• Make your small kitchen as efficient as a big one.flowers in kitchen image by araraadt from Fotolia.com
  
  Small kitchens don't have to be cramped and uncomfortable. With ingenuity, you can transform your petite space into an efficient, workhorse that rivals kitchens twice its size. Make sure to employ the rules of the "work triangle" and "3 steps only", with regard to sink and appliance spacing, explains Family Resource.
  
  

Use Vertical Space

• Look around your room and see how much wall space is unused. If yours is like most kitchens, even big ones, there is plenty of room for additional cabinetry all the way to the ceiling as shown at ApartmentTherapy.com. Install one or two ceiling height cabinets or extend all cabinetry to the ceiling. Store seldom used items like holiday platters and over-sized containers closest to the ceiling. This creates more room below for well-used items like pots and pans. Also, with cabinets that reach the ceiling there is less wall space to paint. Trim away unnecessary cooking utensils and worn out cookware. If you use stemware, install a glass rack to hang glasses upside down under cabinets instead of taking up space inside.
  
  

Try Pint-Size Appliances

• Small appliances use less floor space, and a 2-burner cook surface would suit most people just fine. Unless you are a gourmet chef or you entertain often, you probably don't use all four burners at once. Smaller versions of the same appliances you need are available, and some have the interesting option of being hidden, such as under-counter refrigerators. Even popular apron sinks come in smaller sizes, as seen at MyHomeIdeas.com. Kitchen islands can also be scaled down to fit your space.
  
  

Create Light

• Light is important to any work space. A dimly lit small room can seem even smaller. If there is space available on the wall, install a large window to let in as much natural light as possible. This also makes the room feel larger by opening it visually to the outdoors. Artificial lighting is also important, so use it well. Under cabinet and under counter lighting are both suggested by KitchenDesignersIdeas.com, and they also recommend light colored walls and cabinets.
  
  

Eradicate Clutter

• Clutter and decorations steal valuable counter space. Instead of objects that are merely pretty, use good looking functional pieces to hold cooking utensils, flour, cereal, coffee and other frequently used items. Keep your counters clear from loose papers and anything else that doesn't belong there to keep your work space open.