If you live in a condo or a small house, you likely have a small kitchen. Worst case, you have a "galley" kitchen that feels cramped. It might feel as if there is no way to make it look luxurious and lavish. Good news! You can absolutely make a small kitchen look great.

Here are some of our best tips:

Open Your Cabinets

Small kitchens are short of storage space, so you probably don't want to take any of it out. But one of the things you can do is replace some of your cabinet doors, especially on upper cabinets, with glass. Make sure to keep everything in the cabinets neat and this can give a lot of extra space.

Consider replacing the upper cabinets with open shelves, which are still functional, easier to access, and make the space look bigger.

Lighten Your Color

White kitchens can be awesome, but if you aren't a fan, consider a very light blue or green. These colors give a sense of space. If going with plain white, vary texture so it does not look as sterile or boring. Add subtle shadows with recessed panels and molding.

Get Clever with Racks

If you don't have a pantry, an in-cabinet spice rack is a great way to organize herbs and condiments. A Scandinavian-style over-the-sink drying rack is useful if you have items you can't put in a dishwasher, without taking up any extra space. These are becoming more popular in small kitchens.

You can also hang things from upper cabinets for storage to save counter space. Wall-mounted pot and knife racks also take things off your counter and free up tons of space.

Use Hardware to Make Statements

Your cabinet hardware is an accent. Choose bright custom hardware in unusual colors to highlight your kitchen's look. Or opt for invisible hardware to clean surfaces and make it easier to lean on counters when working. Touch-to-open cabinetry can save a bit of space in a tiny kitchen.

Choose the Right Sink

In a small kitchen, traditional stainless-steel sinks can dominate, pulling the eye too much and then reminding you that there's not much space.

Alternatives include a white fireclay sink with striking rose gold accessories and a fluted front that adds texture to your space. Or opt for a hammered copper undermount sink that takes up less space and looks strikingly different. Both options are great for smaller kitchens and come in the right size for your space.

Increase Natural Light

If your kitchen has windows, minimize window treatments. Remove heavy curtains and replace them with blinds or an opaque shade that stays within the window frame. This both increases the amount of space available and makes the kitchen appear lighter and airier.

You can use windows to increase ventilation, too, and let stale cooking smells air out.

Use a Bar Cart, Not an Island

With a slightly larger kitchen, you might have an island taking up your working space, or think you have space for one. Resist. Instead, get a bar cart that can be positioned as an island or moved to a different location when you need more space to work.

Bar carts are also great for entertaining. Because they are transparent, they allow for sight lines through them, keeping the kitchen "open."

Choose the Right Patterns

It's common wisdom that patterned walls or floors make a space appear smaller. However, if you choose the right pattern, then it can have the opposite effect. Horizontal wall tiles make the wall they are on look longer; use them as back splash for a great effect. Choose flooring with oversized diamonds of chevrons, creating diagonal lines that make the room feel wider.

Horizontal stripes on the floor, if positioned side to side rather than along the length, will also make your kitchen look wider. You can achieve this easily by adding a waterproof rug or painting wooden or vinyl flooring.

Remove Clutter

Get rid of that ice cream maker you haven't used since the kids moved out. Get rid of mismatched dinnerware that you aren't using. Resist the temptation to keep those plastic takeout containers "in case they're useful."

In a small kitchen, you need to get rid of anything you are not using regularly.  Clean out your cabinets and give away extra mugs, the last glass from the broken set, etc. Then organize everything else so it's easy to find and looks great.

Play With Kitchen Supplies

When buying new stuff, think about those open shelves or glass fronted cabinets. Choose things you are proud to show off. Colored glassware, pretty kettles, lovely colored Dutch ovens. If you have an open kitchen that faces onto the dining room then these are even better. Your guests will get to see your taste in a way not many people think about.

Instead of buying plain stuff, choose things that show your personality. Colored accents can be achieved with small appliances as easily as painting stuff. Keep it fun! Mugs hung on pegs save space and look fun too.

Use Mirrors

Mirrors always make a space look larger. A mirrored backsplash is a striking choice that opens up space behind your sink. Or hang a mirror above the stove. Choose a wall mirror that has a light colored or subtly patterned frame, which also adds to texture.

Add Light

You can never have too much light, natural or artificial, in a kitchen. Pendant lights draw the eye upward and make the space look bigger. Library lights and task lights along cabinets and shelves brighten the space. They also give you much better visibility while preparing food.

Your small kitchen can easily be transformed into a more lavish and, yes, usable space. One great way to do so is with the right sink, especially copper undermounted sinks that "take up" less counter space. To find out more about our luxury sinks and how they can help make your small kitchen shine contact Fossil Blu today.