Back to Blog

Functional Kitchen Design Tips for Small Kitchens


A place with a long and rich history, Washington DC is known for having a lot of smaller residential properties. While homeowners love the charm of their Washington DC kitchens and homes, it can get quite frustrating to feel like your kitchen is getting in your way due to the limited space! Short of getting a home addition to increase the floor space, you need to use smart and functional kitchen design strategies to make the most of a small Washington DC kitchen. You want these kitchen design tips to make the kitchen actually feel like it can do more, not just give the illusion of more space!

nsplash

Short of getting a home addition to increase the floor space, you need to use smart and functional kitchen design strategies to make the most of a small Washington DC kitchen.

Prioritize Functional Design

The kitchen design tip to keep in mind as you work with a professional designer to remodel your Washington DC kitchen is to prioritize functional design. Kitchens today have become the gathering place of the household to do all sorts of home activities. In a small kitchen, homeowners may not have that luxury. Where it does count most is optimizing the space for cooking and meal prep. This isn’t to say style and aesthetics are thrown out of the equation, but the primary concern should surround how to make small kitchen life more comfortable.

Understand Space Trade-Off

Another critical point to understand with functional kitchen design for small Washington DC kitchens is the necessary space trade-off. Most of the kitchen space is devoted to being work spaces or storage spaces. Figure out which of the two is more important in your kitchen design, since you may need to sacrifice one to achieve the other. There are a few ways to create a balance of both, like replacing traditional bulky upper cabinets with open shelves.

Use Custom Cabinetry

Custom cabinetry could be a solution to some of the trickier storage problems you have with a Washington DC kitchen. Personalizing the cabinetry configurations for a small kitchen helps address the most challenging storage and organizational issues that often come up when remodeling a modest space. In fact, custom cabinetry makes for great makeshift pantries or cabinets with a few inches more depth than standard options.

Maximize Every Inch

Washington DC homeowners can accidentally overlook the corner spaces of their small kitchens. Use corner cabinetry and perhaps even a corner sink. Consider underutilized spaces vertically too. Do you need over the fridge cabinets or shelving? Can you extend your upper cabinets to the ceiling, or find useful storage potential in the gap? Conversely, if you think about what’s below, could you create a subtle yet highly useful kick-toe drawer?

Call Signature Kitchens Additions & Baths

If you’re ready to remodel your Washington DC home, call Signature Kitchens Additions & Baths. As a premier kitchen remodeling contractor, we are proud to serve Washington DC, Rockville, Arlington, Alexandria and beyond. Nothing rejuvenates a house like a stunning kitchen design. Visit our website to view a long list of positive client reviews, and scroll through pictures of our favorite projects! Schedule a consultation on our website, or give us a call at 301-251-1880.

Visit our showroom and follow us on Facebook , Twitter, Pinterest. We are looking forward to working with you!

Hear What Your
Neighbors Are Saying
From day one of our kitchen remodel project, the team was professional, courteous, and a pleasure to work with. Gary, Maurico, and Hamid proved to me that they actually cared about the end product an... -Tony H.
Even after a year, our new Signature kitchen-dining room is a pleasure to wake up to. Light reflecting cabinets with deep drawer storage. Space to hold a trove of cookbooks and all the cookware I need... -Mary K.
The SKAB team took an ugly and chaotic utility space and made it into a bright and cheery laundry room. More importantly the design was highly functional and efficient. They solved a number of difficu... -Barbara S.
In an old DC townhouse with lots of character but little light, Signature constructed a jewel of a kitchen that encompasses great storage and a dining area. Now, we have ample space, oh-so-much light,... -Mary K.
Signature helped me remodel my bathroom to make it more wheelchair accessible.  I couldn't be happier with the results, and with the experience.  From the beginning, they were extremely attentive ... -Joy W.
Gary and his team did a great job re-designing, constructing and finishing the kitchen, mud room and half bath. His team worked very hard to stay within budget and meet the deadline. Our home layout i... -Robert M.
Why Signature K&B
100% Satisfaction We take every step to ensure 100% satisfaction for every project.
Quality Service We always serve our clients with professionalism and care.
40+ Years Business Our team has the experience and skills for your remodel.
Easy Booking It’s never been easier to book our team for your project.
Quick Turnaround We work fast to plan, design, and install your remodel.
Certified Professionals We carry all necessary certifications to exceed quality standards.