such as:

• Stainless Steel: Stainless steel may have peaked in 2002, but if it's in decline, it's surely a very slow one. There's still no better way to signal modern kitchen design than with one or two well-placed stainless steel pieces in a small kitchen.

• Pendant Lights: Another waning-but-still-there touch of modern design. I happen to love pendants, because it's a fantastic way to bring light to remote spots, such as this kitchen island.

• Beer Tap and Wine Cooler: Really? Yes, of course!

• Contemporary Tile: The featured product is from tile supplier Hakatai. Classic Oak Blend tile adorns the backsplash by the peninsula sink.


02. U-Shaped Small Kitchen Packs In Tons of Storage

Small kitchens don't have much room for space-creativity. The U-shaped kitchen floor plan is tried and true, and is the best way to take advantage of that classic kitchen triangle, whereby you create a tight bond between fridge, stove, and sink.

Everything You Need In One Place

With little more than three steps in any direction, you can reach those core service in the kitchen triangle--or storage, dishwasher, oven, microwave. That's how well the U-shaped plan works for you.

Brighter, Lighter

Cool mosaic tile work on the backsplash from Hakatai brings color to this potentially dark space. It's Hakatai's mix-it-yourself feature, whereby you can order up your personalized custom mosaic tile blend--and do it all online.

Not So Great

The faux wood beams are the only off-note for me, personally. While I like wood beams and have nothing against the fake variety, the beams are not commensurate with the rest of the kitchen.

The kitchen needs to be brought up to style to match those beams: wooden cabinets are a good way to start with this.



03. Small Kitchen With Big Ambitions

Behold the small kitchen in the large house. Or is it really so big? Tall ceilings nearly always make a house feel larger.
What Makes This Room:

Hood. Do "island-mount" range hoods instantly signal modern kitchen design? You decide. While a cool touch, these island-mount vent/hoods are also the best way to get proper ventilation on a kitchen island. Down-drafting cooktops don't cut it.

Cabinet Doors: It's common to find framed glass-inlay cabinet doors, less so frameless ones.
Pictures: It's unusual to see framed paintings in a kitchen, but it works when you've got high wall space like here. Arranging the pictures gallery-style adds to the flair of this room.


04. Great Utility and Fresh Flavor In Small Kitchen Space

It's a classic contemporary condo kitchen, sophisticated but friendly.
2 Spaces In One

As we've seen with our other diminutive kitchens, it helps immensely to double up on your spaces. For better or worse, a breakfast bar takes care of 90% of the dining space needs for most urban loft and condo dwellers.


About Those Pendants

Though pendant lights are a hallmark of urban kitchen design--and though theyprovide a tremendous function in the form of direct light just where you need it--I don't believe it works here.

The lights are too far forward and too low, presenting a "bump" hazard for anyone attempting to cook, prep, or wash.


05. Country-Style Kitchen With Heart

While we do cover slick, urban small kitchens in this article, the intimate kitchen with the soft, home-like feel is another approach.
Two things here really give this small kitchen a warm feeling: the choice of paint and the crown molding along the tops of the cabinets.


Colors Make It Work

Behr's Blue Fox is on the walls and Ultra Pure White is on the trim. The wall paint sharply contrasts with the rich wood cabinets for an appealing look.

Also, the simple addition of crown molding to the top cabinet edge hides the soffits and gives the cabinets amore elegant look.