Small Kitchen Ideas – Using Tiles to Make Your Kitchen Appear Bigger

It’s incredibly common to have small and compact kitchens in modern homes, but for some reason we always assume this means we need a small design personality to match. You may not have the space to make your kitchen physically bigger, but there are clever ways of manipulating the design and colour scheme to ensure your kitchen appears larger than it really is! Here are our top small kitchen ideas, using tiles to illude to a bigger area.

1 – Refreshing Light Marbles

Using light shades of marble tile across the floors and even splashbacks in your kitchen will lighten the room up beautifully. Light and airy colours appear clean and fresh in kitchens, which is perfect for a smaller room. Choose a marble with delicate veining, as if the veining appears too strong it can become quite overwhelming and look cluttered. We’ve used our Ashbourne Grey Carrara Marble Matt Wall Tiles in this kitchen space, in combination with dusty rose cabinetry, creating a really airy and feminine look.

2 – Deep and Moody Schemes

On the contrary, deep and moody schemes can also be equally effective, but need a little more consideration and thought. Too many dark tones can appear quite heavy, which can be too much for a smaller space. Use various tones throughout in darker shades to add depth and dimension, preventing the space from becoming too flat. The darker wood splashback in this design creates a set back look, making the space feel larger than it is. Pair deeper tones with luxurious accessories like gold hardware and marble surfaces for a truly expensive look and feel.

3 – Bold and Quirky Patterns

It’s a common misconception that we must steer clear of pattern when working in smaller spaces, but when done right they can be really effective at adding character and dimension. For example, a black and white pattern tile adds layers of tonal design, enhancing that feeling of depth and space. To take this one step further, and to unleash your inner quirky design personality, combine multiple different patterns to result in an impactful space. Our Pistachio Pick n’ Mix Gloss Tiles pair well with a variety of our patterned tiles! Compliment them with various patterned tiles or with their siblings from the Pick n’ Mix range to create your own bespoke pattern.

4 – Contrasting Splashbacks

To continue the ideas of introducing a sense of depth to your space, using contrasting grouts can be ideal! By using a grout that contrasts your chosen tile, you’re adding another layer to the design, making the space feel larger. The white grout combined with our Marmalade Pick n’ Mix appears to be behind the tile, making it feel more ‘3D’ and textured than it really is. This can be done with a variety of different tiles and shades of grout, from white tiles with black grout to blue tiles with white grout!

5 – Refreshingly Feminine

A bit of femininity never hurt anyone when it comes to interior design! And we don’t mean your grandmas frilly duvet set! It’s defined as curves, decorative furnishings, soft tones and delicate colours, and we think it’s perfect for smaller kitchen designs! There’s a certain fear that surrounds this style, we become worried it will be too girly or even childish, but with modern designs and the right style, it can appear truly elegant and sophisticated. Smaller kitchens run the risk of becoming too flat and lifeless, through fear of them being ‘too much’, but with a hint of fun colour they can appear full of life and character!

6 – Continued Across The Walls and Floors

We’re sure you know this by now but we love all things walls and floors, so when the two combine we fall in love all over again! The idea of your wall tiles continuing all the way down and across your floors is magical to us! It creates a sense of continuity, which is perfect for smaller spaces. The all-over look creates a beautiful base for further accessories and tones to be added in through other means, like the cabinets and hardware. Depending on the tile, this can also create an incredibly modern look, as demonstrated here by our beautiful Terrazzo Hexagon Mottled Grey Porcelain Tile.

7 – Make Use Of Empty Wall Space

As a bit of a side track from tiling, we would always recommend you make the most of empty wall space in smaller kitchens. It can be a life saver for things that you don’t have space for in the cupboards and drawers. Add exposed shelving for that rustic country kitchen look, with hooks on the under side to hang things like mugs and utensils. You can also hammer a few nails into a bit of empty wall space, which is perfect for hanging the loose bits and bobs hat don’t have their own home. Put your shelves above your kitchen splashback for a cohesive look that works together beautifully, like we have in our design using the Faith Black Gloss Wall and Floor Tile.

8 – Patterned Splashbacks

To add a bit of fun and excitement to your small kitchen, try using a patterned tile across your splashback. This creates a point of intrigue to what can otherwise be quite a boring space. The splashback is vital to the success of your kitchen design, so it’s important to get it right. As much as we love the darker and moodier schemes, if you’re a bit nervous about these making your room feel closed in, stick to the lighter and airier patterns and designs. Our Dante Blue Dhalia Tiles demonstrate this perfectly, with their delicate blue and grey colouring and floral design, complemented by the darker wood cabinets and natural stone worktop.

There you have our top small kitchen ideas, using tiles to make your space appear larger than life. Just because you have a small kitchen, doesn’t mean you need a small design personality, think big! Be sure to tag us in pictures of your designs over on Instagram, @Wallsandfloors, we love seeing our products in your homes and they may get featured on our website!