Don’t go large – compact kitchens can deliver on style, too
Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to kitchen design. These days, many people are embracing small kitchens as increasingly more space-saving products and compact appliances have come onto the market, meaning you don’t have to sacrifice style.
‘Large open-plan kitchens can often get a bit noisy and messy so I’m fine with having a smaller kitchen and a separate dining room next door,’ says Danish designer Katrine Martensen-Larsen, who lives in Copenhagen’s cool, design-led district, Frederiksberg, with her husband and two kids.
As more of us enjoy dining at home and its sense of occasion, many homeowners are actually reverting back to the tradition of having a separate dining room.
The real benefit of the compact kitchen is that they can pull off the immaculate and neat minimalist look that so many Danish homeowners crave, according to Martensen-Larsen.
But it isn’t just the Nords that find the streamlined kitchen appealing. The market for integrated functionality and products that make small spaces work harder is booming – pull-out drawers, reduced-width appliances, such as Grundig’s slimline dishwasher, and bespoke storage solutions such as built-in larders are all popular right now.
In addition, the finishes for small kitchens have become more pared back, with neutral schemes and natural materials with interesting textures taking precedent to create a stylish and calm clutter-free space.
