There’ll be no need to leave home once you master the 7 secrets to creating more space in your kitchen

With the shutdown of our favourite restaurant… once again, we continue to spend more and more time in the kitchen, and it’s only natural to start to see your kitchens flaws. One of the biggest flaws so many kitchens share is a lack of bench space – it makes menial tasks seem near impossible and it drags out your meal preparation and cooking time which only adds to your frustration during isolation. When renovating your existing kitchen you may be thinking that creating additional bench space just isn’t possible. But rest assured, with all of the right tips and design tricks we’ll have you serving up extra bench space even in the tiniest of kitchens.

No bench space? No worries! Keep reading as our secrets to creating more bench space in your kitchen will be revealed.

Induction cooktops will increase bench space

If your tossing up between a gas-stovetop or induction this might make your decision a whole lot easier. Induction cooktops can actually increase your benchspace – How? (You’re probably wondering).

Unlike gas cooktops induction cooktops are cool to touch after use and the cooktop is flush. This makes for the perfect space to place a chopping board and get prepping when benchspace is hard to come by.

Think twice about double-bowl sinks     

If you have a one and half, or double-bowl sink and are finding that the second bowl is seldomly being used then it might be time to get rid of it altogether. Swap out that double-bowl sink and save space with a single-bowl design. There are plenty of single-bowl designs that will still allow enough room to fit any large pots, pans and dishes without them being tilted at an odd angle. If we are being honest with the inclusion of a dishwasher in the kitchen, there is less and less purpose for that second bowl anyway. And go one bigger and include a single bowl with a detachable drainer to free up even more precious bench space.

The perfect place for your small appliances that isn’t the bench

Are your appliances taking over your kitchen? More often than not the number one reason for the lack of kitchen bench space is those cumbersome small appliances that take up precious space all day long – everything from your toaster to the kettle, coffee machine, blender, the list goes on.

There are two ways to tackle this problem. The first one is not a hard one – any appliances you don’t use regularly can find a new home that isn’t the benchtop. And secondly during the planning stages of designing your new kitchen a great way to save bench space is to incorporate a cupboard in the space that is purely dedicated to storing appliances out of sight, eliminating the need to keep on the bench.

It’s all about the island

If you are fortunate enough to have extra floor space in your kitchen however the problem is not having enough room on your bench than an island is your solution. Introducing an island into your kitchen will drastically increase bench space. Island benches come in every shape and size imaginable which means the size of your island bench can be designed in proportion to the space of your kitchen so don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of room to work with.

The beauty of island bench is that it will add another working space to your kitchen and has the added bonus of boosting your storage too.

Multi-purpose furniture

If you’re really looking to add to your bench space, think about using your dining table to double as an extra bench space. An integrated dining area is not only great for when you are entertaining but an extra work zone that is a little lower than your benchtop can be idea if you have people of different heights at home, especially children.

Take the storage up

Installing additional overhead storage above your benchtop is another great space saver. Functional shelving is not only a quick and easy fix but will also allow you to shift items off your benchtop creating more space in your work zone.

As a bonus tip – Always take your overhead cupboards to the ceiling – that way your maximizing storage while minimizing dust, it’s a win win.

Declutter

It may seem simple but one way to guarantee more bench space in your new kitchen is to declutter. A smart way to tackle this task is during the planning stage of your renovation is to allocate a dedicated space for the objects that always seem to end up on your bench. Such as a ‘junk drawer’ to get the keys and mail out of your way, or a cupboard with a power point to charge phones, iPads etc and get them off your precious bench.

Our design team can help you create a functional kitchen with all the desired bench space, and if you book in your FREE video consultation to start creating your dream kitchen TODAY you will receive a Fisher & Paykel integrated dishwasher FREE! Worth $1499.