These 28 Small Kitchen Ideas Pack a Stylish Punch (2024)

In this small kitchen designed by Anthony Baratta in New York City, a theatrical pelmet and painted trim draws attention to the large window. The Apthorp’s original mosaic tile floors endure, their scale repeated in a fleur-de-lis wallpaper in the dining area. The banquette is upholstered in “1940s glam” diamond-patterned leathers (Dualoy). The table is a Biedermeier reproduction commissioned by Baratta.

In the kitchen of his San Antonio home, designer Todd Romano used an antique iron table instead of a built-in island, which would have made the small kitchen feel more congested. Custom Talavera tiles are arranged in a graphic chevron pattern with glossy ebony cabinetry (Black, Fine Paints of Europe).

Despite its petite size, this New York City kitchen designed by Robert Passal accommodates a large island, which not only allows for seating for four but also includes a cooktop. When combined with the wall ovens (at right of frame), the built-in cooktop makes a large-scale range unnecessary and frees up under-counter storage space. Sculptural metal counter stools are finished in antique brass and upholstered in pistachio leather (Jerry Pair).

In the kitchen of this Montreal home, the Les Ensembliers design duo carved out space for a breakfast table by building in banquette seating underneath the window. The counter­tops are Caesarstone and the table is English.

At this London townhouse, designer Gary McBournie used soft color to draw the eye back into the kitchen alcove off a large, brightly-lit breakfast and sitting room. Cabinetry paint, Teresa’s Green by Farrow & Ball. Refrigerator, Sub-Zero. Countertops, Caesarstone

In the small kitchen of his San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, home, designer Jeffry Fisher emblazoned the floor-to-ceiling tilework with a hand-painted border. The flooring is hand-burnished, local terra-cotta.

Soft, smoky tones lend a high-fashion, sophisticated touch to the alluring yet tiny galley kitchen of this 18th-century flat in Paris. The upper cabinets feature mirrored eglomise facings and “almost look like venetian blinds,” notes decorator Jean-Louis Deniot. The lower cabinetry paint color is Midnight Oil by Benjamin Moore.

A cheerful pattern, such as this original decorative lining inside the kitchen cabinets of this Mark D. Sikes-designed home, is a welcome surprise inside cabinetry of small kitchens.

At this Mark D. Sikes-designed home, a sunny corner becomes a radiant breakfast nook thanks to built-in banquette seating and a slenter Saarinen tulip table.

In this South Carolina kitchen, architect Peter Block and designer Beth Webb clad the counter-depth refrigerator and freezer in the same rift-cut white oak panels as the cabinetry to create a more seamless look, which is all the more important in a small kitchen. The slender range by Bertazzoni.

Vibrant sapphire cabinetry turns this petit butler's pantry outfitted with a refrigerator and sink into the colorful jewel box within this Ruthie Sommers–designed Rhode Island retreat. The Lawrence of La Brea rug brings out the subtle red tones of the valance in an eccentric Katie Ridder fabric. The custom cobalt paint color is from Fine Paints of Europe.

It may feel counter-intuitive, but forgoing upper cabinetry can make a small cook space feel larger. In this Paris apartment, designers Raphaël Le Berre and Thomas Vevaud installed a large piece of art in place of shelves or cabinetry along one wall. Tractor stools from BassamFellows maintain a low profile while simple cabinetry crafted of black melamine wood reinforces streamlined style.

Floor-to-ceiling "locker" cabinets along one wall of this Paris kitchen designed by Raphaël Le Berre and Thomas Vevaud maximize storage space.