41 Ideas for Small Kitchens Packed with Major Style

In this New York City apartment, designer Nick Olsen outfitted the small kitchen with Carrara marble countertops and backsplash to minimize materials in the minimal space. Open shelves allow for a slightly airier feel, and for the owner to display his blue and white porcelain collection. The shelves and cabinets are Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball.

For the tiny kitchen in his Harbour Island cottage, designer Matthew Carter scaled down his sink—and its plumbing fixtures (Rohl)—to fit the space. Mahogany countertops, Abaco pine beams, and vintage wicker pendant shades ground the kitchen in organic island simplicity.

For the small kitchen in this Newport Beach, California, house, architect Gil Schafer and designer Suzanne Rheinstein eschewed upper cabinetry for an airer feel. That left room to adorn the paneled walls with botanical artwork illuminated by brass sconces with articulating arms (Robert Kime).

At this Sea Island, Georgia, home designed by Ellen Kavanaugh, the small kitchen reflects more seaside light thanks to iridescent tile from Paris Ceramics. Amping up the glam factor are the brass accents, from the floating shelves and hood cover to the cabinetry hardware and sink fixtures.

For this Los Angeles kitchen, designer Fran Keenan painted the walls, trim, cabinetry, shelves, and even the adjacent hallway the same color: Castle Grey by Farrow & Ball. The seamless palette visually expands the space and makes for a fabulous backdrop for vintage oil paintings.

In the small kitchen of their Montecito cottage, design luminaries Suzanne Tucker and Timothy Marks lean on clever storage solutions like this three-shelf wheeled cart (Suzanne Kasler for Hickory Chair) that serves as beverage trolley, extra prep surface, and servingware storage. Large baskets tuck under the rafters.

For the small kitchen in her San Francisco home, designer Palmer Weiss worked with artist Willem Racke to embellish the wood floors with a painted geometric pattern. The large-scale medallions add visual interest to the floor and create the illusion of a more expansive space.

For this guest house in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, designer Meg Kelly of Clella Design and renovation expert Holly Williams eeked out every last square inch of storage in the small apple green kitchen. Flanking the sink, two tiny drawers store utensils and supplies while towel bars keep fresh towels handy yet tucked away.

In this Tennessee kitchen, designer Meg Kelly of Clella Design and renovation expert Holly Williams embraced the charm of the cottage proportions with old-fashioned fixtures, such as this refrigerator with brassy hardware that calls to mind antique iceboxes.

The airy, open feel of designer Elizabeth Law’s small kitchen in her Hollywood home is thanks to the vaulted ceilings and casement windows on three walls. Black cabinetry grounds the space, while tile countertops are in keeping with the Spanish-style architecture. The 1930s French iron chandelier is from Liz’s Antique Hardware.

For this North Carolina mountain home, designer Timothy Whealon wrapped the kitchen island in a waterfall countertop fabricated with a refined Calacatta Oro marble (Marmi Natural Stone) as a sophisticated statement in the small space. The backsplash tiles were handmade in Morocco. The rattan counter stools and cushion fabric are from Soane Britain.

At this Michigan lakeside retreat, designer Summer Thornton infused this tiny prep sink space with big nautical energy thanks to a collection nostalgic boat paintings by artist Mary Maguire and shipshape brass hardware.

Inside the Honey Fitz yacht (once used as the presidential yacht), designer Jack Fhillips preserved streamlined profile of the galley kitchen from its 1960s heyday during the Kennedy Administration. Sticking to just one finish—stainless steel—for nearly everything helps the small kitchen feel more spacious.

With what little storage space he had in his traditional Birmingham kitchen, Architect Paul Bates made a big statement by designing geometric white oak cabinetry inspired by doors at David Alder's Clow house in Chicago. The memorable design makes a statement without overwhelming the small space.

In this Colonial Williamsburg home designed by Heather Chadduck Hillegas, appliances like the dishwasher are concealed behind Shaker-style cabinetry panels that, along with brass pulls (Modern Matter), imbue the kitchen with early American ambience. The candelabra-style chandelier is by Circa Lighting and the farm sink and bridge faucet are by Ferguson .

A 19th-century butler’s mirror makes this small space feel larger than it is while also offering a peek into the kitchen of this Manhattan apartment designed by Garrow Kedigian and its brass sheet backsplash. Leather stools, Le Forge. Wallpaper, Christian Lacroix

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).

In designer Cece Barfield Thompson's New York City apartment, a large-scale checkerboard pattern (Floe Painting) adds interest to pretty much the only surface that can take pattern. The tone-on-tone scheme prevents the pattern from overwhelming the room. The steel casement windows are original.

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).