Thanks to the fact that the kitchen is one of the key areas of the home, it’s inevitable that most of us would like our kitchen to be that little bit bigger.

However, whilst extending may be an option for some people, for many it is not. Whether this is due to limited finances, room or planning regulations, it can be frustrating.

Help is at hand because you can actually make your kitchen seem bigger by using a few simple but effective interior design ideas which can revolutionise the way you see your kitchen. 

• Cut out the clutter
  Have you ever visited a new housing development and had a look around the showhouse? You’ll notice one thing more than anything else, how every room is designed in a stylish and minimalist fashion. This isn’t because it is the particular look that they want, it’s because it is a very effective way of making a room look a lot bigger than it actually is. Clutter can make even a spacious room feel claustrophobic so remove as much clutter from your kitchen as possible and it will instantly seem more spacious.
   
• Make the most of your natural light
  If you have to use artificial light to light up your kitchen even in the daytime then it will seem smaller than if it was naturally lit. If the current windows in your kitchen are quite small, consider installing bigger ones or even better, extra ones. The more natural light that you can get into your kitchen, the bigger it will seem.
   
• Plain decoration
  Don’t be tempted to go with ‘busy’ wallpaper that has lots of designs on it. Whatever the colour, it will only help make your kitchen feel smaller. Instead, you should go for plain, bright colours to help brighten the room. If you think that this may be too plain for some walls, think about a subtle but striking decorative wall sticker to break up the colour.
  
  Ideally, your kitchen cabinets or shelves should be the same colour as your walls. The less contrast between colours you can achieve in your kitchen the better
   
• Light, bright flooring
  The darker the flooring, the more claustrophobic your kitchen will feel. Instead, go for a brighter floor surface such as a nice light stone or tiled floor. This will help reflect the natural light and ensure your kitchen seems bigger than it actually is.
   
• Do you need cabinets?
  Does your kitchen really need cabinets? Would shelves suffice? The fact is, kitchen cupboards ‘box-off’ a lot of space whereas shelves are open, giving the sense of much more space. You can still store as much as you can in a cupboard but you’ll get the illusion of a lot more space.
  
  If you really don’t think that you can live without kitchen cabinets, then consider one of the growing number of glass doored cupboards. These can also give the illusion of more space in your kitchen.
  
  If you’d like more space in your kitchen, by utilising some or all of our suggestions above, you may not physically gain extra space but you will certainly give yourself, your family and your guests the impression that it is a lot bigger than it is. The clean, clutter-free lines all brilliantly lit with natural light will make the kitchen a nicer place to occupy and you’ll find it much more pleasant to spend time in there.