All the long narrow kitchens They can be a real headache when decorating. And, it must be recognized, in new flats and homes the tendency is to increasingly reduce this room, which is one of the most important in the house.
When we meet a more long and narrow, we find ourselves with clear difficulties: too many things cannot be added to them because the space is very small. We have no choice but to seek practical solutions in order to optimize work and storage areas. Can be an interesting challenge.
If our kitchen is long and narrow, the first of our objectives will be to try to make it look wider. You cannot do magic, although you can influence certain decorative elements so that their appearance changes. At least, to make it appear wider and more spacious than it really is.
Because, although it is true that kitchens are no longer built as large as before, it is also true that in the world of decoration and interior design we have more weapons and resources to correct what we do not like. Ideas and designs for narrow kitchens have adapted to the new times and have found their place in modern homes.
In fact, as incredible as it may seem, many people say they feel more comfortable in a small kitchen, where they are better organized and do not have to move from one place to another while cooking. Despite this, it seems that there is unanimity on the question of making the kitchen look bigger.
There are some simple and basic ideas that can be very useful when it comes to achieving a functional and practical kitchen, however long and narrow it may be. Special care must be taken in the choice of furniture, colors and lighting in order to get the most out of it. It is worth trying, especially considering that this is one of the places in the house where we are going to spend the most time:
Bet on light tones
Light colors are definitely the best choice for any small space. If it is also narrow, light will be more limited even if we have a window, so it is essential to know how to choose the right color for walls and ceilings, furniture, curtains, etc.
Not only the basic rules of decoration, but also instinct, tell us that the most appropriate shades to achieve this end are white throughout its range, raw tones, light Grey, beige And even the pastel colors, although without abusing. Too much color in a small space is risky: it can become saturated and boring.
Let's look at the image above. The kitchen is clearly small, so much so that it does not even allow us to open the door completely. To make it more open to the eyes, both the floor and the walls glow with a luminous white that seems to shine more due to the light that enters through the only window. In it, to get as much light as possible, the curtains are simple translucent gauze.
The kitchen furniture is a very soft greenish gray that blends perfectly with the predominant white. To balance a bit, there are some details in green, that of the kitchenware and of the Facilities (which always look good in a kitchen), and in black: the ceramic hob and the inside of the sink.
The importance of light in long and narrow kitchens
Lighting is very important in all kitchens, but especially in those with little space. Light is a valuable element that will help us achieve a greater sense of spaciousness. It will be essential to have a source of natural light, preferably a window or a door that leads to the outside. But in certain kitchens that may not be enough.
The logical recourse is to try to reinforce that natural light with artificial lighting. On the ceiling you have to forget about frills and opt for correct and effective overhead lighting, with recessed panels or halogen spotlights of a certain power. The higher the ceiling, the more you have to focus on this type of lighting.
It is also a good idea to insert additional light points inside the cabinets, on the shelves, etc. This, in addition to "enlarging" our kitchen, will provide it with some particularly charming corners.
It is also very effective use materials that reflect light on countertops and cabinets. As we have seen in the example above, white serves to enhance the effect of lighting, so it is worth spending a little time studying how to place these points of light and their incidence on the surfaces of our kitchen.
The importance of order
It is well known that the disorder in a room makes us see it smaller than it is. Well, this also works in reverse: if we manage to keep a kitchen clear and tidy, we will make it look as if it were more spacious.
We are not only talking about cleaning (although that also helps), but about having good storage solutions so that only what is essential remains visible. We almost dare to say that this is the number one step to consider achieving before you start thinking about the above questions about colors and lighting.
So, let's get rid of pans, plates, glasses, as well as any kind of unnecessary decoration in our long and narrow kitchens. let's apply the basic rules of Minimalism and let's reduce the presence of objects in the kitchen to the merely essential. Let's hide all that from our line of sight, but stored in order. By doing this, we will not only gain a lot in terms of aesthetics, but also in comfort by removing obstacles from our path.
The walls are going to be the space in which we will find larger storage area, which will offer us a more interesting range of possibilities. That is why we can make the most of them, for example by placing shelves up to the ceiling. The most advisable thing is that they are closed, since they do not get so dirty.
The slogan could be this: make the most of every last centimeter of our kitchen. To achieve this, sometimes we will need the professional help who design ingenious solutions adapted to the peculiarities of each kitchen.
Filling the kitchen with drawers and cupboards has many benefits, but it also certain risks. There is something that we must keep in mind: these solutions will help us to clean up our kitchen, but at the same time they will detract from our search for a greater sensation of space and light. It will be necessary, therefore, to be very careful and try to find a balance that is not always easy to find.