If you're renovating a small kitchen, you can make particular design choices to give an impression of a larger area. It is not only about the actual room dimensions.

Decorate with a Light Colour Pallete

Brighter areas can appear more spacious. Pale colours reflect light around a room while darker shades absorb it. In a kitchen, each individual surface contributes to the overall effect. One popular option is to go all white, so cabinetry, benchtop, walls and appliances all pull together.  Alternatively, you could choose a pale colour, such as a creamy-blue, and use that consistently across the area. Colour blocking, or differentiating elements with distinct tones, will create visual interruptions that disrupt the clean lines.

Use Glass Splashbacks

Polished surfaces reflect more light than matte surfaces, so a glass splashback is ideal for making kitchens seem larger. You can usually install them in only one or several sections that seamlessly join together for a clean, modern look. The busy grout lines that typify tiled surfaces, in contrast, tend to break up an expanse. Glass backsplashes can be back-painted a light colour to form a continuous flow from the walls to the benchtop.

Increase Natural Daylight

Adding more natural daylight sources to your kitchen will brighten it up as well. One option is to install a skylight. Different glazing options are available to diffuse light comfortably through the ceiling, even in hot sunny conditions. They can be double-glazed to limit the sun and heat that enters, or else constructed to make the most of limited daylight if you live in a cloudy climate. An alternate, no-construction solution is to install a glass-panelled outer door. Frosted and patterned glass can obscure the view to increase kitchen privacy, while still allowing light to filter through.

Minimise Clutter

When creating a spacious feel, it is essential to minimise clutter. At the cabinetry-planning stage, make sure to devise cupboard space for appliances and microwave ovens that can otherwise clutter-up the countertop. A full benchtop can make a kitchen feel crowded.

Don't forget to include a cupboard for the rubbish bin so you can remove every random scrap of visual noise. Slim appliances will also be less likely to overwhelm a small area, and they can also help maintain storage and bench space.

Modern slimline benchtops contribute to a light airiness as well. Handles dotted across cabinetry can break up the smooth surface, so minimal pull styles or handless cabinetry can further help you to achieve a modern, spacious kitchen from your new home renovations.