#mcstone

You might not be able to change a lot of things in your small kitchen, but you can do the next best thing: give the illusion of larger, more open, space. Breathe better, and move about with ease, with these six suggestions:

1. Low Contrast colour: Choose same colour throughout the kitchen or keep a minimal variation. Light colours, or all white helps too. In the kitchen above, the cabinets and appliances blend in with the walls, and things feel more spacious than they actually are.

2. Elongated Patterns: Pick geometric and striped walls and floors that draw the eye lengthwise or vertically and make the room appear longer or taller than it actually is. If you can't change the floor itself, add a patterned runner that will add the same effect.

3. Use sleek appliances: Using sleeker yet modern design appliances reduce the space taken up by them, for e.g. cooker hoods or microwave ovens. Try Miele kitchen appliances from mcstone.co.uk.

4. Use open shelving: Open shelves reduce visual weight and lend the illusion of a more expansive space. For an even sleeker look, choose floating shelves over models with brackets.

5. Incorporate Shiny Surfaces: We talk a lot about using reflective mirrors strategically, but stainless steel appliances, glossy floors, satin paint, glass tiles, and sleek cabinets can also do the trick.

6. Paint cabinets the same color as the walls: Limiting the cabinetry and the wall color to a single hue erases visual boundaries that might stop the eye. The conventional school of thought is that pale colors will reflect light and make the space feel bigger, and that's certainly a safe approach. But don't be afraid to go dark, either. Deep tones such as black, navy, charcoal and chocolate recede visually and create the impression that the walls are farther back than they really are.