How to Use Every Centimeter on the Kitchen: Tips from Professionals

A large portion of homeowners rely entirely on a designer when arranging their kitchen. However, this does not always lead to the desired result, and the kitchen ends up with items that are not particularly useful for them, such as a microwave or coffee machine.

Our expert designer Karidat Getun shared practical tips for organizing kitchen space.

1. Assessing Possibilities

To avoid overloading the space with unnecessary items, you need to decide what they will be used for. Maybe you love baking pies and can't imagine your life without daily baking? Or perhaps you cook occasionally, satisfied with a café near your workplace?

2. Working with Height

In cabinets, every centimeter should be used. Rearranging shelves, modules, and dishes helps. It's better to make upper cabinets go to the ceiling so that rarely used items can be stored in the attic space.

Design: Anna Chevereva

3. Using a Cabinet for the Range Hood

There is still quite a bit of free space in the cabinet around the unit and the exhaust pipe. This space can be used for spices, groceries, or tea. Therefore, a great solution would be to hide the range hood inside the cabinet.

Design: Victoria Malysheva

4. The Work Triangle as an Exception

The work triangle of refrigerator-sink-stove does not always have to be an obligatory link.

It is enough to provide a little space on the worktop for laying out and preparing ingredients. Plan a comfortable minimum of 60 cm for prep on the countertop, plus 15–20 cm from the cooktop to the wall or refrigerator.

Design: Anna Maltseva

6. Practicality

Both furniture and finishing materials should be chosen based on lifestyle and kitchen functionality. For example, wooden surfaces require periodic treatment with lacquer.

If you love cooking, it's not recommended to install a mirror backsplash since it will need cleaning after every meal.

Design: Andrey Nekrasov

7. Improvisation

If there's not enough space in the kitchen, you can decorate the dining area with hanging cabinets or shelves.

If there's no place to put a cutlery drawer, then rails and magnetic strips can be used for the backsplash — they can hold any utensils, knives, and spices.

Design: Natalia Balasheva

8. Dishwasher

A dishwasher not only saves water but also allows you to buy a small-sized sink. This, in turn, expands the work surface. Also, dishwashers come in various sizes, such as 45/60 cm or the size of a microwave.

Design: Vera Ilyinchik

9. Organizing by Groups

Everything should stay in its place on the kitchen to avoid unnecessary chaos. For example, spices are better placed in a hanging cabinet right above the work surface, while pots and bowls should be in a pull-out drawer at the bottom left.

Design: In2design

10. Dining Zone

Round tables take up more space than square or rectangular ones. For guests, a folding or extendable table can be prepared.

A bar counter on a small kitchen should preferably be placed by the window, otherwise it just emphasizes the limited size of the space.

Design: Julia Kaufell

11. Unusual Solutions

If you have a multicooker, it's possible to do without a stove or, in the worst case, prefer two burners instead of the standard four.

As for the refrigerator, the same principle applies: a mini-model under the countertop or 120–140 cm in height is suitable for occasional cooking.