If you’re like many people, you wish your kitchen looked a little bigger than it is – especially if you’re selling your home. Fortunately, there are three tips you can use today to make a small kitchen look bigger. Here’s what you need to know.
3 Simple Tricks to Make a Small Kitchen Look Bigger
Buyers want to see a kitchen that has enough space for their own supplies, whether they’re aspiring chefs of only rarely use the kitchen. You can help prospective buyers see that your kitchen is big enough for their needs by using these three simple techniques:
- Use light-colored paint in the kitchen.
- Let in as much natural light as possible – and reflect more.
- Open up your storage space.
Here’s a closer look at each.
Small Kitchen Tip #1: Use Light Colored Paint in the Kitchen
If your kitchen is extremely small, white paint is the right choice. It can reflect light, which makes the area look larger. But you don’t have to use stark white; you can pick another light color with a gloss finish if that’s a better fit for your space. You may not even need to repaint the whole room; talk to your Scottsdale real estate agent about your paint choices. Cream, yellow or even a pastel may be ideal (just don’t go too extreme, or you risk alienating buyers).
If you’re painting your space yourself, use these tips to be more successful:
- Use the right primer. Ask for help at the hardware store if you’re not sure what to get.
- Sand away flaws before you start painting.
- Take off all your switch plates.
- Cover everything that you can’t move out of the way – it’s easier to prevent paint splatters than it is to remove them.
- Finish just one wall at a time.
- Mix all your paint together before using it to ensure you get uniform color on every wall.
Small Kitchen Tip #2: Let in as Much Natural Light as Possible – and Reflect More
You definitely want your kitchen to appear bright; that’s what buyers want to see. The paint does some of that for you, but you also need to open up the blinds and let in as much natural light as possible. Keep your kitchen window treatments to a minimum.
If your kitchen only has a small window that doesn’t let in a ton of light, think about reflecting what does come in with a mirror. See if there’s open wall space across from – or even perpendicular to – your kitchen window, or if you can reflect light from another part of the house into your kitchen.
Small Kitchen Tip #3: Open Up Your Storage Space
Sometimes closed-off cabinets can make a room look smaller – even if there’s plenty of storage space behind them. Consider switching to open shelving, at least in place of a few cabinets, to make the kitchen look more open and spacious. The catch: You have to be choosy about what you put on display. Keep everything neat and to a minimum to impress buyers.
